Photo By: Luisa Gonzalez, REUTERS
To understand what is truly happening in Colombia, one has to understand that the tax reform is a symptom of the problem, maybe even just the spark that lit the fire. The issue plaguing Colombia is fundamentally a social issue. Inequality is pervasive. In every corner of the country, poverty and hunger are present with 42.5% of Colombians living under the national poverty line and 15.1% living below the extreme poverty line according to DANE, the official statistics entity in Colombia. The problem is that this inequality is structural, it is embedded in the system, it is the system. In Colombia there is a marked social hierarchy, and the system has a name, estratos, or strata are a way in which people are divided by class and income, ranked from one to six. Six is the highest stratum, the one every person achieves to be. One is the cohort in which people live painfully below the poverty line, suffering to get access to basic goods and necessities. This system has roots in the colonial Casta system imposed by the Spanish when they colonized the country, and although it focuses on class, the legacy of Spanish conquistadors made these social divisions inextricably linked with race. According to a study conducted by the Deferral Research Division and preserved by the Library of Congress, the Chocó region in the Colombian Pacific sees around 90% of its Afro-Colombian population lacking access to basic necessities. Rex Hudson, the editor of “Colombia: A Country Study” said, “The black residents [of Colombia] are extremely vulnerable to armed violence and forced displacement.“ Colombia has suffered great violence between armed dissident groups and the military, often leaving innocent citizens as the victims of the historical conflict. The history of the dispute is complex, and it is arguably one of the main factors that has contributed to Colombia’s economic insecurity and social unrest. Hudson came to the conclusion that out of the total displaced people as a result of the Conflict, 1/4 of them are of indigenous or African descent. He supports these shocking statistics by continuing to say that “In 2003 alone, more than 40,000 Afro-Colombians and 2,800 members of indigenous groups became displaced.”
Needless to say, Colombia is divided. Colombia is divided by class, by race, by violence, and policy, and the upheaval we are seeing today is a mere repercussion and tangible representation of the tensions that millions of Colombians have felt for decades. The social strata became a part of governmental policy in 1994 under the idea that the social divisions were “a technical tool for categorizing the population…mainly for the purpose of charging for public services.” This measurement tool was based on charging people public service costs according to their living condition and especially their place of residence. The first three strata make up the largest portion of the population, with 89% of Colombians. Stratum four makes up 6.5% of the population while stratum six houses 1.5% of the population. The main difference and justification behind this stratum system is that people in higher strata have to pay higher amounts of taxes for public services. People in strata five and six are expected to make additional payments to the basic public services fees in order to subsidize those in strata one, two, and three. The only strata that pays exactly their respective amount is strata four, which receives no subsidies or exemptions as those in the lower strata, but also do not have to pay additional costs like those in strata five and six.
However, the collateral implications of dividing society into cohorts has left people fearful and skeptical of social mobility, leaving Colombia in a stagnant and stigmatized status quo. Aside from dividing ethnicities and races into social classes, this social stratification system has also caused highly segregated communities and regions in the country. Bogotá, the Colombian capital, is a prime example of the physical divisions that the stratification system unknowingly introduced. There is a running jest amongst Bogotanos based on the difference between North and South Bogotá, even highlighting the different accents and linguistic patterns between the two factions. Media sensation Juan Pis González, for example, has taken to YouTube and amassed a significant following based on his videos mocking rich Bogotanos called gomelos, highlighting the significant divide between social classes. South Bogotá is known for its poverty and reigning informal economy while North Bogotá is reserved for the rich and posh. There is a name for this division, and it is called socio-spatial segregation. In an article titled “Commonsense practice or state sponsored caste system?” The author, Steven Bunce, highlights the dangers of these divisions concluding that the stratum system “molded citizens’ perceptions of social mobility and created conditions in which hierarchy is perceived as ‘inherited’ and perpetuate[s] a reality in which economic stratification acts as a barometer for social representation.” With this in mind, it is clear to see that the social divisions proposed and enacted by the state have rooted themselves not only in dividing people by income to gauge how much an individual should pay for public services, but it has also become inextricably linked to race and location. From the moment this system acquired this chokehold on society, it ceased to be just a system and began being a suffocating normalcy that dictated the dreams and aspirations individuals could have. Consuelo Mallarino, a vice-principal at the Javeriana university has dedicated her life to understanding and debunking social divisions in Colombia. She questions whether a public policy is truly needed to make concrete the social divisions that are already so apparent, but she also recognizes that the policy has led to a more efficient way of understanding the income of certain people and measuring the economic contributions they have to make accordingly. Understanding these divisions and their racial, economic, social, and demographic implications is only the first step to understanding the current political climate in Colombia.
The protests permeating the media started on April 28th as a response to a tax reform proposed by President Iván Duque. The reform would raise the taxpayer threshold and expanded the number of people that had to pay those taxes. The controversy arose when critics of the reform stated that the proposal favored the rich and placed further economic hardship upon those that were already suffering from poverty. Colombia has suffered greatly with the pandemic. Not only are the COVID-19 cases rising, but vaccination rates are low and political polarization in the country seems to seep into every issue. It has become impossible to speak on an issue without it having subliminal political connotations. Nevertheless, the reform was an attempt to stimulate the country’s economy and stabilize the political situation. President Iván Duque said, "The reform is not a whim. It's a necessity to keep the social programs going," It is easy to understand why people were angered by the reform proposal. Many have been suffering greatly with the onset of the pandemic. Hundreds of people have lost their jobs, medical bills have been piling up, and additional taxes are the last thing people from the lower strata need. It is also important to note the other side of the coin, as Duque continues his attempt at stabilizing Colombia. The protests began as a sign of raw and genuine exhaustion from those who could not afford to pay more taxes. The goal was a peaceful demonstration that would open the government’s eyes to people's suffering. Nevertheless, the situation escalated and grew exponentially more complex.
