I never thought I'd have to do this here but I must stand for my country and try to stop intentional spread of misinformation AKA propaganda.
TLDR: Current protests had been hijacked by the usual suspects that want to burn the country so they can get what they can't get by elections. Most of the international media coverage is being selectively picked, you're only seeing the tip of the iceberg. Situation is complex but for us Colombians is really simple, we may have an opinion for or against the current government but "some" pick violence as their mean to achieve anything and others like the great majority choose the already democratic means available.
How the protests are financed in most cases:
https://www.semana.com/nacion/artic...l-dinero-sucio-detras-de-la-violencia/202151/
Before hand I apologize for sourcing everything in Spanish but as you can see, none of this is being covered outside even less translated. Google translate may be helpful at least to read the headlines.
Right now, the city of Cali is practically under the control of the military
Most of the cities are very rural were police capabilities and training is hindered and generally not their responsibility. Army troops have always been in charge of securing roads that communicate cities because we're constantly threaten by drug cartels and organized criminals very keen to wrongly named "guerrillas" (they're basically criminal structures that lack people's actual support something you can see when elections happen). Military are usually called in when things get out of control: guns appear in "protesters" hands. On top of that, sadly, we have very poor neighbors called "Comunas" (coincidentally similar to the term communism) similar to Brazilian favelas, were safe living is not the "normal" situation. In those neighbors live former cartel's and guerilla members in charge of drug trafficking, kidnapping, prostitution, extortion, "hitmanship", underage recruitment (because our legal systems is even more soft-handed with criminals than law-abiding citizens specially when crime is done by underage boys, girls are headed to sex related things)... you name it. Those are the place were the military had to engage inside the city.
ROAD BLOCKS IN CAPITAL CITY'S STATE (PICTURE SHOWING MILITARY WATCHING AND PROTECTING DRIVERS)
https://www.eltiempo.com/bogota/dia...y-al-menos-15-bloqueos-en-cundinamarca-586398
MILITARY WATCHING ROADS AROUND CALI
ARMED PROTESTERS
Failed to fetch tweet
https://twitter.com/AlvaroUribeVel/status/1389567346071769091
MORE ARMED PROTESTERS
AGAIN...
REALLY?
"PROTESTERS" IN UPPER CLASS NEIGHBOR GETTING EVEN
Failed to fetch tweet
https://twitter.com/SoyCabal/status/1391544154379988992
Roads are being blocked so animals can't get to the city
GIVING A PIG SO THEY CAN GO THROUGH
Failed to fetch tweet
https://twitter.com/JenniferAriasF/status/1389316247733608451
A POLICE OFFICER IN TEARS SAYING THAT HE CAN'T ENGAGE WITH INDIGENOUS PEOPLE BECAUSE HE COULD GET KILLED (indigenous people may be an equivalent to minorities)
INDIGENOUS PEOPLE GETTING THROUGH "PEACEFULLY" (WHAT THE OFFICER ABOVE FEARS)
Hundreds of thousands (not exaggerated) of animals are dying from starvation because fodder can't get to the farms, some others had to be sacrificed ahead
FIERY PROTEST IN WAREHOUSE
MILITARY ESCORTING GAS AND EVEN OXYGEN FOR ICUs
ACTUAL COUNTER PROTESTERS REMOVING ROADBLOCKS IN CALI ASKING FOR TRULY PEACEFUL PROTESTS ESCORTED BY THE MILITARY
ORDINARY PEOPLE SUPPORTING AND BEING GRATEFUL TOWARDS POLICE
They have hurt and killed peaceful protesters and innocent citizens, and even kids
MOSTLY "Peaceful protesters". Those "kids" (15-17, 18 and over are adults here) can't legally be in protests for their own security just in case things may turn dangerous, they should always be accompanied by their parents when they're NOT STUDYING, but obviously these parents don't have a clue what their children are up to, right? Simply, they don't care or they can't because no one will watch over them while parents are working even less they can hire someone to do that (let me be clear, I'm NOT condoning any violence towards kids).
