Protesters burn the courthouse in the Colombian city of Tuluá

They destroyed bank branches, looted shops and to end another violent day in Tuluá, the protesters burned the Palace of Justice and blocked the passage of firefighters.. The thriving town, with two hundred thousand inhabitants, is located just 41 kilometers from Cali.

Precisely in the capital of Valle del Cauca, just a few hours before and in protest against the acts of vandalism that have been the norm since the national strike began on April 28, thousands of inhabitants, dressed in white T-shirts, joined on a walk for peace. They also called for an end to the blockades of streets and highways in various parts of Colombia because they aggravate the serious economic crisis, derived from the pandemic, and have forced dozens of stores, factories and companies to close their doors and lay off employees due to lack of supply. raw material.

Of the barricades that cause the greatest problems, it is worth mentioning those that prevent passage to the ports of Buenaventura, in Valle del Cauca. 60% of the coffee and 95% of the sugar that Colombia exports come out of its facilities. The general director of the National Federation of Coffee Growers, Roberto Vélez, warned that, if the same situation continues, they will lose 500 million dollars this month, and the majority are small producers.. The sugar mills, for their part, a source of wealth and essential employment in Valle del Cauca, have already had to close their operations.

Regarding the motion of censure against Defense Minister Diego Molano, which took place on Tuesday in the Senate, forecasts suggest that he will continue in office since he has the support of government allies.. The debate had moments of tension due to the serious accusations of human rights violations that the opposition launched at Molano and President Iván Duque. The minister defended the actions of the police and the Army, and denounced the attacks suffered by uniformed officers in their work to protect citizens.

It should be noted that the burning of the Tuluá Palace of Justice is added to the fire in Popayán of the headquarters of the Legal Medicine and the Rapid Reaction Unit of the Prosecutor's Office. This type of action is clearly detrimental to the processes that are underway and a benefit to criminals.

In any case, and in spite of the violence that seems uncontrollable and the eight meetings that have been held between the National Strike Committee and government delegates, a quick solution is not in sight. Union leaders have warned that they will reinforce the strike and the protests in the streets, including those to be held this Wednesday in different cities. For his part, Gustavo Petro, leader of the extremist Colombia Humana, has called for next Friday what he expects to be the largest demonstration in Colombian history. On that day they commemorate the first month of the strike.

And one of his main ally, Senator Gustavo Bolivar, is leading a collection of funds, via Twitter, to pay for the purchase of shields, gloves and helmets for those who control the barricades.