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They will discuss a list of demands that includes issues such as health reform, the murders of social leaders, and the spraying of glyphosate in the country's fields.
On Sunday, Colombia's National Strike Committee will meet with President Ivan Duque's representatives to start negotiations aimed at ending the massive protests that have been shaking the country since April 28.
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Tthey will discuss demands that includes issues such as health reform, the murders of social leaders, and the spraying of glyphosate in the country's fields.
"The government will begin to listen to the people's demands. We need to take immediate action to guarantee the lives of all those who are protesting," said the Workers Unitary Central (CUT) President Francisco Maltes, who is the Strike Committee's spokesman.
Colombian Peace Commissioner Miguel Ceballos, Labor Minister Angel Custodio, Housing Minister Jonathan Malagon, Vice President Marta Ramirez, and High Counselor for Human Rights Nancy Gutierrez will attend the meeting.
Day 18th of protests in Colombia and people keep pouring massively into the streets despite extreme police brutality�������� #soscolombia #ColombiaResiste https://t.co/2L6RU8Y9YM
— Viviana García Pinzón (@vivigarciap) May 16, 2021
The Committee will urge Duque to guarantee the right to protest, remove military forces from the streets, accelerate the vaccination process, increase the minimum wage, and defend national production. Despite the meeting announcement, citizens remained in the streets on Saturday night protesting against police brutality.
"Duque has to leave power. Only then will the people recover from all the suffering they have undergone in the last few years. The strike continues," activist Victor Vides tweeted.
On May 10, the Committee held a meeting for over 3 hours with the country's authorities, however, no agreement was reached. According to Maltes, "the government had no empathy with the reasons and requests that have led us to the national strike."
#Colombia | Citizens continue to suffer State terror amid the silence of the OAS and world leaders. pic.twitter.com/bhUy3HwXel
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) May 5, 2021
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