The British and Irish trade union movements affiliated to Justice for Colombia that represent some 6 million workers, express their heartfelt solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Colombia on their National Day of Action against the policies of Abelardo de la Espriella’s far-right government.
Under the government of President Gustavo Petro Colombia made important strides in strengthening human rights, improving labour conditions and promoting peace.
Labour reforms gave workers back rights they had lost decades ago, including big increases to the minimum wage and regulating the length of the working week.
Pensions reform gave older citizens access to a decent pension. Education was better funded. The economy grew. Unemployment was brought down.
In the framework of peace land was distributed to campesinos, talks attempted to resolve longstanding conflicts without violence, and the JEP was able to emit its first sentences. Infrastructure and development were targeted at the poorest areas.
All of this progress is now under threat.
We know that De la Espriella’s government is threatening to privatise education in a transparent effort to destroy the FECODE education workers’ union. A new labour statute will seek to roll back recent gains. The minimum wage is under threat.
The government has asked to withdraw the rural reform from UN oversight. The government is now routinely insulting and stigmatising political opponents.
The government is threatening to introduce a new counter-terrorism statute that will allow them to decide who the terrorists are, and which would be used, we are sure, to repress those who oppose his government’s policies. This is an assault on democracy itself.
The government is cutting crucial funding to the institutions of the 2016 Peace Agreement, defunding the JEP and talking about ‘remoulding’ the Agreement. These actions threaten the implementation of the 2016 Peace Agreement.
Colombia cannot be allowed to go back to the violence and repression of the past. Too much progress has been made in recent years. Too many have seen that violence isn’t inevitable or necessary, that the 2016 Peace Agreement brought a dividend in lives saved, improved and enriched.
On this, your day of action, we send this message of solidarity to all those Colombian workers, campesinos, women, Afro-Colombians, indigenous peoples, who are standing up for their rights, standing up for peace, standing up for justice.
Long live the workers! Long Live the Trade Unions! Long live peace! Long live democracy!