Colombia's First Major Protest Under De la Espriella: FECODE, a New Decree, and Petro Back on the Pavement

Supporters of former Colombian President Gustavo Petro demonstrate in Bogotá during a protest demanding approval of labor reforms, amid ongoing tensions over workers' rights and government policies. (Credit: Raul Arboleda / AFP via Getty Images)

The Briefing:

• The national teachers' federation FECODE and the union confederation CUT led marches across at least eight Colombian cities , with the main Bogotá assembly beginning at 10:00 a.m. at Parque Nacional before moving toward Plaza de Bolívar.
• FECODE's central demands target the teachers' social benefits system managed through the FOMAG fund, unpaid labor entitlements owed to educators, and broader guarantees for public education.
• Former President Gustavo Petro joined the Bogotá march in person and framed the action as a warm-up toward a broader general strike, anchored around a demand for a living minimum wage for 2027.
• October 14 became the first large protest conducted under De la Espriella's new protest decree , signed on October 9, which sets updated conditions for police intervention in demonstrations.