Colombia’s Election Runner-Up Backs Union Protests Against New President

Colombia's new right-wing government, led by President Abelardo de la Espriella, faces a calendar of union protests just six weeks after taking office. Ivan Cepeda, the left-wing senator who lost the presidential runoff to de la Espriella in June, has pledged his party's "decided support" to the coming social protests. Cepeda, a senator representing the opposition seat reserved for the presidential runner-up, wrote on X that social mobilisations are being prepared, affecting sectors like earthquake survivors, peasant farmers, conflict victims, teachers, students, and public-sector workers.

A national strike is planned for November, with dates under discussion. The unions claim they are defending the reforms of former left-wing president Gustavo Petro against the new government. The main organisers of the protests are Fecode, the national teachers' union, and the CUT, Colombia's largest trade union federation. They plan to march on October 14 and possibly on the 11th or 20th of November, with no specific routes or meeting points announced yet.

The protests are centered around themes like sovereignty, democracy, peace, labour rights, public education, and public health, with objections to privatization of state assets and new Labour Statute bill presented by Labour Minister Natalia Lopez.