Blockade lifted and humanitarian corridor opened in Colombia’s Cali on 13th day of protests

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Protesters and local authorities in Cali reached an agreement early Monday morning, May 10, to lift a blockade at the main entrance to the Colombian city. At the same time, the indigenous minga (march) announced the opening of a humanitarian corridor for 24 hours.

On the thirteenth day of protests, preceded by a day in which allegedly armed civilians shot at the minga and wounded 10 indigenous guards, the dialogues ended with the decision to unblock the Paso del Comercio, a road that in addition to being the main entrance to the city connects it with neighboring Palmira, where the international airport is located.

“The Commerce Bridge is going to be unblocked, and it must be a guarantee of the institutionality that there is no violent action against these young people who are going to unblock, from now on, the bridge,” said the mayor of Cali, Jorge Iván Ospina, in a statement early this morning together with a group of young people who have been protesting there for 13 days.

The authorities and the protesters signed the agreement after dialogues supported by the embassies of Germany, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, the European Union, and the UN Mission in Colombia.

“We have observed the signing of the agreement by the Mayor’s Office of Cali and local authorities with young people for the unblocking of the Paso del Comercio. It is important to use dialogue to advance in guaranteeing human rights,” said the representative in Colombia of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Juliette de Rivero.

Mobilizations in Colombia began against the government’s already withdrawn tax reform but continue against an attempt to reform health care, police brutality, and the complex situation of insecurity.

According to social organizations, Cali is where the most violent events have taken place, especially between April 30 and May 3, with episodes of police brutality against demonstrators that have left 35 dead.

HUMANITARIAN CORRIDOR

For its part, the Regional Indigenous Council of Cauca (CRIC), the main authority of these communities in the southwest of Colombia, announced that since 1 AM this Monday (local time), a “humanitarian corridor” was enabled for the transport of food and medicines in Cali, which is experiencing difficult hours due to shortages.

“It is announced that this life path is opened for 24 hours. Depending on the behavior, it will be extended, and the national minga continues, the national strike continues”, expressed the senior advisor of the CRIC, Hermes Pete.

The indigenous leader added that it is necessary to guarantee “the non-intervention of the public forces in the points where the minga demonstrators are”, especially after what happened on Sunday afternoon.

“There will be a humanitarian corridor for 24 hours. This is the first step towards guaranteeing the rights of all people. We urge the authorities to give priority to dialogue with the indigenous minga (…) Through dialogue, human rights must be protected”, said De Rivero.

DUQUE’S VISIT TO CALI

Colombian President Iván Duque made a lightning visit this morning to Cali, the epicenter of the country’s protests since April 28, and stayed there for four hours to head a security council that addressed the situation in that city.

The president asked again to lift the blockades carried out by the demonstrators in several city points to “allow the re-establishment of the supply chain.”

“Our responsibility is not to act with brutality or insanity, but to act within the framework of all competencies and strict adherence to the protection of human rights so that the city has all the guarantees and avoid confrontations among citizens, or what is even worse, that there are citizens who seek to exercise control by their own hand,” said the president.