Public Services International – PSI denounces the violence of the Colombian state. It is completely unacceptable that in the midst of the disastrous effects of the Covid-19 pandemic in Colombia, which has deepened poverty and hunger, social inequalities, unemployment, informality and precarious employment for large sectors of the population a completely unacceptable event for our global union, the state responds with violent repression.

National Strikes and mobilisations began on 28 April to oppose a regressive tax reform proposed by the government of Iván Duque. The government response has been brutal repression of the population, with at least 28 dead, 234 injured, more than 100 disappeared and almost 800 arbitrarily detained, constituting a serious violation of human rights in that country.

The government of Iván Duque has followed the advice of past president Alvaro Uribe and other political leaders of his party who called for the militarisation of cities an to silence the mobilisation with bullets and repression. Duque authorised what it called ‘military accompaniment by the authorities’, which emboldened state forces who have systematically acted in a disproportionate and violent manner against the demonstrators.

It is unacceptable that, after weeks of protest, more than 20 deaths, and after having withdrawn the tax reform, that the government then call on allied parties and the business federations to propose a new tax reform, completely ignoring the National Strike Committee, the most important voice of the social mobilisation.

"It is unacceptable that a government responds to the right to protest with an excessive use of military and police forces, which use lethal weapons against demonstrators, breaking up peaceful demonstrations with tear gas and stun grenades, fired directly at the bodies of demonstrators, leaving wounded and dead in their wake", said PSI general secretary Rosa Pavanelli.

It is unacceptable that, after weeks of protest, more than 20 deaths, and after having withdrawn the tax reform, that the government then call on allied parties and the business federations to propose a new tax reform, completely ignoring the National Strike Committee, the most important voice of the social mobilisation. The National Strike Committee has repeatedly stated that the protests will continue until the following demands are met:

• Withdrawal of Bill 010, which deepens the privatisation of health care;

• Mass vaccination;

• Basic Income of at least one legal monthly minimum wage;

• Defence of national, agricultural, industrial, artisanal and peasant production; subsidies for small and medium industry and employment with rights and a policy that defends food sovereignty and security;

• Zero enrolment for students and the withdrawal of alternative education as long as teachers do not have guarantees to avoid the spread of Covid-19;

• An end to gender, sexual and ethnic discrimination and racism;

• No privatisation of essential services and repeal of Decree 1174 of 2020, which introduces a disguised labour reform.

Rosa Pavanelli, PSI general secretary, expresses her respect for the courage of the Colombian people in confronting police brutality and for maintaining the social mobilisation to demand these changes. Pavanelli also highlights the determined participation of all PSI affiliates throughout Colombia, contributing ideas and initiatives in order to present alternative proposals to the policies of the Duque government.

"It is very instructive that workers and trade union organisations affiliated to PSI have put the defeat of a regressive tax reform on their agenda and that they are presenting alternative proposals, together with the Tax Justice Network, such as ending tax evasion, capital flight to tax havens and illicit financial flows, higher taxes on dividends and speculative and real estate income, and eliminating the exemptions granted in the 2019 tax reform. The strengthening of public finances must be aimed at guaranteeing essential quality public services that are inclusive, democratic, maintain a gender focus and are understood as human rights," said PSI’s general secretary.

Pavanelli also said that since PSI’s 30th World Congress in 2017, the global union has been supporting affiliates in Colombia in their efforts to build a stable and lasting peace and consolidate democracy in a country that has suffered violence for more than five decades and will continue to do so in such complex times as those experienced by the world because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Today more than ever, in the face of official state violence, the Colombian people require the solidarity of trade unions at the international level.

“Therefore, PSI joins the other Global Union Federations in the Americas and the Trade Union Confederation of the Americas (TUCA), to request that the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights urgently intervene in Colombia to stop the brutal police violence unleashed in response to the National Strikes that began on 28 April. The UN system cannot remain passive in the face of the violation of human rights in Colombia and must move from statements of concern to a decisive response to the formal requests of the international trade union movement" - said Rosa Pavanelli.

"The UN system cannot remain passive in the face of the violation of human rights in Colombia and must move from statements of concern to a decisive response to the formal requests of the international trade union movement".

Finally, Pavanelli stated that PSI will support the call made by TUCA for Colombia to be examined by the International Labour Organization’s Committee on the Application of Standards at this year's International Labour Conference, as the facts demonstrate that Colombia should be included in the list of countries that violate workers' rights and the human rights of their citizens.