Protests in Colombia Against President Gustavo Petro’s Reforms

Protests erupted across Colombia on March 6, 2024, as people took to the streets in cities including Bogota, Medellin, Cali, and Barranquilla to voice their opposition against President Gustavo Petro and his plans for social reforms. The demonstrations were fueled by the political opposition’s call for public action against the government’s proposed changes.

Over the past few weeks, President Gustavo Petro’s efforts to overhaul the labor market, healthcare, and pension systems have met with strong opposition. Critics have consistently urged the public to protest against these proposed reforms.

Anti Gustavo Petro Protests

The “March of the Majority” (Marcha de la Mayoria), held on March 6^th, marked its second edition, with the previous one in June 2023 having attracted 90,000 participants across the country. This time, the protests gathered only 52,000 people nationwide, according to the official police figures, mostly in Bogota and Medellin.

During the march, protesters expressed their frustration with President Petro’s policies and called for his resignation. Beyond the discontent, the march also served as a means for right-wing forces to voice their criticism of Gustavo Petro’s political agenda. The current left-wing government is perceived by them as a threat to Colombia’s democracy, with some protesters accusing the President of trying to transform the country into a new Cuba.

The event is part of a broader regional right-wing movement marked by protests against left-wing governments. Two weeks ago, similar marches took place in Mexico under the slogan “March for Democracy”, and in Brazil, following a call from Jair Bolsonaro to denounce his election ban by the country’s Supreme Electoral Court.  

Gustavo Petro’s reform projects

The renewed calls for protests follow the Senate’s examination of the healthcare reform submitted by the government.

The right-wing opposition has sharply criticized the proposed reform, especially its plan to expand the State’s involvement in the health system. Presently, private entities manage public healthcare funds, distributing them to hospitals and clinics nationwide. The government contends that allowing the State to directly control these funds would improve health coverage in rural and impoverished areas while also curbing corruption.

The additional projects include a labor market reform, which would extend overtime pay and prioritize permanent contracts in recruitment processes. Lastly, there is the fulfilment of Gustavo Petro’s campaign promise, a pension reform aimed at increasing pensions for three million retired workers and providing a minimum pension to individuals, mostly informal workers, who can’t currently benefit from it.

These reforms have been strongly criticized by the opposition, who argue they would encourage the informal sector to evade the new taxes, and potentially slow the economy even more, with the growth rate already standing at a low 1.2 percent.

The president’s political struggles

For weeks now, the opposition has rallied its supporters to protest against the reforms proposed by President Gustavo Petro. When asked about the protests, President Petro described the protesters as individuals who “don’t want to lose their privileges” and oppose “the transformation of Colombia”

Since the beginning of his mandate in August 2022, Gustavo Petro has faced several political challenges. Indeed, he does not hold a majority in the Colombian Congress, neither in the Senate nor in the Chamber of Representatives. Consequently, the reforms are not expected to achieve their full potential as they will have to be adapted to the opposition’s political demands.

A recent poll from February 2024 shows President Gustavo Petro with an approval rating of 35 percent and a disapproval rating of 58 percent. These numbers come amid not only economic challenges and peace process issues but also scandals touching the president’s inner circle. One notable controversy involves his son, Nicolas Petro, who is being investigated for allegedly using illegal money to fund his father’s campaign.