Pro-Petro marches mobilize hunderds in Colombia’s major cities
Pro-Petro marches mobilize hunderds in Colombia’s major cities
posted by Kenneth Lowe
Jan 10, 2014
Protests in support of dismissed Bogota Mayor Gustavo Petro drew hundreds to the streets in several of Colombia’s largest cities on Friday.
Dozens of supporters from all around the country were gathered in Bogota, Colombia’s capital, as early as 8AM.
In other places around the city, hundreds of supporters of the leftist mayor gathered around 4PM to march to the
central Bolivar Square in downtown Bogota.
The turnout was significantly lower than anticipated by the Petro supporters who had predicted to draw almost 150,000 people.
Protesters walked over the main Carrera 7 from the National Park to Bolivar Square; forcing more traffic jams than usual. Bogota’s police department sent out some 3,500 policemen to secure the march would not result in disorder.
In other other major cities throughout the country people also gathered to express their support of the leftist burgomaster who was dismissed and barred from holding office for 15 years by Inspector General Alejandro Ordoñez over irregularities in a trash collection reform in December 2013.
In Cali, protesters numbered about 70, carrying banners from the Plazoleta Jairo Varela to the Parque de las Banderas and chanting slogans like “Petro doesn’t go, Petro stays!” and “Ordoñez, fascist! You’re a terrorist!”
More:
http://colombiareports.co/pro-petro-marches-mobilize-thousands-colombias-major-cities/
