Colombia’s Congress ramps up security ahead of labor protests

Colombia’s Congress ramped up security measures ahead of protests called by President Gustavo Petro in opposition to a senate commission vote to shelve a labor reform.

Petro called on labor unions, farmers organizations and his political supporters to take to the streets while Congress is voting on one of his most important reform proposals.

Conservative Senate President Efrain Cepeda, an outspoken critic of the president, said that public access to the capitol building was limited to congressmen, state officials and accredited press on Tuesday.

Senator Nadia Blel (Conservative Party), said on Monday that the senators who announced they would vote down the labor reform “have been the object of attacks, slander and threats by the National Government.”

It pains me that the families of the senators who accompany us in this decision feel harassed and their integrity threatened.

Senator Nadia Blel

Local authorities in all of Colombia’s largest cities have said that they refuse to allow government workers to join the protests, which increased tensions with the unions.

Bogota Mayor Carlos Galan, for example, closed off the central Bolivar Square, where protesters are expected to arriving throughout the day.

On Monday, the mayor threatened to withhold payment from teachers who fail to show up at work on Tuesday, which was rejected by representatives of the teachers union FECODE, who stressed that teachers were paid by the National Government.

Labor Minister Antonio Sanguino said that his department will monitor employers’ attempts to constrain their workers’ right to protest.

Private sector employers are reminded that the labor relationship cannot be used to restrict the right to protest. The Constitutional Court has reiterated that employers must respect the personal dignity of workers, their beliefs and their freedom of association, prohibiting any act that limits these fundamental rights.

Labor Minister

The protests have been organized by all the main labor unions and indigenous organizations, who additionally demand congressional support for pending health and pension reforms.