Understanding The Roots Of Colombia’s Latest Crisis

Sonali Kolhatkar speaks with Emilia Márquez about Colombia's latest crisis.

Several weeks into a new chapter of violence in Colombia mass protests are continuing as police kill protesters. State violence in Colombia has reached a new high as law enforcement has fired shots into groups of unarmed protesters.

The unrest has been sparked by underlying poverty and mass unemployment, exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic and now-retracted tax law by the government of Ivan Duque.

Truckers have blocked freeways across Colombia in protest and President Duque has called for these blockades to be forcibly removed. Regional analysts fear the violence and unrest could spread across Latin America.

Emilia Márquez, sex and gender director of the non-governmental organization Temblores (which translates to Tremors) based in Colombia and which gathers data on police brutality. Emilia is based in Bogotá.

Rising Up with Sonali is a radio and television show that brings progressive news coverage rooted in gender and racial justice to a wide audience. Rising Up With Sonali was built on the foundation of Sonali Kolhatkar's earlier show, Uprising, which became the longest-running drive-time radio show on KPFK in Los Angeles hosted by a woman. RUS airs on Free Speech TV every weekday.

Missed an episode? Check out Rising Up on FSTV VOD anytime or visit the show page for the latest clips.

#FreeSpeechTV is one of the last standing national, independent news networks committed to advancing progressive social change.

#FSTV is available on Dish, DirectTV , AppleTV, Roku, Sling, and online at freespeech.org.

Colombia Crisis Demonstration Emilia Márquez Free Speech TV Iván Duque Mass Protests Police Brutality Protest Rising Up with Sonali Sonali Kolhatkar State Violence