http://colombiareports.co/anti-government-protests-colombia-clashes-police-bogota-medellin/
Aug 29, 2013 Anti-government protests in Colombia; Violent clashes with Police in Bogota and Medellinposted by Adriaan Alsema <http://colombiareports.com/> [image: Anti-government protests in Colombia; Violent clashes with Police in Bogota and Medellin]<http://colombiareports.co/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/riot.jpg> (Photo: El Espectador) [image: Share Button] <http://www.hupso.com/share/> <http://www.hupso.com/share/add.php?service=twitter&title=Anti-government%20protests%20in%20Colombia%3B%20Violent%20clashes%20with%20Police%20in%20Bogota%20and%20Medellin&url=http://colombiareports.co/anti-government-protests-colombia-clashes-police-bogota-medellin/><http://www.hupso.com/share/add.php?service=facebook&title=Anti-government%20protests%20in%20Colombia%3B%20Violent%20clashes%20with%20Police%20in%20Bogota%20and%20Medellin&url=http://colombiareports.co/anti-government-protests-colombia-clashes-police-bogota-medellin/><http://www.hupso.com/share/add.php?service=googleplus&title=Anti-government%20protests%20in%20Colombia%3B%20Violent%20clashes%20with%20Police%20in%20Bogota%20and%20Medellin&url=http://colombiareports.co/anti-government-protests-colombia-clashes-police-bogota-medellin/><http://www.hupso.com/share/add.php?service=linkedin&title=Anti-government%20protests%20in%20Colombia%3B%20Violent%20clashes%20with%20Police%20in%20Bogota%20and%20Medellin&url=http://colombiareports.co/anti-government-protests-colombia-clashes-police-bogota-medellin/><http://www.hupso.com/share/add.php?service=stumbleupon&title=Anti-government%20protests%20in%20Colombia%3B%20Violent%20clashes%20with%20Police%20in%20Bogota%20and%20Medellin&url=http://colombiareports.co/anti-government-protests-colombia-clashes-police-bogota-medellin/><http://www.hupso.com/share/add.php?service=reddit&title=Anti-government%20protests%20in%20Colombia%3B%20Violent%20clashes%20with%20Police%20in%20Bogota%20and%20Medellin&url=http://colombiareports.co/anti-government-protests-colombia-clashes-police-bogota-medellin/> Tens of thousands have taken to the streets across Colombia in the biggest show of force from anti-government protests since agriculture workers went on strike last week. Violent clashes were reported, primarily from Bogota. Protesters started arriving at the Plaza Bolivar in Bogota in the late morning, and by the early afternoon there were roughly 10,000 people assembled in the citys main square. Caracol Radio, one of Colombias national media intensely following ongoing protests, reported that a total of 40,000 people were protesting around the city. Despite a strong police presence, the protests remained calm for several hours, with speakers regularly encouraging peaceful demonstration. However, at approximately 2:30PM, a new wave of protesters entered the Plaza, setting off non-lethal explosives, throwing debris and inciting general panic. This had been preceded by police attacking at least one group of demonstrators protesting peacefully while on their way to Bogotas main square. Speakers continued to urge the crowd to remain calm, but anti-riot police forces on hand got involved after a second round of explosives, and from there the situation degenerated into chaos. Explosions that may have come from live ammunition fire from public security forces were heard. Police hurdled tear gas into the main crowd, with various violent clashes breaking out across the plaza, and protesters hurling bricks and other objects at police forces. Within 15 minutes, the square had been cleared, though clashes with the ESMAD continued in the streets surrounding the plaza. According to Bogota newspaper El Tiempo, 20 people were injured in the violent outbreak. Major riots were also reported in Soacha, a mostly poor city bordering Bogota in the south. Dozens of masked men clashed with riot police, forcing local authorities to decree an instant curfew and ban on liquor sales. More than 40 people were arrested. In Medellin, Colombias second largest city, a riot broke out in the downtown area ahead of the protest. According to the local authorities four suspected vandals were arrested. Most shops and supermarkets in the center of the city closed doors, fearing further disturbances as tensions rose. Sources told Colombia Reports thousands have been gathering at several universities in the city before heading to the Alpujarra administrative district, where all government personnel had been evacuated. Violence was also reported on the outskirts of the city where thousands of rural protesters reportedly gathered and blocked roads leading to the capital of the Antioquia department, forcing clashes with riot police. Cali newspaper El Pais reported that some 1,000 protesters took part in three peaceful marches through Colombias third largest city. The protests were organized by Colombias largest student rights organization and coincided with widespread national anti-government protests that have been going on since