While there is a tough media fight and with strong decisions between President Gustavo Petro and the Attorney General of the Nation, Francisco Barbosa, measures have been taken that have increased confrontations between them and a good part of the citizens have taken sides. And with the alleged overthrow attempt that the president denounced, a call was made for marches and rallies to support it.
As you already know, The arrival of the current president to power was due to great popular support, from the less favored classes and a more than powerful impulse from the labor confederations, workers’ associations and unions from different areas.. They themselves were the ones who promoted and organized the demonstrations for this Thursday, February 8, 2024, with marches that aim to reach parks, squares and conjunctural places in the different cities of Colombia.
This is how the marches progress this Thursday, February 8 in Colombia
Since the early hours of the morning, images of the mobilizations that are taking place in numerous cities in the country have been reported. The epicenter and the most concentrated place in this sense has occurred in the capital, in Bogotá, where the march has taken place at the headquarters of the Supreme Court with the objective of putting pressure on the election of the new Attorney General. The main union group that accompanies is made up of members of FECODE but various groups related to the National Government have also joined them.
Citizens of Bogotá reported on social networks images of how this march has been progressing, which is already in Plaza Bolívar and in front of the headquarters of the Supreme Court.
They try to enter the Supreme Court of Justice by force
As the hours passed, tempers became heated and the situation worsened at the main concentration point, in front of the headquarters of the Supreme Court of Justice. So much so that Many protesters tried to enter by force and the authorities had to resist to prevent the will of those present at the rally from being carried out.. But the situation was so delicate that the Court magistrates could not leave or move from the safe and high places, while they did not even allow service and food people to enter the place.
A couple of hours after the most critical moment, Gustavo Petro himself spoke out, asking that the place be cleared and ordering the Police to restore order and tranquility. This, taking into account that the members of the Court reported being “besieged” y not having the guarantees to elect Attorney General of the Nation. The mayor of Bogotá, Carlos Fernando Galn, warned the same thing, announcing that he could activate the Police shock forces.
Faced with this scenario and with what happened outside this construction, the members of the Supreme Court of Justice indicated that they were not going to choose the Attorney General of the Nation among the three candidates nominated by Gustavo Petro. Which led to the riots increasing in the center of Bogotá.
- Supreme Court Marches – Palace of Justice
- Blu Radio journalist attacked by protesters in Plaza Bolvar
Times and meeting points of marches and demonstrations on February 8 by Gustavo Petro
– 8:00 am: Bunker of the Attorney General’s Office – Diagonal 22b # 52-01 (Fecode, the National Coordinator for Change, the District Association of Education Workers, CUT and USO)
– 8:00 am: National University of Colombia main headquarters – Carrera 30 # 45-03 (Sintraunal)
– 8:00 am: Supreme Court of Justice (Not confirmed at the request of authorities)
– 8:00 am: Bogot National Park – Race 7 #39
– 8:00 am: Carrera 13 with Calle 13
– 12:00 m.: Plaza de Bolvar in the center of Bogot – Cra. 7 #11-10 (President Gustavo Petro)
– 10:00 am: Park of Lights
– 2:00 pm: Headquarters of the University of Antioquia
– 9:00 am: Roundabout on Avenida de la Estación, old Railway
– 9:00 am: Headquarters of the Attorney General, in front of the Plaza de San Francisco
– 3:00 pm: Headquarters of the Paseo Bolívar Prosecutor’s Office in the Torre Manzur (Association of Educators of the Atlantic)
– 4:00 pm: St. Philip’s Castle
– 9:00 am: Headquarters of the Attorney General – Carrera 19 #24-61 (Santander Educators Union)
– 12:00 m.: Bolvar de Armenia Square
– 4:00 pm: Headquarters of the Attorney General’s Office (Single Union of Education Workers of Quindo – SUTEQ)
– 9:00 am: Plaza de Banderas (Meta Educators Association – Adem)
– 8:30 am: Plazoleta de Las Nieves (Union of Teachers and Education Workers of Boyac)
– 8:00 am: Villa Park
– 8:00 am: In front of the headquarters of the Association of Institutes of Norte de Santander on Avenida 6 and Calle 15 (Asinort)
– 7:00 am: Simón Bolívar Park (Union Organizations)
– 8:00 am: in front of the Mayor (Fecode)
- Headquarters of the municipalities of Colombia, in front of the headquarters of justice palaces, courts and the Attorney General’s Office of the nation
Why are the marches on February 8, 2024 in Colombia?
Fecode (Colombian Federation of Education Workers) was the main convening force, taking into account that a donation from this union to the ‘Petro Presidente’ campaign would have led to exceeding the money limits, which is why there are investigations into its finances and those of the Colombia Humana party. But They were joined by the CUT (Unitary Central Workers), the District Association of Workers, Education Workersamong many others.
Furthermore, Among the reasons for the concentrations were the support for Chancellor lvaro Leyva Durn, who was sanctioned by the Attorney General’s Office. for alleged irregularities in the tender to choose the company that will manufacture the passports in the coming years. Although the selection process returned the contract to the company Thomas Greg & Sons, facts were presented that did not correspond to what the chancellor’s office needed and that is why the official was given a 3-month punishment.
And among all the problems, although Gustavo Petro himself has denied it, the citizens who support him and the workers’ confederations that organized the marches are asking that the Supreme Court of Justice promptly elect the new Attorney General of the Nation. The president tried to clarify that there was no pressure on the magistrates, but the slogans and calls on social networks indicate the opposite..
The worrying thing is that From sectors of the left and the right they have tried to propose a scenario of civil confrontation around the presidentthat is why there is so much prevention with this type of events and mass gatherings.