Petro's Last Stand?

A sign on the camp in Plaza Bolivar says the Petro supporters have been there for '40 days of resistance.'

So much for my political predictions: Today, Thursday, Petro's cause won three tutelas, which either suspended or just postponed the procurador's order. Instead - as of today - Petro will face a recall vote in early March. Ironically, the procurador's ouster order has benefited Petro politically by making him into a martyr and mobilizing his supporters.

The reasoning behind today's rulings seems to be that Petro was elected and that his ousting by an unelected official violates his and voters' rights. Good enough, and, whether he wins or loses, deciding the mayor's fate by a vote will be much healthier for the city. However, it'll be interesting seeing what happens to Procurador Ordoñez's authority, and whether the 100s of other officials ousted by Ordoñez will now sue to return to office.

Supporters of Bogotá Mayor Gustavo Petro held yet another demonstration today on Plaza Bolivar in support of the beleagured Petro.

Union demonstrators in today's pro-Petro protest.

But Petro's hopes appear to be running out. Procurador Ordoñez has rejected Petro's appeals, and hundreds of nearly identical tutetals don't appear likely to keep Petro in office. The Inter-American Human Rights Commission is to rule on whether Petro's rights were violated, but nobody knows when that ruling will be issued, or whether Colombia will obey it.

As disproportionate and unreasonable as the procurador's ouster of Petro for mishandling the city's garbage collection certainly seems, it is also true that Petro accepted the rules when he became mayor, and that Petro voted for Ordoñez back when Petro was in the Senate.

On Feb. 8, Pres. Santos can appoint a temporary mayor who'll hold office until elections are held. And it would be nice for the city to try to move forward again.

A stand of 'indignant activists.'

'Petro against corruption.'

'Petro stays.'

Protesters allege that the procurador's penalties have been unfair to Petro.

The Pro-Petro camp on Plaza Bolivar surrounds the statue of Simon Bolivar.

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

Who Are Los Encapuchados?

Encapuchados in violent action yesterday.
(Photo: El Tiempo)

The encapuchados, literally the 'hooded ones,' appear in many Colombian protests - and turn them violent. Many blame them for turning yesterday's protest in support of campesino farmers from a peaceful march down Ave. Septima into an orgy of violence which left two people dead, a policeman gravely wounded and hundreds injured, according to authorities. In addition, many central Bogotá business were sacked and vandalized.

A woman defends police from hooded attackers
 during yesterday's riots. (Photo: El Tiempo)

I've seen the encapuchados in action several times in the National University: both carrying out guerrilla-style rallies on La Plaza del Che, where they line up in ranks, toss smoke bombs and yell communist slogans, and also throwing rocks and 'papa bombas' (potato bombs) at riot police at the university's gates.

Encapuchados set off rockets in a field in the
National University in Bogotá.

Yesterday, encapuchados hurled chairs and other things they'd looted from stores at the riot police. El Tiempo published dramatic photos of a unarmed, unprotected woman trying to shield the police by standing with upraised arms between them and the rioters. But the masked young men pulled her away to continue pummeling the police. In another incident, on Plaza Bolivar, protesters actually surrounded the police to protect them from violent encapuchados. To the encapuchados, the police represent authority and the establishment. But they are also young men and women of humble origin, many of whom were drafted into the police force or because they had few alternatives. Attacking them is little different from attacking other humble people - exactly the sort of working class folks whom the protesters are supposed to be defending.

If, as many suspect, the encapuchados are acting at the behest of Colombia's guerrillas, then their hypocrisy is even clearer.

Encapuchados lined up on La Plaza del Che
in the National University.

If the encapuchados have any ideology besides anger and violence, it doesn't show. If they have any courage when they're not hidden by masks and armed with bombs and wooden planks, it's hard to recognize.

For a protest movement that's supposed to be non-violent, the encapuchados are a cancer, or a time bomb. They turn peaceful protests ugly, turn public sentiment against the demonstrators and give the government justification to militarize Bogotá and employ force against demonstrations - as Pres. Santos vowed to do last night.

It's no surprise that the mainstream of the protesters, who are legitimately concerned about the livelihood of Colombian farmers, have rejected the encapuchados' violence.

Encapuchados, not yet violent, marching down Ave. Septima in Bogotá during a protest. 

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

A Short March to the Left

Marchers demand a Constituent Assembly to rewrite Colombia's Constitution. The FARC guerrillas had briefly made such a demand, but seem to have dropped it. 

