Colombia Is In Turmoil

While a large portion of the news revolves around the pandemic, vaccinations, and alleged instances of racism, the situation in various parts of the world seem to have less coverage. Further, various events around the world are far from comforting as strife is quite apparent or about to rise to the forefront. 

Colombia is one of these areas that are seeing deterioration due to a variety of factors, COVID-19 shutdowns and economic loss being one of the reasons for protests.

Here is what is happening in Colombia.

Protests In Colombia Rise As Protestors Spar with The Government

There are more protests in Cali, Colombia and it serves as a hub of demonstrations and it is one of several places in the region that are experiencing distress.

The government in Colombia is still facing issues as they have not made any deals with leaders of protests. The air is a bit more tense as demonstrations escalate due to increased expectations of more COVID-19 lockdowns. Again, the notion is that cases are rising within Colombia’s borders but the negative effects of lockdown seem to weigh on many Colombians.

Reuters notes that protests in Colombia started in late April and have escalated across the Colombian nation to counter government impositions. 

But what is behind these massive protests in Colombia, a relatively financially stable nation that is surrounded by Venezuela, and other countries that don’t have as much economic strength? Further, it is a nation that has a GDP per capita of around $15,000 while a country like Mexico has close to $20,000 as noted by statistics in 2017.

While Colombia is relatively stable, it is still seen as a high threat with elevated crime. 

This creates a backdrop for the current situation. People in Colombia are fed up and they are looking for solutions. At the current moment, it is resulting in violence between the people and the state. Various human rights organizations note that the death toll due to protests have increased to over 35 deaths or more.

But what caused this face off between the people and the Colombian government?

The Problem is Higher Taxation and Much More

It looks like it always boils down to taxes. It makes sense, too.  You don’t want your hard earned dollars to go to the state when it looks like it isn’t being used correctly. But as with many different protests, what starts with one aspect, turns into something much greater. At the current moment, the rage stems from more issues such as how COVID-19 pressures among others have created issues for Colombians and their livelihood.

Further, while the proposed tax raises are now on the backburner for the government due to political pressure. But more struggles and issues are now on the table. Individuals in Colombia want the government to take action on extreme poverty and general poverty that is present within the nation. At the current time, over 29% of Colombians live in poverty.

Of course, that number is elevated in the countryside.Now, Colombians are not the only ones who have protested over taxes. For instance, pre-COVID-19 lockdowns, the French, through the Yellow Vest movement protested over a tax increase. That protest lasted around over a year before its quick halt due to COVID-19 lockdowns. At the same time, the United States is also proposing tax increases on risk takers, encouraging a global minimum tax, as well as other similar activities.

Again, there were similar themes of protest in the United States, in China, and other places during 2020 and there are likely to be more as the lockdowns and other factors have plunged more into poverty.