Colombia gives police greater power to break up street protests

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Colombia’s government on Tuesday modified a set of guidelines that dictate how police should react to street protests, giving officers greater leeway to break up demonstrations in which protesters are vandalizing public property or disrupting access to essential services through actions like roadblocks.

The modifications made by the government of conservative President Abelardo de la Espriella have been criticized by activists and opposition politicians, who are concerned that the new guidelines can be broadly interpreted by officers and could lead to more cases of police violence.

The new guidelines were published late Tuesday, just hours before de la Espriella’s government faces its first major protest. On Wednesday, opposition parties, trade unions, Indigenous groups and social movements are expected to mobilize in several cities to protest de la Espriella’s economic and security policies.

In a nationally televised address Monday night, de la Espriella said the right to protest will continue to be guaranteed, adding that “law enforcement will not get in the way of people marching peacefully.”

But the conservative leader, who was sworn into office in August, said that the rights of those who do not protest should also be respected and roadblocks that stop people from going to work and disrupt commerce will no longer be acceptable. Those actions could be considered acts of aggression under the new guidelines, which call on police and protesters to establish “humanitarian corridors” during demonstrations.

“For years we allowed roadblocks to stop food and medicine” from reaching communities, de la Espriella said Monday. “And we wrongly called that a right. That is not exercising a right, and in my government it ends.”

In rural Colombia, Indigenous communities sometimes block major roads to protest government policies or delays in the implementation of social programs. In some cases, these rural roadblocks have lasted for weeks.

The new protocols, which also refer to vandalism of public property as an act of aggression, have been rejected by social movements and human rights groups who argue they give police too much power to break up protests.

In 2021, at least 46 people were killed in anti-government protests sparked by growing economic inequality following the COVID-19 pandemic. Reports published by human rights groups blamed police officers for many of those deaths.

Under the old guidelines governing police action, officers were required to resort to dialogue and mediation to stop violence in protests before intervening with force. The new guidelines say that when acts of aggression or vandalism are taking place, dialogue and mediation are an “optional” measure.

Jennifer Pedraza, an opposition senator, said the new guidelines could lead to a situation in which police violence is once again on the rise.

“The government is trying to repress people and finding ways to justify it,” Pedraza said.