Thousands of Colombians marched through Bogotá and other major cities on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, in the first day of a nationwide protest campaign against the right-wing government of President Abelardo de la Espriella. Led by former president Gustavo Petro, trade unionists, Indigenous people, students and feminists chanted "It will fall!" as they filled the streets of the capital and cities including Cali, MedellÃn, Bucaramanga, Pereira and Riohacha.
A national day of protest
The demonstrations were organized by a broad coalition of opposition parties — chiefly the Pacto Histórico — labor federations including the Central Unitaria de Trabajadores (CUT) and the teachers' federation Fecode, student groups, and the Regional Indigenous Council of Cauca (CRIC). In Bogotá, marchers converged on BolÃvar Square despite rainy weather, and Senator Iván Cepeda joined the demonstrations. Observers noted the protests were largely peaceful.
What the marchers fear — and the government's answer
Many demonstrators said they fear the new administration will roll back the social gains of the Petro era — Colombia's first left-wing presidency — including expanded free access to public universities, record minimum wage increases, and stronger labor protections. "I feel like we have no guarantees and that the little we did obtain... we're about to lose," 32-year-old teacher Ester Guerra told AFP in Bogotá. Congress must approve the 2027 fiscal-year budget by Tuesday, and the president's allies are advancing proposals to cut public spending.
The immediate trigger was Decree 1525, signed the day before the marches, which sets rules for how security forces handle demonstrations and lets authorities disperse gatherings in serious disturbances. The president said the measure was needed "to attack urban terrorism disguised as protest," adding that "violence, vandalism, and blockades that trample on the rights of millions of citizens will not be tolerated" — while insisting "the right to protest is respected."
Marchers called the decree an attempt to criminalize dissent. "They're trying to frighten the population so people don't go out to protest, but it's in the Constitution as a right," said 40-year-old teacher Oscar Perez. Human rights groups also raised concerns about a heavy police deployment, including officers positioned on rooftops in Bogotá and Cali.
Foreign policy fuels the anger
The new administration's foreign policy drew sharp criticism. De la Espriella has restored diplomatic relations with Israel, which Petro had severed over the Gaza war, and his government opened a Colombian embassy in Jerusalem on Wednesday — a controversial move given competing Israeli and Palestinian claims to the city. He has also positioned Colombia as a close ally of the United States, pledging free-market policies aligned with Donald Trump.
Several marchers carried Palestinian flags in solidarity, while others burned an American flag in the capital. "The president just wants to hand the country over to the United States, to Israel. I feel dark times are coming," said Jimena Rodriguez, a 20-year-old student.
The takeaway
Two months after taking office in August, De la Espriella — a former defence lawyer and businessman who won a narrow June runoff on a far-right platform — now faces his first organized national challenge. The government insists its protest rules target violence, not dissent; protesters say the decree shows their rights are at risk. With a larger national strike announced for November, Wednesday's marches look like the opening act of a longer confrontation.
Watch: NTN24's on-the-ground report on the October 14 marches in Colombia — street scenes from the demonstrations, coverage of President de la Espriella's protest decree and his statement: "I will not allow roads to be blocked, nor will I allow ambulances to be prevented from passing."
Music in this post's reel: Kevin MacLeod - Hitman (incompetech.com), licensed under CC BY 3.0
Sources: Al Jazeera: Colombia opposition groups launch protest against de la Espriella's cuts · Arab News: Colombians, fearing for rights, march against right-wing govt · teleSUR English: Colombia holds first national strike against de la Espriella · Colombia Reports: Colombia's opposition takes to the street to protest de la Espriella