World

Tens of thousands of Colombians protest against president’s reform agenda

Protesters filled Bolivar Plaza outside the presidential palace in Bogota.

Anti-government demonstrators rally to protest economic and social reforms pushed by the government of President Gustavo Petro (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)
Anti-government demonstrators rally to protest economic and social reforms pushed by the government of President Gustavo Petro (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara) (Fernando Vergara/AP)
By Associated Press Reporters

Thousands of Colombians took to the streets on Sunday in the latest rebuke of leftist President Gustavo Petro’s reform agenda.

The demonstrations took place in several cities, including the capital. Protesters filled Bolivar Plaza outside the presidential palace in Bogota.

Demonstrators holding signs reading in Spanish ‘No to the Health Reform’, left, and ‘No to the Pension Reform’ march to protest economic and social reforms (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)
Demonstrators holding signs reading in Spanish ‘No to the Health Reform’, left, and ‘No to the Pension Reform’ march to protest economic and social reforms (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara) (Fernando Vergara/AP)

While protests have been a constant since the former leftist guerrilla took office in 2022, they have gained momentum of late.

Mr Petro has floated the possibility of rewriting the constitution to spur social reforms that he has been unable to advance in the face of opposition by a hostile congress and conservative business groups.

Mr Petro recently suffered an important defeat when Colombia’s congress refused to pass legislation to boost state control of the country’s health care system aimed at improving and lowering the cost of medical care.

In response to the defeat, Mr Petro ordered the takeover of two of the country’s top medical insurers on which millions of Colombians depend.