15 Nov 2019 | 07:56 AM UTC
Uruguay: Solidarity rallies planned in Montevideo November 15
Demonstrations in support of peace in Colombia are expected to be held in Montevideo on November 15; heightened police presence and localized traffic disruptions anticipated
Event
Solidarity rallies are being organized in Montevideo on Friday, November 15, to call for peace in Colombia between the government and ex-FARC members. Supporters are being asked to gather at Edificio Mercosur at 16:00 (local time). An associated event will begin at 18:00 at the nearby Plaza Republica Española.
A heightened police presence and localized traffic disruptions are possible around all rally sites.
Context
Associated rallies are being organized under the banner “Defense of Peace and Life in Colombia” on November 15 in several countries, including Ecuador, Costa Rica, US, and Switzerland. The demonstrations are being held to highlight ongoing human rights violations in Colombia and to denounce the government’s breach of the peace agreement. A peace deal between FARC leadership and the Colombian government was ratified by the Colombian congress in November 2016, officially ending an armed conflict that killed more than 260,000 people over five decades. However, some dissident ex-FARC militants remain active, notably in the Colombian-Ecuadorian border region.
Advice
Individuals in Montevideo are advised to avoid all protests and demonstrations as a precaution, anticipate possible traffic disruptions, and obey all instructions issued by the local authorities.
