@UnifortheUnion, global labour, NGOs outraged by violent repression of protesters in Colombia since general strikes began Apr 28 against President Iván Duque’s neo-liberal economic plan. According to @NYTimes today 24 dead, 87 missing. 1/5 #SOSColombia #Colombia

Our partner union in Colombia @usofrenteobrero Oil Workers Union USO has sent us urgent messages of “a humanitarian emergency… the army patrols the streets.. and the police goes into the neighborhoods shooting their guns. Most of the victims are younger people.” 2/5

The national strike/protests called by @CUTColombia oppose new taxes on wages, essential food, energy and sewage utilities. The perversely named “sustainable solidarity law” intends to rescue crisis-ridden public finances + "regain confidence of foreign investors and lenders" 3/5

@NYTimes: Duque “responded to the protests with the same militarized police force it uses against rebel fighters and organized crime.” since Apr 28 1,728 acts of police /army violence, 934 arrests and 341 attacks by armed groups, 98 gunfires, 37 homicides, 11 sexual assaults 4/5

@ITUC, NGOs, UN High Commission on Human Rights and Biden Administration have expressed alarm and called on Colombia to stop the repression. But so far not a word from @MarcGarneau or @GAC_corporate. 5/5