Colombia's Bomba Estereo and More Show Support For Protests

Around 40 Colombian singers and bands joined forces on Sunday for a series of live performances in support of the social protests against the government of Ivan Duque with thousands filling the streets of Bogota under the slogan “Un Canto por Colombia” (A Song for Colombia).

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“We don’t want any presents, we just want what we’re due,” Lucia said at the start of her performance at the District Planetarium, making herself the on-stage voice most critical of the government.

The origin of the ongoing protests was a “national strike” called by the country’s main unions on Nov. 21 in order to demand changes in Duque’s economic and social policies.

The strike later set off the popular movement that has ballooned since then into a series of street marches and sit-ins in the capital and other cities.

The trucks that served as mobile stages for the performances were adorned with Colombian flags and signs showing support for the demands of unions and other organizations, including opposition to the government’s tax, labor and social security reforms.

As in recent weeks, the Park of the Hippies in Bogota’s Chapinero neighborhood, once again was the focal point for the protest music and became quickly crammed with thousands of people who danced to the psychedelic rock of Super Litio, as well as Doctor Krapula and Los Petit Fellas.

Amid the audience, a crowd of women sang the feminist anthem that in recent weeks has gone viral – “Un violador en mi camino” (A rapist on my path) – showing that the protests have incorporated a number of demands ranging from union desires to gender equality and even the effective implementation of the peace treaty with the FARC guerrillas and the protection of Indigenous peoples.

Andres Urrego, a student, told EFE that he already owes 25 million pesos (about US$7,300) to Icetex, the government entity that finances university studies, while he has not yet graduated.

He said he wanted the government to devote "more resources to education, given that it spends so much on defense and the military."

The band Bomba Estereo, nominated several times for Grammy Awards, performed a brand new song inspired by the protests.

“Colombia is awakening and is shouting to me about the hate that it can’t take any more” and “It’s up to us to write our story, it can be different, it can be better,” went the lyrics.

Several opposition politicians also turned out for the march and musical performances, including Bogota Mayor-elect Claudia Lopez, who invited people via Twitter to get out on the streets because “change is here and now,” and others like leftist Senator Jorge Robledo.

Senator Gustavo Petro, who was defeated for the presidency by Duque in the last election, shared on Twitter a video of people on the street and criticized the president for not wanting “to listen to the people” who “are demanding the expansion (of the Strike Committee) with delegates from the popular assemblies.”