Workers, teachers in Colombia march in support of government reforms

By Laura Gamba

BOGOTA, Colombia (AA) - Colombia experienced on Wednesday a day of mobilizations promoted by President Gustavo Petro to seek support for the government's highly controversial reforms that are being processed in Congress.

Workers and teachers took to the streets in the country's main cities to protest what they have said are attempts by right-wing opposition sectors to destabilize the government.

More than 7,000 people gathered in the emblematic Plaza de Bolivar in support of the Petro government's reforms, which have not yet been approved in Congress and which do not seem to have enough votes to pass.

In the afternoon, Petro joined the demonstrations along with other members of his cabinet and gave a speech in which he invited people to march to pressure Congress to pass his health, labor and pension reforms and announced that he will present more in the next months.

Less than 15 days before the end of the legislature, the three major social reforms are most likely to sink.

The president also spoke of the possibility of a coup d'état, referring to the accusations against the government after the scandal caused by the revelations of the former ambassador in Caracas Armando Benedetti, who spoke about the irregularities in the financing of Petro´s electoral campaign. He referenced former Peruvian President Pedro Castillo, who was ousted and arrested after he tried to dissolve Congress.

​​"Pedro Castillo is not going to happen here," Petro said. "If they dare to destroy democracy, the people will build democracy in Colombia."

Petro announced that he will travel to Cuba on Thursday to sign a ceasefire with the National Liberation Army guerrilla group amid a peace process that so far has not advanced as the government had anticipated.

"Tomorrow I am going to Cuba and I am going to something that can be very important for the history of Colombia. I am going to sign a paper that could mean the beginning of an era of peace for this country", he said.

Sectors of the opposition have branded the speech as inflammatory and polarizing.​​​​​​​