Colombia Readies Protest Decree Before Rallies

Colombia’s Interior Minister Rodrigo Lara and President Abelardo De La Espriella are set to sign a new decree on social protest before national marches planned for October 14, 2026. The decree modifies Decree 003 of 2021, which outlines how authorities should handle protests and protect participants. The Interior Ministry published a draft of the decree for public comment until October 4, 2026, and held meetings with social organizations, plaintiffs in a court ruling, and security forces.

The decree defines violent acts, such as aggression against people, throwing objects that could cause serious injury, holding people against their will, and using children in protests. It also lists eight grounds on which dialogue is considered exhausted, including blockades of medical missions, harm to public services, and attacks on medical staff or journalists.

The decree sets up “solidarity corridors” to prevent permanent road blockades and creates five levels of response by authorities, ranging from mediators and dialogue to dispersal. Colombian legal press describes five levels of response, but the final text may differ from the draft that was open for comment. The unions CUT, the Central Unitaria de Trabajadores, and the teachers’ federation Fecode have called for national mobilizations on October 14, and former president Gustavo Petro is expected to attend.

Travellers in Bogotá and other cities should expect marches on that day and follow local guidance and the advice of their embassy, allowing extra time for road journeys. The new rules have implications for freight, supply chains, and the daily running of cities.