Monday last week. ========================================= The week Santos lost Colombiaposted by Kevin Howlett<http://colombiapolitics.com/> [image: The week Santos lost Colombia]<http://colombiareports.co/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/santos_sad.jpg> Juan Manuel Santos [image: Share Button] <http://www.hupso.com/share/> <http://www.hupso.com/share/add.php?service=twitter&title=The%20week%20Santos%20lost%20Colombia&url=http://colombiareports.co/week-santos-lost-colombia/><http://www.hupso.com/share/add.php?service=facebook&title=The%20week%20Santos%20lost%20Colombia&url=http://colombiareports.co/week-santos-lost-colombia/><http://www.hupso.com/share/add.php?service=googleplus&title=The%20week%20Santos%20lost%20Colombia&url=http://colombiareports.co/week-santos-lost-colombia/><http://www.hupso.com/share/add.php?service=linkedin&title=The%20week%20Santos%20lost%20Colombia&url=http://colombiareports.co/week-santos-lost-colombia/><http://www.hupso.com/share/add.php?service=stumbleupon&title=The%20week%20Santos%20lost%20Colombia&url=http://colombiareports.co/week-santos-lost-colombia/><http://www.hupso.com/share/add.php?service=reddit&title=The%20week%20Santos%20lost%20Colombia&url=http://colombiareports.co/week-santos-lost-colombia/> Colombias farmers strikes are into their 10th day as roads remained closed across the countryside. The crisis shows no sign of abating, as rice farmers and oil workers joined the protest, and food shortages hit the capital, Bogota. Serious questions are being asked about the Santos governments ability to govern a country now in open revolt. Last night pots and pans were noisily bashed by thousands across the nations main cities as people took to the streets in solidarity with farmers and against a government they see as negligent and out of touch. For months, farmers have warned the Casa de Nariño of their strike plans, but the government has refused to take steps to prevent a crisis it now looks incapable of resolving. How can the government have lost control of a situation they knew about so far in advance? Anyone with a passing knowledge of crisis management understands the following: 1. Dont belittle the problem 2. Dont lie 3. Get on your opponents side, dont antagonize them 4. Dont fuel the fire 5. Act swiftly and decisively. President Santos, commander-in-chief of a nation of 47 million, appears oblivious to this. Last Monday, Santos boasted the country is under control; on Tuesday, the protests had not been of the scale [farmers] had hoped, and on Saturday, despite over 40 road closures across nine departments, deaths, imprisonments, and rocketing food prices, the President bizarrely claimed this national strike does not exist. Sure, he backtracked a few hours later in a hastily arranged and unprofessional-looking press conference, but the damage was already done Santos sounded not only insensitive, but mendacious. Nearly 20 thousand police have been deployed since the start of the protests, but the presidents words have only made their job harder as crowds have swelled and the sense of injustice has hardened. The government is pitting itself against the nation. The authorities have hardly helped themselves by their heavy-handed policing. Amateur footage has emerged of policemen smashing into houses, stealing food, and brutally attacking what look like on television at least defenseless citizens. No police general has taken the blame, no sword has been fallen upon. While the battle rages, a disinterested calm hangs over the presidential palace. How is possible that the government has so far failed to produce a single solution to the problem? How is possible that the first time Santos sat down with protesting farmers was yesterday evening, eight days into the strike? How is it possible that the government has failed to deliver on the promises it made months ago to the farmers of Boyacá? How is it possible that the agriculture minister still has his job? Santos is in danger of appearing like the captain of the Titanic, unwilling even to reassemble the deckchairs. All this should worry Santos a lot more. If, as is expected, he decides to run for re-election next May, he would do well not to alienate Colombias entire rural population. The problem for Santos, though, goes beyond just what has happened this week. There is a narrative forming around him that he is disinterested and disconnected from the real Colombia. I have heard analysts begin to call Santos the Alice in Wonderland President. To his critics, Juan Manuel Santos lives in a world of fancy cocktail events, gentlemens clubs and posh country retreats; coming face to face with the poor and uncultured campesino (peasant farmer) is rather beneath him. Whether this perception is fair or not is largely irrelevant. If Santos wants to avoid a deeply embarrassing defeat next year, he must change and fast. Colombians might be able to live with a posh president, but not one who looks like he is incapable of making decisions and keeping crises in check. Monday night, as