At least 500,000 people protested this Sunday in the main cities of Colombia, in the largest demonstration that Gustavo Petro’s government has faced since he came to power at a time when the president’s popularity is in the red following twenty months in office.

The diverse group of conveners included medical organizations, the opposition, centrist political forces and some former allies who today reject their projects to nationalize the health service and some reform initiatives, and protest once morest the violence that does not subside despite the negotiations of peace with armed groups.

”I voted for the change, for Petro, but we continue with the same thing. I march because I still think that Colombia has some hope and I love my country,” says Martha Estrada, a 64-year-old pensioner, wearing a tricolor hat in Bogotá.

In the capital, the rain did not stop the protesters and tens of thousands advanced towards the Plaza de Bolívar, next to the presidential headquarters.

Petro raised the possibility of taking the country into a process to reform the Constitution as a way to achieve the social transformations that he promised in his electoral campaign and that Congress has not approved. However, it is not clear what that process would look like.

Petro came to power in August 2020 as the first leftist to govern a country traditionally run by conservative elites. With 60% disapproval, according to the pollster Invamer, the president has been losing support from political forces in Congress and also in the public arena, where he is usually very active.