London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Aug 22, 2025

Colombia: Iván Duque will not withdraw the tax reform, despite massive protests

Colombia: Iván Duque will not withdraw the tax reform, despite massive protests

Iván Duque argued that the tax reform is open to modifications and "to consensus within the framework of the institutions" and with the parties in Congress.
The president of Colombia, Iván Duque, reaffirmed this Thursday his willingness to approve a tax reform and refused to withdraw it from his debate in Congress, despite the fact that on Wednesday tens of thousands of people took to the streets throughout the country opposing for this law to be approved, protests that continue today.

"Talking about a withdrawal, when there is the possibility of total modification in Congress, would be a message that at this time could generate not only great financial and economic uncertainty but also has negative effects for the entire Colombian society," said the president Iván Duque, in an interview with Double W radio this Thursday morning.

Iván Duque argued that the reform is open to modifications and "to consensus within the framework of the institutions" and with the parties in Congress, in addition to accepting proposals from the private sector.

However, he did not refer to possible meetings with unions and social organizations, which were the ones who called the "national strike" that took crowds in a generally peaceful way to the streets to demand that a reform not be approved that they consider will mainly affect the the lower and middle class.

"What we have sought is to open a democratic, deliberative, constructive discussion within the institutions," insisted President Iván Duque.

The Government alleges that it needs to close the gap that the pandemic has created in the State coffers, and with the tax reform it expects to collect 25 trillion pesos (about $6.85 billion).

The rise in taxes on basic products of the family basket or the progressive increase in income tax on those who earn 2.4 million pesos a month (about 660 dollars) can affect the middle and lower classes, which have been the hardest hit economically due to the pandemic.

WAVE OF OPPOSITION

With the "No to the tax reform" impregnated in chants, banners, T-shirts and posters, Colombians mobilized in the main cities claiming that the reform promoted by the Duque government is "hunger and misery for the people."

The demonstrations took place peacefully in most of the country, but ended with altercations and clashes with the Police towards the end of the day, especially in the city of Cali, where the highest number of incidents was recorded since early in the morning. .

At least one person was killed in Cali, presumably by the shooting of a motorized police officer, according to videos recorded on social networks and confirmed by the mayor of this city, Jorge Iván Ospina, who spoke of a dead person "in unclear facts related to the manifestation".

Another young man died in Neiva, capital of the Huila department, of an alleged epileptic seizure, while participating in the demonstration.

In addition, the Government reported that 44 police officers were injured, without providing figures for injuries to the civilian population, although social organizations speak of fifty victims of police violence.

The protests against the tax reform continue this Thursday, after the call of unions and organizers, although with a notable less attendance and follow-up.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Bunkers, Billions and Apocalypse: The Secret Compounds of Zuckerberg and the Tech Giants
Ukraine Declares De Facto War on Hungary and Slovakia with Terror Drone Strikes on Their Gas Lifeline
Animated K-pop Musical ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Becomes Netflix’s Most-Watched Original Animated Film
New York Appeals Court Voids Nearly $500 Million Civil Fraud Penalty Against Trump While Upholding Fraud Liability
Elon Musk tweeted, “Europe is dying”
Far-Right Activist Convicted of Incitement Changes Gender and Demands: "Send Me to a Women’s Prison" | The Storm in Germany
Hungary Criticizes Ukraine: "Violating Our Sovereignty"
Will this be the first country to return to negative interest rates?
Child-free hotels spark controversy
North Korea is where this 95-year-old wants to die. South Korea won’t let him go. Is this our ally or a human rights enemy?
Hong Kong Launches Regulatory Regime and Trials for HKD-Backed Stablecoins
China rehearses September 3 Victory Day parade as imagery points to ‘loyal wingman’ FH-97 family presence
Trump Called Viktor Orbán: "Why Are You Using the Veto"
Horror in the Skies: Plane Engine Exploded, Passengers Sent Farewell Messages
MSNBC Rebrands as MS NOW Amid Comcast’s Cable Spin-Off
AI in Policing: Draft One Helps Speed Up Reports but Raises Legal and Ethical Concerns
Shame in Norway: Crown Princess’s Son Accused of Four Rapes
Apple Begins Simultaneous iPhone 17 Production in India and China
A Robot to Give Birth: The Chinese Announcement That Shakes the World
Finnish MP Dies by Suicide in Parliament Building
Outrage in the Tennis World After Jannik Sinner’s Withdrawal Storm
William and Kate Are Moving House – and the New Neighbors Were Evicted
Class Action Lawsuit Against Volkswagen: Steering Wheel Switches Cause Accidents
Taylor Swift on the Way to the Super Bowl? All the Clues Stirring Up Fans
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Apple Expands Social Media Presence in China With RedNote Account Ahead of iPhone 17 Launch
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Cambridge Dictionary Adds 'Skibidi,' 'Delulu,' and 'Tradwife' Amid Surge of Online Slang
Bill Barr Testifies No Evidence Implicated Trump in Epstein Case; DOJ Set to Release Records
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
The CEO Who Replaced 80% of Employees for the AI Revolution: "I Would Do It Again"
Emails Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Character.ai Bets on Future of AI Companionship
China Ramps Up Tax Crackdown on Overseas Investments
Japanese Office Furniture Maker Expands into Bomb Shelter Market
Intel Shares Surge on Possible U.S. Government Investment
Hurricane Erin Threatens U.S. East Coast with Dangerous Surf
EU Blocks Trade Statement Over Digital Rule Dispute
EU Sends Record Aid as Spain Battles Wildfires
JPMorgan Plans New Canary Wharf Tower
Zelenskyy and his allies say they will press Trump on security guarantees
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Escalating Clashes in Serbia as Anti-Government Protests Spread Nationwide
The Drought in Britain and the Strange Request from the Government to Delete Old Emails
Category 5 Hurricane in the Caribbean: 'Catastrophic Storm' with Winds of 255 km/h
"No, Thanks": The Mathematical Genius Who Turned Down 1.5 Billion Dollars from Zuckerberg
The surprising hero, the ugly incident, and the criticism despite victory: "Liverpool’s defense exposed in full"
Digital Humans Move Beyond Sci-Fi: From Virtual DJs to AI Customer Agents
YouTube will start using AI to guess your age. If it’s wrong, you’ll have to prove it
×