President Gustavo Petro has declared Tuesday, March 18, a “Civic Day” to rally support for his controversial social reforms. By making it a public holiday for government employees, Petro aims to bolster turnout for rallies across Colombia, framing them as a show of popular backing for his reforms. This move is part of a broader strategy to circumvent the legislative process and secure approval through a referendum – an effort designed to sidestep lawmakers and claim that it is the people, not Congress, who must decide the nation’s fate.
At its core, the Civic Day is a political smokescreen. By mobilizing government employees, many of whom could face consequences like contract suspension if they opt out of the March 18 rallies, Petro is instigating a highly-charged atmosphere in an already deeply polarized country. News coverage during the demonstrations will be crucial – social media will herald that “millions marched with Petro” or report a less-than-impressive turnout. Whichever the outcome, Petro will seize on the rallies to claim a mandate from his people, especially those within the government sector, who are expected to show their support.
This strategy of using the streets as a political thermometer is not new tactic for Petro. During his tumultuous tenure as Mayor of Bogotá, he frequently summoned district workers to fill the historic Plaza de Bolívar, for nights on end. Later, as Senator of the leftist Historic Pact coalition, Petro voiced support for the National Strike (Paro Nacional), a violent protest movement during the height of COVID-19. While the majority of Colombians were locked down, protestors and a shadowy “First Line” force barricaded roads to block the movement of essential goods, set fire to police stations, and vandalized Bogotá’s public transportation network. Petro justified the National Strike as a “social explosion” against the pandemic-financing reforms of his predecessor President Iván Duque.
While Petro’s political base is rallying behind his call for a day of protest, many mayors from Colombia’s largest cities have refused to endorse the measure. The Mayors of Bogotá, Medellín, Bucaramanga, Cartagena, Santa Marta, Sincelejo, Villavicencio, and Cali have made it clear that they will not participate in the Civic Day, nor will they offer a paid holiday to their workers. Instead, they have affirmed that government services and schools will be open as usual.
In a statement on “X,” Medellín’s Mayor Federico Gutiérrez said, “On Tuesday, March 18, public employees in Medellín will work as usual. We will not halt educational institutions, healthcare services, EPM, or other public entities.” Similarly, Bucaramanga’s Mayor Jaime Andrés Beltrán remarked, “Bucaramanga is a productive city with public service duties that cannot stop. Therefore, the municipality will not adhere to the national government’s Civic Day decree next Tuesday.”
Carlos Fernando Galán, Mayor of Bogotá, also stood firm in his position. “Bogotá respects the right to peaceful protest and demonstration. Dialogue and coexistence teams will be ready to ensure the rights of both those who choose to take to the streets and those who decide not to,” he said.
As the battle over Petro’s reforms continues to escalate, Petro will seize the Civic Day rallies as a chance to claim a huge outpouring of support for his presidency during the final year of his term. With deep divisions already exposed between the national government and regional leaders, even if Bogotá’s Plaza de Bolívar is only half-filled with the usual cast of unionists, Indigenous groups, and farmer’s collectives, Petro’s overt disdain for Congress sets a dangerous precedent, one where opportunism appears to have more legitimacy than the legislative debates.
