Millions of Colombians are Protesting the Far-Right Government's Neoliberal Tax Reform Bill. In Resp
- Thread starter loyola llothta
- Start date
loyola llothta
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I just update the OP with the article about the tax bill
Confirmed, protect the rich, tax the poor
wassup with soldiers sexually assaulting?
loyola llothta
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About 10 reported rapes by the officers
loyola llothta
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#Colombia | The Mobile Anti-Riot Squad (ESMAD) violently attacked citizens protesting in Cali against President Ivan Duque's tax reform. Among the victims of State terrorism was Nicolas Guerrero, the cousin of the city's mayor.
Cousin of Cali Mayor Killed in Protests Against President Duque
telesurenglish.net
1:21 PM · May 3, 2021
loyola llothta
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ARE CANADIAN POLICE PROVIDING TRAINING TO THE COLOMBIAN POLICE?
By Brent Patterson, PBI Canada.
May 3, 2021
link:
Are Canadian Police Providing Training To The Colombian police? - PopularResistance.Org
By Brent Patterson, PBI Canada.
May 3, 2021
link:
Are Canadian Police Providing Training To The Colombian police? - PopularResistance.Org
Colombia Wracked by Massive Anti-Government Protests
Post on: May 1, 2021 Milton D'León
Protests broke out across Colombia this week, including a general strike that brought thousands of workers into the streets of cities all across the country. These protests are the latest wave in an upsurge of class struggle that began in November 2019.
Photo: Colombia Reports
link:
Originally published in Spanish on April 29 in La Izquierda Diario.
The Columbian (far) right is involved with death squads, narcos, overall corruption and are in the pocketsof rich landowners. So the question the average Columbians need to ask themselves is why they keep voting for these motherfukkers
Having just got back from Colombia this past Sunday after about 10 days there I can tell you the situation is far worse than most can imagine it to be. The gov't response to the protests is exactly what you see, a heavy handed, no accountability, squashed by any means military response. For the start of the process I was in Cali, where it all went down. My hotel made it absolutely clear that as foreigners we should not leave the hotel for any reason whatsoever. We can perceived/falsely accused of being 'foreign agitators' and be dealt with under the harshest term/imprisoned or even disappeared. Looking from our windows and balconies you can see these military dudes/dudettes were not playing.
People were getting beaten to a pulp with batons, shields, kicked to the ground and beaten again.
Women were getting assaulted. People trying to record got their phones confiscated +smashed and given a beating too
Police aiming and firing smoke grenades directly at people
I admit I was a bit surprise to see how well-armed the Colombian police + military units were in terms of tactical gear and vehicles. This was not the "developing nation" materials I was expecting.
The protests are expected to get even bigger. I left Cali as things were getting out of control and there were talks about shutting down the airport. I flew to Bogota for a few days but the situation was no different.
Before I left I heard talks about a possible a coup d'etat (force overthrow) but no one really knows. It's a damn shame whats happening and they way the current government wants to tax the crap of the working/lower class folks even when most of them have lost their jobs. Suffocating year plus long lockdowns, weekdays 8p and all weekend lockdown with very heavy fines. Fines are like a months salary. Most ppl ignore the lockdown but the cops have near total discretionary power. Needless to say, the lockdowns do not apply to the wealthy. But anyways: So what was in the original tax bill, you asked?
Lowering the income threshold at which people are taxed - basically if you make total approx $650/month you will now have to pay income tax
A general income tax increase overall - i think by up to 19%
New taxes being added to items that werent originally taxed before (VAT)
Increase taxes on services and utilities for certain neighborhoods
This is pretty much my best understanding of it speaking local ex-pats and Colombians alike
People were getting beaten to a pulp with batons, shields, kicked to the ground and beaten again.
Women were getting assaulted. People trying to record got their phones confiscated +smashed and given a beating too
Police aiming and firing smoke grenades directly at people
I admit I was a bit surprise to see how well-armed the Colombian police + military units were in terms of tactical gear and vehicles. This was not the "developing nation" materials I was expecting.
The protests are expected to get even bigger. I left Cali as things were getting out of control and there were talks about shutting down the airport. I flew to Bogota for a few days but the situation was no different.
Before I left I heard talks about a possible a coup d'etat (force overthrow) but no one really knows. It's a damn shame whats happening and they way the current government wants to tax the crap of the working/lower class folks even when most of them have lost their jobs. Suffocating year plus long lockdowns, weekdays 8p and all weekend lockdown with very heavy fines. Fines are like a months salary. Most ppl ignore the lockdown but the cops have near total discretionary power. Needless to say, the lockdowns do not apply to the wealthy. But anyways: So what was in the original tax bill, you asked?
Lowering the income threshold at which people are taxed - basically if you make total approx $650/month you will now have to pay income tax
A general income tax increase overall - i think by up to 19%
New taxes being added to items that werent originally taxed before (VAT)
Increase taxes on services and utilities for certain neighborhoods
This is pretty much my best understanding of it speaking local ex-pats and Colombians alike
The Columbian (far) right is involved with death squads, narcos, overall corruption and are in the pocketsof rich landowners. So the question the average Columbians need to ask themselves is why they keep voting for these motherfukkers
they love the racism against black Colombians I assume. I find it funny how people act this way but then taxes being raised is where they draw the line lmao
it’s like in America with the baby boomers that only care about their 401Ks and mortgages and ignore many other serious issues
This is what I respect about south american and asian countries, they have massive protest over shyt like this but it takes something massively fukked up like George floyd or Rodney king to inspire
masive protest in the US.
