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Presidency of Iván Duque

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Iván Duque
Presidency of Iván Duque
7 August 2018 – 7 August 2022
CabinetFull list
PartyDemocratic Center
Election2018
SeatCasa de Nariño

Seal of the President
Official website

Iván Duque's term as the 33rd president of Colombia began with his inauguration on August 7, 2018, and ended on August 7, 2022. Duque a right-wing leader from Bogotá, D.C., took office after a narrow victory over the incumbent left-wing leader of Human Colombia. Gustavo Petro in the 2018 presidential election. Duque was succeeded by leftist leader Gustavo Petro, who won the 2022 presidential election.

Domestic policy

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Legislature

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The beginning of the legislative agenda of the government of Iván Duque was characterized by various crises and clashes with the legislative and judicial branches. One of the first actions of his government was to object to the law that created the Special Jurisdiction for Peace as he had agreed in the Peace Agreements with the FARC-EP. Duque's objections were rejected when he received 110 negative votes in the House of Representatives and 40 votes against in the Senate, a decision that was ratified by the Constitutional Court. 7 Another of the great reforms that he tried to promote in the first place was the reform tax that sought to collect the vision of the "orange economy" proposed in the campaign. Said tax reform law was called the "financing law.".[1]

The financing law promoted by the national government was declared unenforceable by the Constitutional Court, which led to the processing and approval of a new reform. In order not to affect the country's finances, the Court pronounced the effects of the Law until 1 January 2020.[2] Likewise, the Constitutional Court is studying a claim of unconstitutionality against the current National Development Plan.[3]

At the end of 2019, the Government of Duque managed to pass several laws, such as the new tax reform approved in the early hours of 20 December, or the 2013 Law that requires government officials to publish their declaration of assets and income, to register possible conflicts of interest and the declaration of income tax and complementary.[4]

Environment

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In environmental matters, the Government issued a series of measures that would allow studying the possibility of applying hydraulic fracturing in the country; To this end, a commission of experts on the subject was formed, which determined the need to carry out pilot tests, in order to analyze the impact of this technique in context. All this, despite the fact that in a campaign event held in Bucaramanga, on 11 April 2018,[5] Iván Duque had stated that: "here we have an overlapping of complex and diverse ecosystems, underground aquifers of enormous wealth and risks of greater seismicity due to the type of soil, which is why I have said that fracking will not be carried out in Colombia".[citation needed]

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Council of State suspended the rules that regulate fracking[6] Even so, the pilot tests to implement this technique in the country remained firm. Until April 2021, two of these pilots had been approved, which were assigned to the companies Ecopetrol and ExxonMobil.[7]

In agricultural matters, a resolution of the Ministry of Agriculture at the end of 2019 that decreed the fishing quotas for the following year caused great controversy, since it was believed that it would allow finning, consisting of cutting the fins of sharks to market them. The Government clarified that these quotas have been established since at least 2010, and that finning is prohibited in the country; however, various analysts question the capacity of the State to enforce regulations on said practice.[8]

Infrastructure

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After more than 100 years of planning, and 11 of construction, Duque inaugurated the Tunel de la Línea, the longest tunnel in Latin America, and the most anticipated and important work in the country.15161718 The work suffered many delays throughout a century of works, and after several corruption scandals surrounding its construction.

Human rights

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See also: Human rights in Colombia

In terms of human rights, on 6 November 2019, a motion of censure was carried out in the Congress of the Republic against Defense Minister Guillermo Botero, the fifth motion of censure presented against a government minister in less than one year.

In this same context, the government was accused of having hidden the death of seven minors in Caquetá during a bombardment, who were later reported as guerrillas killed in combat. These accusations were again the subject of debate in Congress after a New York Times investigation reported on new guidelines from high command of the Armed Forces. that could allow the reappearance of the execution of civilians by the military.[9][10]

The magazine Semana would report on a silence operation within the army orchestrated by the high command to identify and punish the military who had denounced human rights abuses.[11] In an event in which the President was present in the city of Barranquilla, a journalist asked the president about the death of minors in a bombing in Caquetá, to which the president replied, without it being clear if he had managed to hear the journalist: "What are you talking about, old man?",[12] opening controversy again in social networks. The journalist in question then reported having been beaten by the president's bodyguards.[13]

Institutional crisis

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2019 protests

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Banner in protest against the president of Colombia Iván Duque Márquez, during the 2019 Protests in Colombia.

