In a large display of anti-government sentiment, tens of thousands of Colombians took to the streets on Wednesday in peaceful protests organized by opposition parties of President Gustavo Petro’s government. The demonstrations unfolded across departmental capitals, with truckers and representatives of indigenous movements adding their voices to the chorus of discontent.
Beginning at 10 in the morning, the mobilizations meandered through Bogotá, Cali, Medellín, Barranquilla, and Bucaramanga, while other cities opted for peaceful sit-ins at 4 in the afternoon. The Colombian capital witnessed the largest outpouring of anti-Petro sentiment, with an estimated 45,000 protesters marching from Calle 30 with Carrera 7 to the historic Plaza de Bolívar.
The protest was one of the largest since President Gustavo Petro took office in August 2022. The protest in Bogotá’s Plaza de Bolívar included the singing of the national anthem and speeches from prominent political leaders, among them Senators Miguel Uribe and Paloma Valencia.
Around 1 in the afternoon, the demonstrators began to disperse, marking the conclusion of a day that echoed the sentiments of dissatisfaction prevalent among a substantial segment of the population. Simultaneously, a convoy of approximately 150 truck and tractor-trailer drivers conducted a demonstration from the central tower of Davivienda, protesting the surge in gasoline prices. In Cali, protesters marched in solidarity for the Armed Forces and the defense of democracy. In Medellín, the mobilization included right-wing Senator María Fernanda Cabal and was among the largest held in the departmental capital.
With the rallying cry “Fuera Petro!” (“Out Petro”), the wave of white-clad protesters also waved Colombian and Israeli flags and held posters in support of U.S Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, President Javier Milei of Argentina, and President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador.
Senator Miguel Uribe Turbay addressed the protest in Bogotá’s Plaza de Bolívar, highlighting that Colombians “are in the midst of two threats, on the one hand, violence, criminals, and on the other, the absolute ineptitude of Gustavo Petro’s government.” The lawmakers also stressed the importance of defending the separation of powers, freedom of the press, and support for police and military personnel. “We march because we are not willing to resign ourselves. Today, hope is reborn,” he said. “Know that you are not alone.”
President Petro, however, dismissed the protests as the work of forces resistant to change and accused a large segment of Colombians of protecting their “privileges”. Andrés Forero, house representative of the Centro Democrático party, refuted the leftist leader’s claims, stating on his “X” account that “Petro is mistaken in trying to minimize today’s large marches with setups and lies. The message of the October elections and what the polls reflect was repeated in the streets today. The country is on the wrong path, and the president must correct the course,” he said.
In a politically charged atmosphere, Colombians en masse expressed their discontent over the government’s failure to control a deteriorating internal security situation and unpopular reforms to the nation’s health, labor, and pension schemes. Discontent that appears to be growing faster than many Colombians could have imagined when Petro was democratically-elected 19-months ago.