the protests grew on the streets of Bogota, Cali, Medellin and elsewhere, I was struck by how joyous and even relieved people looked. It was almost as if Colombians were coming together in defiant and peaceful rebellion. We havent reached a tipping point yet; this is not the same as the indignados of Spain, or the mass movement in Brazil just two months ago, but something, just something might be happening. Lord knows, its about time Colombians started to demand more from their governors. http://colombiareports.co/strikes-cost-colombia-stinging-losses/ Aug 29, 2013 Ongoing strikes and protests cost Colombia $150M so farposted by Wesley Tomaselli <http://www.wesleytomaselli.com/> [image: Ongoing strikes and protests cost Colombia $150M so far]<http://colombiareports.co/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/roadblock2.jpg> (Photo: Cable Noticias) [image: Share Button] <http://www.hupso.com/share/> <http://www.hupso.com/share/add.php?service=twitter&title=Ongoing%20strikes%20and%20protests%20cost%20Colombia%20%24150M%20so%20far&url=http://colombiareports.co/strikes-cost-colombia-stinging-losses/><http://www.hupso.com/share/add.php?service=facebook&title=Ongoing%20strikes%20and%20protests%20cost%20Colombia%20%24150M%20so%20far&url=http://colombiareports.co/strikes-cost-colombia-stinging-losses/><http://www.hupso.com/share/add.php?service=googleplus&title=Ongoing%20strikes%20and%20protests%20cost%20Colombia%20%24150M%20so%20far&url=http://colombiareports.co/strikes-cost-colombia-stinging-losses/><http://www.hupso.com/share/add.php?service=linkedin&title=Ongoing%20strikes%20and%20protests%20cost%20Colombia%20%24150M%20so%20far&url=http://colombiareports.co/strikes-cost-colombia-stinging-losses/><http://www.hupso.com/share/add.php?service=stumbleupon&title=Ongoing%20strikes%20and%20protests%20cost%20Colombia%20%24150M%20so%20far&url=http://colombiareports.co/strikes-cost-colombia-stinging-losses/><http://www.hupso.com/share/add.php?service=reddit&title=Ongoing%20strikes%20and%20protests%20cost%20Colombia%20%24150M%20so%20far&url=http://colombiareports.co/strikes-cost-colombia-stinging-losses/> Strikes are causing massive losses in food and other goods as costs rise to $148.8 million, according to local media reports. A report sent to Medellin newspaper El Colombiano, businesses have declared losses of more than 1.4 million tons of merchandise. Some 70,000 trucks that do the transporting have been affected by the strikes and protests, which have crippled the countrys economy in multiple regions around the country. Truck drivers, potato farmers, milk farmers, miners, and students have driven the now 11-day national strike that has blazed through Colombias countryside and hit its major cities. The protesters are calling for severe changes to President Juan Manuel Santos administrations economic policy, which they say is the culprit behind Colombias high production costs and low revenues. Some merchandise, like the chicken of Director Andres Moncada Zapatas Poultry company, is still stuck in Colombias Pacific port. The port of Buenaventura, he said, is full, and since there are no trucks to get out the freight, and that means there are ships waiting in the harbor. That comes with super high costs. This, said Zapata, is a preliminary calculation of the costs Colombias strikes have had on the country. But people in Colombias main cities, like Bogota, are already feeling the toll on agriculture prices. Local media have reported a rise in prices of potatoes, rice and other agricultural products since merchandise is not able to get to market. Price inflation, reported financial magazine Dinero, reached 0.9% in August. Some products, like milk, have spoiled before reaching cities due to roadblocks that come with the strikes. Sources - - El Paro Ya Pasa Una Factura Por $285 Mil Millones <http://www.elcolombiano.com/BancoConocimiento/E/el_paro_ya_pasa_una_factura_por_$258_mil_millones/el_paro_ya_pasa_una_factura_por_$258_mil_millones.asp> (El Colombiano) - Inflacion Acelera En Agosto<http://www.dinero.com/actualidad/economia/articulo/inflacion-aceleraria-agosto/183132> (Dinero) [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- LAAMN: Los Angeles Alternative Media Network --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Unsubscribe: <mailto:laamn-unsubscr...@egroups.com> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscribe: <mailto:laamn-subscr...@egroups.com> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Digest: <mailto:laamn-dig...@egroups.com> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Help: <mailto:laamn-ow...@egroups.com?subject=laamn> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Post: <mailto:la...@egroups.com> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Archive1: <http://www.egroups.com/messages/laamn> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Archive2: <http://www.mail-archive.com/laamn@egroups.com> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yahoo! 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