As a result of all these scandals, Defense Minister Guillermo Botero resigned before his imminent expulsion from the cabinet that was coming with the vote of the motion of censure,[14] generating an institutional crisis.[15] It was in this atmosphere of political tension that the Government of Duque received a new blow, when on 5 October the Central Unitaria de Trabajadores de Colombia announced a national strike for 21 November.[16]

The reason for the strike was expressed through a statement, in which, according to the union leaders, the Government looking for:[17][18][19]

Additionally, the organizers of the strike called for the march to protest the creation of an international financial holding company, which according to the organizers of the strike would be issued "in order to privatize the public financial sector."[citation needed]

The government reacted to the announcement of the strike by increasing security measures, through the deployment of the National Army and National Police in the main cities, but expressing its support for the free exercise of constitutional right and for peaceful protest, without disturbances. Likewise, the Government denied that it was interested in making pension or labor reforms that went against the middle and popular classes of the country, and declared that the announcements about such intentions were false news.[citation needed]

On 21 November, the National Strike was held, which had a massive call throughout the country, [citation needed] seeing the commerce and traffic of some sectors in certain cities paralyzed. Cities like Bogotá or Medellín had military contingents arranged at strategic points to protect the transportation and service infrastructure. The day passed normally in the country, except in Bogotá and Cali, where there were serious disturbances. In Cali, the mayor decreed a curfew, and the city was taken over by the Army's Third Brigade, due to the report of alleged bands of looters, and the sound of shots and explosions.[citation needed]

Later, on 22 November, a curfew was decreed in Bogotá. Critics of the government accused these measures of putting the country under a state of siege. The curfew imposed in Bogotá was the first curfew decreed by a government since 1977. As a result of the national strike, the approval of the Duque government fell to 26%.[citation needed]

2020 protests

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After the Christmas and New Year holidays, meetings were held between the national government and the union, student and social organizations promoting the National Strike, without results, in a failed attempt at dialogue, riots began on the outskirts of the National University of Colombia on Avenida NQS in Bogotá, and the mayoress Claudia López sends the ESMAD to suppress the demonstrations.[20][21] The National Strike Committee calls for a new cacerolazo and day of national strike.[22] In the morning hours, in the main cities There were several blockades in the streets and thousands of people again expressed their discontent against the government of Iván Duque, there were some clashes with the ESMAD and the public force, in turn, abuses by the authorities were denounced on social networks. In Bogotá, Mayor Claudia López highlights the new protocol for the protests, declaring that “there were no deaths to lament.”[23][24][25]

Protests in Bogota.

Later in February of that same year, marches of university teachers and students were held, most of them proceeded normally, except for a disturbance that occurred in the vicinity of the Francisco José de Caldas District University.[26][27]

On September 9 and 10, in various sectors of Bogotá, there was an uprising against police violence following the murder of Javier Ordóñez.[28] Demonstrations against police violence and for economic solutions during the pandemic took place the following days and the deaths of another 12 people were recorded.[29]

On October 10, an indigenous minga traveled the route between Cauca and Bogotá, where it arrived on October 18. At the call of the union centrals, a National Strike was held on October 21 and a large demonstration was held in the capital of the Republic, with the participation of the Minga.[30] The following day the Misak indigenous people occupied the Eldorado International Airport for 7 hours .[31]

2021 protests

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Promotional posters for the 2021 strike, Medellín.

The breaches by the Duque government of the agreements reached during the 2019-2020 protests in Colombia, added to the COVID-19 pandemic and the state's mismanagement of the pandemic, the 2021 Tax Reform,[32][33] the Reform to Health of 2020, impunity in crimes against social leaders,[34] and the lack of job and academic opportunities for the general population, as well as unfortunate and out of context comments by the Minister of Finance, Alberto Carrasquilla, led to new mobilizations at the end of the April 2021.[35]

However, the government responded with repression to the demonstrations and curfews have been decreed in different sectors of the country.[36] In addition, and given the escalation of violence, the government finally withdrew the Tax Reform project on 2 May 2021,[37] and on Monday, 3 May, the Minister of Finance and his deputy minister announced their resignation.[38]

The mismanagement of the protests has resulted in human rights violations,[39] contempt of the authorities, abuse of the authorities, looting, burning and vandalizing buildings,[40] shopping malls, military units; vandalization of monuments,[41][42] the use of weapons prohibited by IHL, direct confrontations between protesters and public forces that leave an enormous balance of injuries and few deaths, among many other problems.

