Photograph Source: Sahaquiel9102 – CC BY-SA 4.0

The anti-government demonstrations that recently rocked Colombia erupted only two months after President Abelardo de la Espriella took office, on August 7. The framework surrounding them is large. Colombian academician Manuel Humberto Restrepo Domínguez refers to a“humanistic outburst against fascism and capitalism in its genocidal phase … circulating through the streets of major cities in Europe, Latin America, and — starting on October 14 — in Colombia.”

On that day, Colombians pilloried both the new president and US pretensions. Demonstrations took place in 62 locations and the capital cities of all 31 departments. Marshalled against the far-right De la Espriella, a novice politician, were thousands of protesting and marching unionists, workers, students, teachers, feminists, indigenous people, past office holders, and veteran activists of all stripes. The outpouring of dissent was extraordinary.

De la Espriella had succeeded Gustavo Petro, president of Colombia’s only progressive government, ever. Petro accompanied marchers in Bogota, as did Senator Iván Cepeda, the defeated presidential candidate of the Historic Pact Party, founded by Petro. The margin by which Cepeda lost was less than one percent. A US-facilitated social-media storm contributed to his defeat.

On the day prior to October 14, De la Espriella fired up opposition forces by issuing his repressive Decree 1525. The measure stipulates that dialogue with protesters not “condition, suspend, or postpone enforcement actions directed individually against those who commit acts of violence.” In general, presidential decrees and slogans are setting the new government’s........

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