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Pope defends Colombia's right to peaceful protests

WION Web Team
Vatican City, Holy SeeUpdated: May 23, 2021, 07:57 PM IST
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File photo of Pope Francis Photograph:(Reuters)

Story highlights

Colombia has been observing continuous protests by locals over proposed tax reforms, which were quickly shelved due to the unpopular reaction

As the situation in Colombia is worsening, Pope Francis has urged "serious dialogue" to find a quick solution and has defended the right to peaceful protests.

Colombia needs to conduct "through serious dialogue, (whereby) fair solutions are found to the many problems it faces," Pope said.

He also urged the security forces to let the locals carry peaceful protests and "avoid, for humanitarian reasons, behaviours harmful to the population in the exercise of their right to demonstrate peacefully".

Colombia has been observing continuous protests by locals over proposed tax reforms, which were quickly shelved due to the unpopular reaction.

However, since then, there has been an anti-government sentiment in the country, even though the government has urged locals to stay indoors due to the rising covid infections.

The protests and massive unrest have led to an alarming increase in infections in Colombia in the past few weeks, taking the death toll to more than 80,000.