This archive report was first published on 23 November 2019.
On November 22, 2019, Colombian President Ivan Duque announced plans to launch a national conversation on social reforms, aiming to strengthen the country's social policy agenda and address the social gaps that have been exacerbated by the economic meltdown in neighboring Venezuela and the fallout of a 2016 peace deal with FARC rebels.
"Starting next week, I will launch a national conversation to strengthen the current social policy agenda, working in a united way with medium- and long-term vision, which will allow us to close the social gaps," Duque said in a televised speech.
The announcement came as hundreds of thousands of Colombians took to the streets in Bogota and other cities to protest Duque's economic, social, and security policies, as part of a nationwide general strike.
Violence and looting paralyzed the public transport system, forcing hundreds of people to hoof it to their homes or offices. The government reported 76 bus stations were attacked, 79 buses were vandalized, and 230 people were arrested.
At least three people were killed in the protests, according to Defense Minister Carlos Holmes Trujillo. The violence and unrest have been a major challenge for Duque's right-wing government, which has been dealing with the complex fallout of the peace deal and rampant drug trafficking.
As the protests continue, Duque has stepped up the police presence and ordered the deployment of joint patrols of police and army in critical areas. However, the protesters have shown no signs of backing down, with hundreds of people gathering outside the president's house in Bogota to sing the national anthem and bang pots and pans in a form of protest.