There have also been roadblocks,[43] food shortages, and attacks on the Colombian press.[44]

To date, large mobilizations continue to be registered throughout Colombia.

Foreign policy

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Venezuela

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See also: Colombia–Venezuela relations

From his campaign, Duque affirmed in a meeting with the Vice President of the United States, Mike Pence, that in Venezuela "democracy must be restored"[45][46] In the same way, on 5 July 2018, he traveled to the border with Venezuela, to meet with María Corina Machado, a Venezuelan opposition leader, in order to "strengthen ties" with the Venezuelan opposition.[47][48] In August of that year, he described the government of Nicolás Maduro as a dictatorship, and affirms the need to holding free elections in that country, he also indicated that "if the" dictatorship "does not end, migration does not stop".[49]

References

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  1. ^ ""Ni derrota ni desgaste": Duque en modo negación tras hundimiento de objeciones a la JEP". 31 May 2019.
  2. ^ "Corte Constitucional tumba Ley de Financiamiento del Gobierno Duque". Portafolio.co. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  3. ^ Espectador, El (15 April 2020). "ELESPECTADOR.COM". ELESPECTADOR.COM. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  4. ^ "A declarar: Duque sanciona ley que obliga a los funcionarios a publicar sus bienes y rentas". 31 December 2019.
  5. ^ "Iván Duque dice que en su gobierno no habrá fracking – propuestas de los candidatos". YouTube. 11 April 2018.
  6. ^ "Consejo de Estado Suspende Normas Que Regulan El Fracking" (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 April 2021.
  7. ^ "La ANH aprobó piloto de fracking de ExxonMobil, el segundo avalado en Colombia". Semana.com (in Spanish). 30 March 2021. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
  8. ^ "Sobre cuota de pesca de tiburones, Gobierno dio explicaciones ciertas pero insuficientes". ColombiaCheck (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 April 2021.
  9. ^ Espectador, El (15 April 2020). "ELESPECTADOR.COM". ELESPECTADOR.COM. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  10. ^ "Las órdenes de letalidad del ejército colombiano ponen en riesgo a los civiles, según oficiales". The New York Times. 18 May 2019.
  11. ^ "Operación silencio: Corrupción en el Ejército". 23 June 2019.
  12. ^ "¿De qué me hablas, viejo?: Duque a periodista que le preguntó por bombardeo en el que murieron niños". www.lafm.com.co (in Spanish). 7 November 2017. Retrieved 10 January 2020.
  13. ^ "Un escolta de Duque me golpeó en el riñón: periodista sobre ¿De qué me hablas, viejo?". 7 November 2019.
  14. ^ "Renuncia ministro de Defensa Guillermo Botero". 6 November 2019.
  15. ^ Espectador, El (15 April 2020). "ELESPECTADOR.COM". ELESPECTADOR.COM. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  16. ^ "Movilizaciones y paro por 24 horas anuncian centrales obreras y estudiantes". 9 November 2018.
  17. ^ "La CUT convoca paro nacional el 21 de noviembre". www.elpais.com.co. 5 October 2019. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  18. ^ "Central Unitaria de Trabajo convoca a paro nacional el 21 de noviembre". El Nuevo Siglo (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  19. ^ "Declaración del Encuentro nacional de emergencia del movimiento social y sindical – 4 de octubre" (in Spanish). 10 October 2019. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  20. ^ Tras intervención del Esmad se desbloquea la NQS en Bogotá. Publicado el 16 de enero de 2020. Consultado el 21 de enero de 2020.
  21. ^ "Empiezan bloqueos en la Universidad Nacional con quema de llantas". publimetro.co. 16 January 2020. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  22. ^ "¿Por qué se realizará el paro nacional del 21E?". kienyKe.com. 18 January 2020. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
  23. ^ En blanco y negro: lo que hay sobre el cacerolazo del 21 de enero. Publicado el 14 de enero de 2020. Consultado el 21 de enero de 2020.
  24. ^ "Blu Radio señal en vivo | Noticias de Colombia y el Mundo". bluradio.com. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  25. ^ "Prepárese porque vuelven las marchas: anuncian paro nacional para este 21 de enero". pulzo.com. 14 January 2020. Retrieved 14 January 2020.