Brazilians held a massive protest over the government increasing bus pass prices few years ago for fukk sake , in the US, "We really gonna protest over bus pass, bus pass nikka
"
masive protest in the US.
Brazilians held a massive protest over the government increasing bus pass prices few years ago for fukk sake , in the US, "We really gonna protest over bus pass, bus pass nikka
"
Chrishaune
Veteran
This is what I respect about south american and asian countries, they have massive protest over shyt like this but it takes something massively fukked up like George floyd or Rodney king to inspire
masive protest in the US.
Brazilians held a massive protest over the government increasing bus pass prices few years ago for fukk sake , in the US, "We really gonna protest over bus pass, bus pass nikka
Weak men. Especially those that have wives and girlfriends in the United States don't want to actually get out and fight for other people because of what their women will think. The whole United States has turned into a matriarchy. Men used to set the terms. Now women do in the U.S.
And I'm not blaming the women, I'm blaming the men for letting things get out of control. It's easily squashed if men step up. They won't though, because they are weak.
Dallas' 4 Eva
Superstar
That's also why this nation will fall too. Matriarchies never last too long in the long run of things.
loyola llothta
☭☭☭
Mmmhhh....
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loyola llothta
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loyola llothta
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Colombia’s National Strike: An On-the-Ground Report from Bogotá
Post on: May 5, 2021
Gearóid Ó Loingsigh
The uprising against the government in Colombia continues unabated, and our guest correspondent on the ground reports from the capital city.
Colombia’s National Strike: An On-the-Ground Report from Bogotá
Post on: May 5, 2021
Gearóid Ó Loingsigh
The uprising against the government in Colombia continues unabated, and our guest correspondent on the ground reports from the capital city.
Link:Colombia’s national strike — or paro (stoppage) as it is called locally — began on April 28 with enormous protests and on May 5 entered its eighth day, with another round of mass protests around the country. Truck drivers and rural communities have joined in, paralyzing entire swathes of the country.
What provoked these protests was yet another tax reform from the extreme right-wing government of Iván Duque, the third of his government. As the Colombian economist Libardo Sarmiento Anzola wrote in Le Monde Diplomatique:
The three tax reforms of the Duque administration (2018–2022) have one common denominator: benefits for the large companies and a greater tax burden for 80 percent of the population, which is poor and vulnerable, through a mechanism that squeezes from both sides: on one hand, higher taxes on their personal income, and on the other hand taxes on their consumption of basic foodstuff.confirmed 26 murders by the police, 761 arbitrary arrests, and nine victims of sexual violence committed by the police. The Public Defender’s Office, which was slow to react, eventually acknowledged 50 disappeared people, although human rights groups believe the figure to be much higher. Some of these people may be released, others may be charged, and yet others will be killed and disappeared or have their bodies dumped, as occurred in Chile. Colombia’s police have borrowed another Chilean tactic: firing at the eyes of demonstrators. They have injured at least 17 people in this manner.
The levels of violence are such that even a United Nations delegate complained of being attacked, while most European embassies, including the Irish one, have either remained silent or issued mealy-mouthed appeals for restraint and de-escalation.
The police violence has done little to stem the outrage and determination of the population. The marches on May 5 were also massive in character. In Bogotá, there were 35 separate marches throughout the city, with one major march in the city center and the rest in poor neighborhoods. Cali has seen the largest demonstrations in its history, and towns that have traditionally held May Day marches did so this year, despite the trade union bureaucracy pulling out. Even without them, the demonstrations were huge, and the decision of the bureaucrats left them exposed and further eroded what little authority they have.
It is clear that the trade union bureaucracy and the Congressional left parties want to make a deal and position themselves for next year’s presidential and congressional elections. However, the protests have led to the withdrawal of the tax reform bill and the resignation of Alberto Carrasquilla, the minister of finance. There is a danger, however, that the bill will be repackaged and presented again along with other pending reforms such as the Health Bill. The people smell blood and are not keen on taking any prisoners. Calls have been made for the withdrawal of all the bills and the resignation of Duque and his government. Meanwhile, the governing party, the Democratic Center of Colombia (CDC) has called for the declaration of a State of Internal Unrest, which though civilian in nature would give sweeping powers to the government and the military and would effectively be a form of martial law. A statement by dissidents from the FARC — the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia — that they would impose an armed strike in rural areas may just give them the excuse they need.
The following days will be crucial. What happens next depends on how much Duque cedes. Does he throw a bone to the reformist left to call off the demonstrations, or does he dig in and provoke even greater resistance from the population? As of yet, though, there is no national leadership of the movement and there exists the danger that it may run out of steam or be demobilized by left senators and NGOs that have been open about their desire for dialogue.
As I finish this article, I can hear explosions from police stun grenades in the nearby main square. There is a battle going on outside my apartment building, and the tear gas is reaching up to the 7th floor. Once again, I left a peaceful demonstration that, no doubt, was later attacked by the police.
Colombia’s National Strike: An On-the-Ground Report from Bogotá