"OUTSTANDING KIDS" (MOLOTOV SUPPLIES)
"OUTNUMBERED AND MOSTLY PEACEFUL PROTESTERS"
MORE "OUTNUMBERED PROTESTERS" FACING ANTI-RIOT POLICE
ANTI-RIOT POLICE SHARING A MEAL WITH HOMELESS GUYS
DON'T FORGET TO MENTION THE SAFE DISTANCING TO FIGHT PANDEMIC (BLACK AND RED FLAGS ARE RELATED TO ELN, ANTIFA, EXTREME LEFT/SOCIALISM/COMMUNISM CHE GUEVARA)
CRIMINALS TAKING ADVANTAGE OF CURRENT EMERGENCY AGAINST A PRIVATE SECURITY GUARD (ALWAYS VERY POOR PEOPLE)
Failed to fetch tweet
https://twitter.com/AlvaroUribeVel/status/1390121558623010819
GAS STATION IN CALI
ACTUAL CITIZENS SUPPORTING THE POLICE
STAINS OF ACID ON OFFICERS APPAREL
"KID" STATING HIS TRUE INTENTIONS (I MAY BE TEMPTED TO SUBTITLED HIM)
NOT SO PEACEFUL PROTESTERS
Failed to fetch tweet
https://twitter.com/gabrieljvelasco/status/1389780245067227138
There are bodies all around over the streets lying with only blankets over them
Hard to prove/disprove also kinda hard to share all that gory "evidence", but you can see all the rioting, destruction, statues teared down and shops looted doing some searching on local news media. It's also important to mention that there are coordinated cyber attacks to censor specific media that tells the inconvenient side of the story.
STAGED "ASSASSINATION"
Left-leaning weekly publication (not very friendly to the government) telling about injured and killed officers:
https://www.semana.com/nacion/artic...s-gravemente-heridos-en-las-protestas/202142/
Some people intentionally and internationally (UN) reported as "missing" already found or completely made-up
https://www.semana.com/nacion/artic...arecidas-por-la-defensoria-del-pueblo/202137/
A nice summary made and translated by ordinary people:
An important news agency summarizes widespreaded misinformation:
https://www.lafm.com.co/colombia/es...n-sido-difundidas-masivamente-durante-el-paro
BANK OFFICES "PEACEFULLY" LOOTED
LOOTING GROCERIES STORES
LOCAL NEWS SPEAKING ABOUT MORE THAN 7000 FAKE ACCOUNTS SHARING FAKE NEWS AND PROMOTING VIOLENT ATTACKS
Failed to fetch tweet
https://twitter.com/RedMasNoticias/status/1390489859719155715
OEA (AMERICAN STATES ORGANIZATION) DECLARATIONS CONDEMNING WITH NAMES THE ONES BEHIND ALL THIS WAR AGAINST COLOMBIAN DEMOCRACY
They have even killed kids, and some buildings are even on fire
Actually, a woman in labor was trying to get to the hospital but because "peaceful protesters" they couldn't, so the baby died in the ambulance. Is the right to protest superior to the right of living?