Today's supposedly huge marche by students, unions, leftist political parties and others underwhelmed with its numbers. Other marches by the usual spectrum of leftist organizations, such as the Marcha Patriotica, have filled Ave. Septima for hours and paralyzed half of Bogotá. This one barely streched over several blocks. Are leftists losing their fire just when peace negotiations might bring the FARC guerrillas into the democratic structure?

Riot police's top priority: Protect the long-suffering McDonald's restaurant.

'Los Emputados.' Apparently, these folks consider themselves Colombia's 'Indignados.'

The M-19 Guerrillas - or their stand-ins - made a brief appearance. 

The Personeria, a local government office supposed to defend individual rights, has suffered colorful indignities from many previous protests. I didn't see any paint flying today. 

Police line near the Palacio de Justicia waiting for protest marchers. 

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

May Day Mayhem

Union banners hang on the front of Congress on Plaza Bolivar. 

May 1 is traditionally the day for huge leftist protests, and today was no exception. The protesters marched down Ave. Septima to Plaza Bolivar, spray painting and paint bombing all the way. Later, the situation devolved into violence, complete with tear gas bombs from the big, black anti-riot tanks.

I saw lots of communist flags and Che Guevara portraits. Perhaps communism was a beautiful dream before Stalin, Cuba and North Korea showed a different reality. And, good or bad, Colombia is not likely to turn communist, particularly because of a loud march.

If only these spirited young people would find a concrete way to immprove their world, instead of grasping for dream that's never going to happen.

On May Day, we also witnessed extremist 'urban tribes' battling in the Teusaquillo neighborhood.

Robocops watch the protesters pass San Francisco Church. 

Capitalism at work: A man works the crowd to sell Voz, the communist newspaper. 

Look closely: these robocops are women. 

And so is this one. 

An anti-riot tank ready for battle, with tear gas and water cannons ready. 

The CUT: Central Unitaria de Trabajadores. 

After the protesters passed, a communist flag hangs on Seventh Ave. 

Costumed protesters walked toward downtown. 

Even the police horses wore armor. 

'A beautiful woman is one who wears a hood.'

Written on Plaza Bolivar: 'Obama is not my boss.'

Primero de Mayo, on the Avianca building. 

After the demonstrators passed by, McDonald's looked more colorful....

....and so did the police shields. 

Police motorcycles race thru La Candelaria.

In the afternoon, a man sweeps paper off of the newly-paint bombed steps of the cathedral on Plaza Bolivar. 

A man sits on Plaza Bolivar with a Guy Fawkes mask. 

After the protest, this peace activist was back on his spot in Plaza Bolivar. 

To wrap up the day, a Cuban-Colombian after party. 

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

The Polemical 'Patriotic March'

'No to Mining Exploitation in Colombia.'

Scenes from today's 'Marcha Patriotica for the Second and Definitive Independence.'

The march was controversial because of suggestions that it had been backed, and perhaps even organized, by the FARC guerrillas. The military reported finding messages in a captured guerrilla computer calling for such a protest rally on around this date - altho march organizers rejected any suggestion of guerrilla relations.

It's not unusual for far-left groups' demands to coincide with the guerrillas', and even for these groups to sympathize with the guerrillas, as a look at the graffiti on the National University's campus will show.

But, guerrilla connection or not, it's a good thing to let these marches happen. The participants are undoubtedly sincere, and many of their calls for social justice, environmental protections and minority rights are certainly justified. Prohibiting such a march would only give the guerrillas ammunition to the guerrillas' attacks on the government as 'fascist' and 'oppresive' - even tho criticizing the FARC in guerrilla-controlled territory would be very dangerous to your health.

Police's top priority: Save McDonald's!

Some of the protesters asked us not to show their
 faces, so I've covered up some features. But I believe that their fears are exaggerated. It is true that social activism can be dangerous in Colombia. However, I doubt anybody would suffer reprisals just for participating in a mass march. And, if someone with bad intent did want to identify protesters, it'd be easy enough to film them unseen with a high-powered camera from inside a neighboring building.

Like most leftist demonstrations here, this one included a real grab-bag of organizations: unions, indigenous groups, communists and anti-globalization/anti-capitalism activists.

Che Guevara's a must in any leftist event. 

The protest march was big, but peaceful. 

Does this man's colorful headware contain a political message?

Police motorcycles lined up for action. 

 

Afterwards, a packed and soggy Ave. Septima. 

After the march, indigenous women walk down Seventh Ave. 

Cleaning up afterwards in the National Park, the march's staging area. 

A local government building on Seventh Ave., still covered with paint ball marks from last year's student protests. 

Here's how Che Guevara looked today, Monday, on the National University's central plaza. 

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours