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November 23, 2019Vents of revolt in Colombia against the government of President Ivan Duque. During a day and a night of clashes and protests in the capital Bogotà, three agents were killed and seven others were injured in an attack on a police station in Santander de Quilichao, in the south-west of the country. President Duque reported this, condemning "the terrorist attack".

The attack was scored on the second day of street demonstrations against government policies, after three people were killed in clashes between demonstrators and security forces on Thursday. Defense Minister Carlos Holmes Trujillo also reported 98 arrests and 122 civilians and 151 members of law enforcement agencies injured yesterday.

Duque: safeguarding public order
In the speech broadcast on TV, the president then announced a strengthening of security and intelligence measures: "I ordered the deployment of mixed police and national army patrols in the most critical places and, at the national level, I asked the mayors of take appropriate measures to safeguard public order in their territories ". Yesterday, the mayor of Bogotà announced the curfew in the city starting at 9pm to contain riots and looting, which occurred during the wave of anti-government protests ..

Protests in Bogotá challenge curfews
Night-time curfew immediately violated in the capital: hundreds of people protested in different areas of Bogota. The protesters also gathered in front of the private residence of the disputed president Ivan Duque, singing the national anthem and beating pots and ladles, in the popular form of protests called 'cacerolazo'. The protest was dispersed by police officers, who used tear gas against the crowd gathered in the central Plaza de Bolivar.

A disputed government
Having been in power for just over 15 months, Duque is grappling with the largest protest against a central government in recent times and involving trade unions, students, peasants and opposition parties. In an attempt to appease the discontent, the president announced, for next week, the launch of a "national dialogue with all sectors to strengthen social policies, working together with a medium and long-term vision that allows the country to fill in its gaps ".