Pope renews appeal for ‘serious dialogue’ in Colombia, asserts right to peaceful protests

Vatican’s Pope Francis on Sunday renewed his appeals for a “serious dialogue” as he defended the right to peaceful protests in Colombia. Indicating dialogue as the path to peace and justice, the Pontiff asked believers to join him in prayer for the “suffering people” during the Regina Coeli in St Peter’s Square. “I pray that the beloved Colombian people may receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit and that through serious dialogue just solutions may be found to the many problems they are inflicted with, especially for those who suffer poverty due to the pandemic,” Francis said. 

Furthermore, Pope urged that everyone must avoid potentially dangerous behaviour for the good health of all and “for humanitarian reasons” as civilians exercise their right to demonstrate peacefully. The Argentinian pontiff, who had visited Columbia in 2017, called the civil unrest in Colombia “worrying.” He appealed that the country needed to advance “through serious dialogue, whereby fair solutions are found to the many problems it faces.” He also asked Colombia’s security forces to exercise restraint. Pope’s appeals come as reports emerged that at least 40 protesters have been killed, and hundreds were wounded by security forces and armed men dressed in civilian clothes, meanwhile, scores of protesters were taken into detention. 

“I pray that the beloved Colombian people may be able to welcome the gifts of the Holy Spirit so that, through serious dialogue, they can find just solutions to the many problems that especially the poorest suffer, due to the pandemic,” said Pope Francis, according to The Vatican’s statement. 

The Vatican on Sunday said in a release, “The Pope’s appeal for prayers for Colombia comes in the wake of an appeal issued by the Colombian Catholic Bishops’ Conference who uphold dialogue as the path to a solution.” It added, that the bishops insist, “It is fundamental to listen, understand and efficiently find solutions to the demands of those who protest peacefully. This is the only way to build the peace we all want together.”   

Protest sparked by 'tax reform proposal'

Columbia has witnessed major clashes between the demonstrators and the police across different cities over the past weeks after the right-wing administration of President Ivan Duque introduced the tax reform proposal hiking financial pressure on low- and middle-income groups. Despite pulling back the proposal, protesters continued the marches condemning the Columbia government’s “mishandling” of the COVID-19 pandemic, as they alleged that the withdrawal of the tax proposal “wasn’t enough”.