On Wednesday, 14 October, Colombian unions and teachers plan to march as President Abelardo de la Espriella prepares a decree governing protests. He said, “Never again a permanent blockade of a highway, never again a TransMilenio lane turned into a trench.” Organisers describe the marches as preparation for a wider strike, but they haven’t set a date. The decree’s final wording remains unpublished.
Bogotá’s teachers’ union, the Asociación Distrital de Educadores, called its own march under the slogan that the city’s teachers “stop and mobilise.” Its demands focus on public education and the teachers’ health scheme, which the Fondo Nacional de Prestaciones Sociales del Magisterio runs. Publimetro and Infobae also listed the 2027 minimum wage, labour benefits and damage from the August earthquake among the issues.
Who Is Organising
Bogotá’s city government listed a “preparatory mobilisation for the strike against the Government,” called by the CUT, CTC, CGT, CDP, Fecode, the Pacto Histórico and Alianza por la Vida. The CUT is the Central Unitaria de Trabajadores, a national union confederation; Fecode is the national teachers’ federation; and the Pacto Histórico is the left-wing coalition of former President Gustavo Petro.
The CGT, another union confederation, said it “does not mobilise or call on its affiliated organisations” to march, according to Publimetro. Organisers were considering a national strike in November, but they haven’t chosen a date. Former President Gustavo Petro said he would join Bogotá’s march: “I will be at the 14 October march in Bogotá, and I expect all the working people of the city,” he wrote, according to Infobae.
Bogotá will host the largest events, with gatherings also announced in Medellín, Cali, Barranquilla and Bucaramanga. Local press listed gatherings in at least eight cities. Bogotá’s city government listed four protest events for the day, including union and teacher gatherings at Parque Nacional, and eight protest events between 13 and 18 October.
The Decree and the Threat
In a national address on Monday, 12 October, De la Espriella said officials would publish a new protest decree “in the coming days.” He also said peaceful marchers would receive protection and dialogue would be the rule. “If they intend to set Colombia on fire, they will meet the determination of the Tiger,” he added, referring to himself. El Tiempo reported the address; Publimetro said the Interior Minister called the marches an early test of the decree.
Asuntos Legales described a draft on 8 October that would amend Decree 003 of 2021, the existing protocol for policing protests. It defines violent acts to include attacks on people, throwing dangerous objects and blocking medical missions. Under the draft, dialogue remains the first response, and force is exceptional once set criteria show dialogue is exhausted. The UNDMO, the riot unit formerly called the ESMAD, would handle only wider violent situations. The draft also creates “solidarity corridors” intended to prevent roads and TransMilenio lanes from being closed indefinitely. Those are draft provisions, not the final decree.
Where People Will Gather
In Bogotá, teachers were scheduled to gather at Parque Nacional, on Carrera Séptima at Calle 26, at 10:00 a.m.; the article gave this as 11:00 a.m. in New York. A city notice put the union march there from 9:30 a.m. Both were headed to Plaza de Bolívar. Expected routes included Carrera Séptima, Carrera Décima and Calle 26, though the city warned routes could change.
Noticiero 90 Minutos listed a 9:00 a.m. start in Cali at Jairo Varela square, heading toward Parque de las Banderas, and a 10:00 a.m. start in Medellín at the Adida teachers’ union, the Universidad de Antioquia and the Aventura shopping centre. Barranquilla’s gathering was set for 10:00 a.m. on Paseo Bolívar; Bucaramanga’s for 9:00 a.m. from two points, heading to Luis Carlos Galán square. Ibágué, Armenia and Riohacha also expected early morning gatherings.
Bogotá’s education department said public schools would hold classes as normal and asked teachers marching to protest outside class hours. Turnout and whether the decree would be signed before the marches were unknown. The city warned that traffic and TransMilenio disruptions could occur, particularly around Santa Fe, Teusaquillo, La Candelaria and Usme. The march plans are public; the government’s final rules for protest aren’t.