  26. ^ Espectador, El (21 February 2020). "ELESPECTADOR.COM". ELESPECTADOR.COM. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  27. ^ "Fecode convoca a paro nacional el 20 y 21 de febrero". eltiempo.com. 2 October 2020. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  28. ^ "Noche de furia en Bogotá: por qué cientos de personas salieron a quemar las estaciones de policía". ifobae.com. 10 September 2020. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  29. ^ "[En Imágenes] La lucha continúa: movilización nacional del 21S - Colombia Informa Movimientos Sociales". colombiaiforma.ifo. 22 September 2020. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
  30. ^ "De forma pacífica, finaliza el paro nacional en Bogotá". eltiempo.com. 21 October 2020. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  31. ^ "Indígenas Misak se toman aeropuerto El Dorado para protestar". bluradio.com. 22 October 2020. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  32. ^ "Economía - Así es la reforma tributaria propuesta por el Gobierno de Colombia". France 24. 16 April 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  33. ^ "Iván Duque propone una subida de impuestos para cubrir el hueco fiscal de la pandemia en Colombia". EL PAÍS (in Spanish). 15 April 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  34. ^ "Con más de 60 masacres en Colombia en 2020, Bachelet pide al Gobierno que proteja a la población de la violencia". Noticias ONU (in Spanish). 15 December 2020. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  35. ^ "3 factores para entender las protestas en Colombia y la indignación contra la reforma tributaria". BBC News Mundo (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  36. ^ "Toque de queda en Bogotá, Cali y Medellín hoy 29 de abril: ¿A qué hora empieza y qué se puede hacer? Revise todas las restricciones". MARCA Claro Colombia (in Spanish). 28 April 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  37. ^ "Paro Nacional, 2 de mayo: Iván Duque retira la Reforma Tributaria". AS Colombia (in Spanish). 3 May 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  38. ^ "Ministro de Hacienda renuncia tras fracaso de la tributaria". www.elcolombiano.com (in Spanish). 3 May 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  39. ^ "Colombia: varias ONG denuncian al menos 7 muertos en Cali y violaciones de DD. HH. en las protestas". France 24. 2 May 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  40. ^ "Paro Nacional: denuncian saqueos en un almacén del Éxito en Cali". Semana.com (in Spanish). 28 April 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  41. ^ "Indígenas colombianos derriban por segunda ocasión una estatua de Sebastián de Belalcázar". EL PAÍS (in Spanish). 28 April 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  42. ^ "Video | Tumban estatua del expresidente Misael Pastrana Borrero en Neiva". infobae (in Spanish). 29 April 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  43. ^ "Paro nacional en Pasto: bloqueos en vía Panamericana y protestas". El Tiempo (in Spanish). 28 April 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  44. ^ "Paro Nacional | Vándalos atacaron instalaciones de SEMANA y RCN Televisión". Semana.com (in Spanish). 29 April 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  45. ^ "Pence y Duque se comprometen a restaurar la democracia en Venezuela". El Nacional (in Spanish). 22 June 2018. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
  46. ^ "Mike Pence conversó con Iván Duque sobre la necesidad de "restaurar la democracia en Venezuela" - Caraota Digital". Caraota Digital. 22 June 2018. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
  47. ^ "María Corina Machado e Iván Duque se reunieron en la frontera". El Nacional. 5 June 2018. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
  48. ^ "María Corina Machado e Iván Duque se reunieron en la frontera". Diario la Nación. 5 June 2018. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
  49. ^ ""Si la dictadura de Venezuela no termina, la migración no se detiene"". El Nacional. 24 August 2018. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
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