May Day Labor Day Marches in Colombia: Details, Controversy, and Mayor’s Response

May Day Labor Day Marches in Colombia: Details, Controversy, and Mayor’s Response

2024-04-30 02:01:28

Next May 1 marks another year of Labor Day and that is why in Colombia details are being finalized for the marches that will take place during that day throughout the country. One of the main stages will be the Plaza de Bolívar in the city of Bogotá, a great meeting point where, among other things, the presence of President Gustavo Petro is expected, who days before expressed his intention to participate in the event.

In the midst of the organization, a great controversy broke out following the president of the Unitary Central of Workers (CUT), Fabio Arias, assured that the mayor of the capital, Carlos Fernando Galán, did not authorize the installation of a platform in this part of the city.

The president of the CUT was the one who made the call to Galán. | Foto: @cutcolombia

The union leader stated that “we take this opportunity to demand that Mayor Galán, of the city of Bogotá, authorize the National Unitary Command, the platform in the Plaza de Bolívar, which until now has been denied to us.”

Given this, President Petro sent a strong rebuke to the local president for the decision he made. Through his X account, formerly Twitter, the head of state stated that he will participate “with or without a stage,” while inviting citizens to follow him.

“Many times they have tried to silence me and the people. To avoid this, there are megaphones. This May 1 we are going to walk so that Colombia advances,” she wrote.

Galan’s response

The mayor was clear in his response to Petro. | Photo: Bogotá Mayor’s Office

Mayor Galán did not ignore this message and responded in the same way to the president, with whom on several occasions he has been critical for his positions, especially in relation to the Bogotá Metro.

The president was clear in pointing out that the respective platform is already guaranteed in the Plaza de Bolívar, he took the opportunity to explain what happened with the CUT. Galán indicated that the Confederation of the Colombian Labor Union (USCTRAB) was the first union to request the position with a platform, something that was approved on April 2.

“For security, the recommendation is to have a single platform in the Plaza de Bolívar, so, when the CUT presented a request in the same sense, we proposed to both unions that they agree to have a single platform,” he wrote. .

The mayor revealed that this Tuesday, April 30, a new meeting will be held in which they will try to reach an agreement so that there can be a single platform, as indicated by the security protocols. Likewise, he took the opportunity to emphasize that everything is now ready to guarantee that anyone who wants to go out and march can do so without any problem.

A large concentration is expected in the Plaza de Bolívar for next Wednesday. | Photo: Week

“In any case, there will be a platform and Bogotá is ready to guarantee and accompany the peaceful demonstrations on May 1,” he added.

Previously, the Government Secretariat confirmed to SEMANA that the District authorized the installation of a platform and that this office had already contacted the unions to explain that only one platform will be available for all the organizers of the mobilization.

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