In 2016, former president Juan Manuel Santos signed a peace agreement with the FARC guerrilla group which had been terrorizing Colombia for more than fifty years. Although full of nuances and complexities, one of the most controversial aspects of the peace agreement was the reintroduction of guerrilla members into Colombian society with no jail time or financial repercussions. As a result of this agreement, guerrilla extremists have slowly been asserting their power in the government. They have been elected through cunning rhetoric and their appeal to the poor of Colombia. They have sold a story of equality and fraternity that represented heaven on earth for those who struggled to put food on their tables. Nevertheless, what many hypnotized Colombians do not know given their limited access to quality education, was that this rhetoric is financed by communist ideals coming straight from Cuba and Venezuela. Gustavo Petro, one of the main leaders of the leftist movements that have based their campaigns on empty promises, was a former M-19 member who was trained in Cuba. M-19 is a guerrilla group that was dissolved under the 1990 peace accords, and such is the influence that these groups now have on Colombia that Petro served as mayor in Bogotá and is now one of the main presidential candidate contenders. Petro is the representative of the strongest leftist party in Colombia: Colombia Humana. What many don’t realize was that the peaceful protests were radicalized by infiltrated agents from FARC dissident groups. These dissident guerrilla groups are funded by radical-left nations like Venezuela to destabilize the country. In doing so, they will most likely guarantee a victory for Petro in the upcoming elections, and the ideologies that led Cuba and Venezuela to their current position would then lead Colombia as well. This in turn would lead to the strength of ideologies such as Maduro’s in Venezuela, the Kirchner’s in Argentina, and that of the Communist Party of Cuba. Furthermore, President Iván Duque has blamed drug trafficking mafias for taking advantage of the chaos and adding fire to the flame. Duque said, “The vandal threat we are facing consists of a criminal organization that is hiding behind legitimate social aspirations to destabilize the society, generate terror, and distract the actions of the public force.” The violence seen in the apocalyptic pictures published by the media is not a representation of Colombia or Colombian people. Rather, they are a representation of those who want to destabilize Colombia and create chaos for personal or ideological gain. Currently, there is a movement named “Los Buenos Somos Mas,” translated to “there are more good people than bad.” This movement started as a response to the growing violence in the country and the fear that Colombians will be labeled as vandals or rioters just because a select group of rebels are looking to destabilize the country. Colombia has been plagued by stigma for decades, mainly because of its significant role in the drug trafficking world. Many fear that because the global media has decided to zoom in on the violent parts of the protests, the peaceful parts will be overshadowed, and the true goal of the protests --to advocate for quality public services and general social equality-- will be buried under the images of fiery protests. The people of Colombia are unfortunately lacking many things. The majority of the population lacks access to trustworthy healthcare, quality education, and a stable living environment, and the growing discontent has exploded through these protests. It is always extremely important to consider why people are protesting, what they are missing, rather than only focusing on the parts of the protests that make for a good, dramatic story.
Nevertheless, it is unreasonable to ignore the violence. Cities like Cali have been forced to ramp up their security because of the convoluted situation evolving in the region. The matter is further contorted by the fact that the death toll is rising and there have been acts of police brutality that have angered the nation greatly. At least 25 people have been killed and more than 800 have been injured. One Police Commando Post was set alight by protestors while 15 police officers were still inside. Fortunately, they all escaped alive. Also, one of the first casualties of the protests was a police officer who was knifed to death. On the other hand, police officers have resorted to tear gas and batons to calm agitated masses, and there are civilian accounts of “hooded police and military firing semi-automatic weapons and rifles." Violence has become concentrated in Cali, Medellín, and Bogotá, while other cities like Cartagena saw an initial onset of violent protests followed by peaceful demonstrations. Although Duque has withdrawn the reform, the protests continue. As is common with anger, it builds, and builds, and builds, and the implementation of anti-riot policemen armed with tear gas and batons led to a shift in the purpose of the protests. Initially, it was against a reform, and now it is against oppression, division, and segregation, which in this case are symbolized by the police. People are out in the streets asking for improvements in the pension, health, and education systems which are largely dictated by social stratum. In this way, discontent catalyzed by a reform transcended to a critique of the social situation in Colombia-- the true foundation of inequality. Colombia is a country with weak institutions, and the repercussion is high-scale corruption that diverts funds from reaching their necessary place. It is a culture of self-interest and personal gain that has led corrupt leaders to infiltrate institutions thus weakening any semblance of bureaucracy. Since this inadequate allocation of funds prevents public projects from receiving the money they need to operate effectively, social inequality is exacerbated, people steep into graver poverty, and protests such as these are bound to erupt.
It is difficult to predict what the coming weeks will look like for Colombia. The protests are set to continue, and Colombians brace with hope that the violence stops. At the end of the day, the protests represent a noble goal of reaching equality and disintegrating the social segregation that is so deeply embedded in the country’s structure. Nevertheless, events such as these are always multi-faceted, and it is important to educate oneself and understand where it all originated, where things are right now, and using those conclusions to formulate accurate hypotheses of what the future will bring. Colombia is a country of hospitable people, lively culture, and a vibrancy that is unmatched by any other nation, and there is hope in every Colombian heart that the ultimate goal of peace will eventually be achieved.
Written By: Carolina Mejia Rodriguez
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