The UN office is free criticism “Excessive use of force” by security forces in Colombia, after many deaths during protests.
The protests, which began last week, demanded a reduction in the taxes imposed by the government of President Ivan Duque – he said on Sunday, but the protests continued. continued.
The UN Office said on Tuesday: “As a result of the crisis, soldiers and police have been deployed to monitor the protests, we want peace.”
“We remind government officials of their responsibility to protect human rights, including the right to life and security, and to support the exercise of the right to peaceful assembly,” said Maria Hurtado.
“The police must adhere to the rule of law, be careful, fair and equitable during protests. Guns can be used as a last resort to deal with life-threatening injuries or serious injuries. ”
Hurtado added that UN officials were trying to destroy the victims of Monday’s incident in Cali.
Authorities detained 431 people, and the government deployed troops in the worst-affected cities.
Some NGOs criticized the police for firing on civilians.
Tax reforms have been widely criticized for punishing middle-class citizens during times of economic hardship.
The government introduced the bill on April 15 as a way to fund public spending.
The goal was to generate $ 6.3bn between 2022 and 2031 to re-establish the fourth economy in Latin America.
Under the influence of coronaviruses, Colombia’s economy declined by 6.8% in 2020, which did not work well for half a century.
Unemployment reached 16.8% in March, while 42.5% of the 50 million people are now living in poverty.
