Page 12 - ARUBA TODAY

A12 WORLD NEWS
Thursday 28 November 2019
Myriad frustrations draw Colombians back onto streets

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) It remains unclear to what
— Colombians unhappy extent the Strike Commit-
with President Iván Duque's tee represents protesters in
response to nearly a week what has become a largely
of boisterous protests over citizen-driven outpouring of
everything from job losses discontent. An invitation to
to shark hunting took to the gather in a park or bang
streets again Wednesday in pots and pans quickly goes
a continuing tide of unrest. viral on WhatsApp and
The daily protests jolting the soon hundreds fill neigh-
South American country borhoods with the angry
proclaim a wide array of sound of clanging metal
complaints but echo one and chants like "Get out
refrain: an opposition to Duque!"
a government that many "We're tired," Ana Ma-
believe only looks after the ria Moya, a student, said.
most privileged citizens. "We're saying, 'No more.'"
"We feel defenseless to ev- Though the National Strike
erything," Lucy Rosales, 60, Committee drew an esti-
a pensioner in Bogota. "We mated 250,000 people to
don't feel like we have a the streets last Thursday,
voice that represents us. It's An anti-government demonstrator, her face painted with the colors of the Colombian national far fewer protesters were
many things that they al- flag, takes part in a protest, in Bogota, Colombia, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2019. heeding their call for a
lowed to accumulate." Associated Press new strike on Wednesday.
Several thousand people Protesters filled the storied
blew whistles and wav- the president has called asks Duque to withdraw or tional Conversation" that Plaza Bolivar but life contin-
ing their nation's flag as with all social sectors, fear- refrain from tax, labor and would run through March ued as normal in much of
they marched through ing their demands would pension law changes that — an initiative that ap- the rest of the capital.
the streets of the capital be diluted. are either before the leg- pears to take a page from Various leaders have tried
around mid-afternoon, "The government has not islature or rumored to be French President Emmanu- to capitalize on the mo-
while indigenous activists been able to learn from the in development. The labor el Macron, who opened a mentum, but none yet has
blocked part of a major Chilean and Ecuadorian and student leaders also "Great National Debate" to emerged as the unequivo-
highway in southwest Co- experiences," said Jorge want Duque to review free- involve citizens in drafting cal voice of the protesters.
lombia. Restrepo, an economics trade agreements, elimi- reforms after months of an- "There is a contest over
The new demonstration professor, referring to re- nate a police unit accused gry protests in that country. the ownership of the pro-
came a day after Duque's cent mass demonstrations in the death of an 18-year- "It's a monologue between testers," Restrepo said. "I
attempt to quell the discon- in both of those countries. old student protester and the government and its al- see students get out in the
tent by holding talks with a "It has made very many fully implement the nation's lies," said Diógenes Orjuela, streets because they need
protest steering group hit a mistakes." historic peace accord with president of the Central more social mobility, high-
snag: Members of the Na- The steering committee leftist rebels. Workers Union, one of the er levels of income, more
tional Strike Committee re- presented a 13-point list Organizers dismissed main forces behind the Na- opportunities at least in
fused to join broader talks of demands Tuesday that Duque's calls to join his "Na- tional Strike Committee. employment.q

Ex-Peruvian prime minister

detained in Odebrecht case

prosecutor Ronald Nicolás avalanches that destroyed ing himself in the head as
Chafloque Chávez. houses in dozens of villages officers came to detain him
"All of them are being in- in Peru. in relation to the Odebre-
vestigated for the crime of Peru is in the midst of a reck- cht probe. Ex-President Ale-
influence peddling and ille- oning over entrenched, jandro Toledo is being held
gal sponsorship," prosecu- widespread corruption in the United States while
tor Jesús Fernández said in that has decimated public his extradition is sought by
a tweet. confidence in elected of- Peru. Former President Ol-
In this handout photo provided by Peru's Palace of Justice Press Villanueva was head of ficials. Nearly every former lanta Humala, who was
Office, former Prime Minister Cesar Villanueva is escorted by
police to a courtroom, at the Palace of Justice in Lima, Peru, the Council of Ministers, living president is under imprisoned for nine months,
Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2019. or prime minister, in the investigation in connec- was released in April 2018,
Associated Press government of President tion with the Odebrecht although he is still under
Martín Vizcarra from April probe – with the exception investigation. And former
LIMA, Peru (AP) — Former Odebrecht, the Public Min- 2018 to March 2019, when of former President Alberto President Pedro Pablo Kuc-
Peruvian Prime Minister istry said Wednesday. he resigned as Vizcarra Fujimori, who is serving a zynski is under house arrest,
César Villanueva was ar- Authorities also detained shuffled his Cabinet amid 25-year prison sentence for accused of lying about his
rested preventatively while businessman José María heavy criticism for a trip he human rights abuses, cor- ties to Odebrecht.
being investigated for al- Santisteban Zurita, North took to Portugal and Spain, ruption and the sanction- In 2016 Odebrecht ac-
leged influence peddling Lima prosecutor Alberto where he attended an ing of death squads. knowledged it paid bribes
in a bribery case linked to Orlando Rossel Alvarado art fair dedicated to Peru, Former President Alan Gar- to obtain juicy contracts
Brazilian construction giant and provincial deputy while heavy rains caused cía died in April after shoot- across Latin America.q