AMBULANCE ATTACKED
https://www.semana.com/nacion/artic...o-prematuro-el-recien-nacido-fallecio/202145/
https://www.eltiempo.com/bogota/par...dio-a-su-bebe-atrapada-en-bloqueo-vial-585977
https://www.pulzo.com/nacion/murio-...aban-su-madre-fue-atacada-tocancipa-PP1048875
A hotel was put in flames because protesters were informed that the police was in there, the actual events are still in the air and under investigation, but none of this would have happen if protests were truly pacific as they MUST be. For instance, police officers could be helping government with vaccination logistics as they have done
https://www.eltiempo.com/colombia/c...n-el-hotel-dice-gerente-entre-lagrimas-585883
https://www.elespectador.com/notici...amenta-por-hotel-quemado-en-el-paro-nacional/
https://www.infobae.com/america/col...l-hotel-la-luna-quemado-por-vandalos-en-cali/
https://www.rcnradio.com/colombia/pacifico/queman-reconocido-hotel-del-sur-de-cali
https://noticias.caracoltv.com/vall...i-dicen-porque-hospedo-a-un-grupo-de-policias
https://www.minuto30.com/cali-quemaron-hotel-esmad/1236564/
https://www.qhubocali.com/asi-paso/asi-quedo-el-iconico-hotel-la-luna/
Several truly small police stations (CAI: would translate to immediate response centers) were also burned with officers inside
BRAVE REGULAR PEOPLE GUARDING POLICE STATIONS
https://www.elpais.com.co/colombia/atacan-e-incendian-a-un-cai-con-policias-adentro-en-bogota.html
https://www.elperiodico.com/es/inte...ego-estacion-policial-agentes-bogota-11701977
https://www.eltiempo.com/bogota/habla-agente-que-sobrevivio-a-ataque-en-cai-586363
https://www.semana.com/semana-tv/vi...do-vivo-dentro-de-un-cai-en-la-aurora/202125/
https://www.elnuevosiglo.com.co/art...les-en-motocicleta-me-sacaron-de-ese-infierno
https://www.bluradio.com/blu360/pac...olicia-ubicado-en-la-via-a-cristo-rey-en-cali
https://www.semana.com/nacion/artic...-llamas-saqueos-disparos-y-disturbios/202118/
https://www.minutouno.com/mundo/colombia/prendieron-fuego-comisaria-policias-adentro-n5190188
As usual, TM stations (capital city equivalent to train station and main in city transportation system) were completely burned down by FIERY BUT MOSTLY PEACEFUL PROTESTERS, accounting to millions of dollars lost and also millions of citizens having to walk several miles to reach their homes and businesses or simply forced to stay home and shelter from antifa-like "protesters" not the police.
FIERY STATIONS
MORE BONFIRES (AGAIN, LOOK AT THE RED FLAG: COMMUNISTS)
https://www.eltiempo.com/bogota/transmilenio-estaciones-bloqueadas-10-de-mayo-587247
https://www.infobae.com/america/col...das-y-millonarias-perdidas-por-el-vandalismo/
https://www.valoraanalitik.com/2021...iones-este-lunes-por-protestas-paro-nacional/
https://www.pulzo.com/nacion/transmilenio-hoy-que-estaciones-estan-cerradas-lunes-10-mayo-PP1050129
https://www.bluradio.com/blu360/bog...la-afectacion-a-500-000-personas-transmilenio
https://www.asuntoslegales.com.co/a...ilenio-saqueos-y-danos-por-vandalismo-3165345
https://www.bluradio.com/blu360/bog...estrozos-en-transmilenio-y-negocios-saqueados
https://www.rcnradio.com/bogota/bog...y-cierre-de-estaciones-en-suba-y-las-americas
I won't be engaging in any discussion that may lead to controversy, I'm just showing some facts (not all) "from the ground" to try to dispute what I see as crystal clear misleading claims. I felt in the obligation to share my truth (and many others' truth) because I really care for this community which I visit everyday for many years (although shamefully not contributing much, but very grateful). Any respectful and constructive interaction derived from this post is very welcome and I may try to provide any light to your curiosity. I tend to not talk politics outside my country because it's inevitably biased, I prefer to tell how people (most valuable asset) is: in general kind, happy and way hard-working persons, that prefer to get things through their own work than to be given away everything, unlike "protesters" that are engaging violently against officers and common people. Also we have several sad and tragic situations that democracy and order intend to overcome day by day.
I won't ask even less beg for you to share it, maybe I want the original message to be shared with a wider perspective and that all of you come to their own conclusion.
Thanks for your attention, have a great day! We're hoping this ends soon but unfortunately some are just adding fuel to this fire. BTW, the tax reform that was to be presented (alleged reason for all of this) was withdrawn some days ago, but obviously they don't care.
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Hopefully the UN Actually does something Rather then just give a warning
for more info
Colombia protests: UN 'deeply alarmed' by bloodshed in Cali
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-56983865
Generally UN doesn't care about Latin American (or any "non-important" country) grave situations and they conveniently avoid condemning left leaning governments, Colombia being a "right" leaning one won't be a case to be handled softly. Please have a look at what OEA has said about it
