Colombia’s Social Reform Protests: A Nation in Crisis

Introduction

Colombia is experiencing unprecedented political turmoil as massive protests sweep the nation in support of President Gustavo Petro’s embattled social reform agenda.

FAF review shows concern over the situation escalating dramatically in recent weeks, with nationwide strikes, violent attacks, and a constitutional crisis that threatens the country’s democratic institutions.

The Reform Movement and Congressional Deadlock

Since taking office in 2022, President Gustavo Petro has been locked in a bitter struggle with Congress over his flagship labor and healthcare reforms.

The leftist president’s ambitious agenda aims to transform Colombia’s social and economic landscape, but lawmakers who view his proposals as economically damaging have faced fierce resistance.

The conflict reached a critical juncture in May 2025 when the Senate narrowly rejected Petro’s 12-question referendum on labor reform by a 49-47 vote.

The proposed reforms include establishing an eight-hour workday, increasing Sunday and holiday pay from 75% to 100%, and mandating social security contributions for delivery app workers.

Following this legislative defeat, Petro accused lawmakers of “betraying the Colombian people out of greed” and vowed to bypass Congress entirely.

On June 11, 2025, he signed a controversial presidential decree calling for a national referendum on the labor reforms despite the Senate’s explicit rejection.

Nationwide Strike Actions

The political standoff has sparked massive labor mobilizations across Colombia. The Central Unitaria de Trabajadores (CUT), the nation’s largest labor federation, organized a 48-hour national strike on May 28-29, 2025, with follow-up protests scheduled for June 11.

Scale and Impact of Protests

The strikes have disrupted daily life across major Colombian cities, including:

Bogotá (capital)

Medellín

Cali

Cartagena

Barranquilla

Neiva

Villavicencio

Government employees were granted a “Civic Day” holiday to increase turnout at pro-reform rallies, though several prominent city mayors refused to endorse the measure. 

Thousands gathered at Plaza de Bolívar in Bogotá, where Petro delivered fiery speeches condemning congressional opposition to his reforms.

Government Support for Protests

Interior Minister Armando Benedetti confirmed the government’s backing for civil society demonstrations, stating that the administration would support any protests organized to demand the referendum. 

Petro has made increasingly confrontational statements, warning that “if they remove me for doing so, a revolution will erupt in Colombia.”

Constitutional Crisis and Legal Challenges

Petro’s decision to bypass Congress through a presidential decree has triggered what many observers describe as Colombia’s most serious constitutional crisis in decades. 

Opposition lawmakers and legal experts have denounced the move as an assault on democratic institutions and the separation of powers.

The Referendum Controversy

The proposed referendum would require each measure to be approved by at least 13.5 million voters (one-third of the electoral roll) to be valid.

However, Colombia’s Constitutional Court had previously ruled that no legal precedent allows the president to call a referendum without Senate approval.

In anticipation of court challenges, Petro announced that his government would submit the decree to the Constitutional Court for review. 

The Council of State is also deliberating a lawsuit to nullify the Senate’s referendum rejection.

Opposition Response

Eight opposition parties have condemned Petro’s decree as a “coup” and an unconstitutional power grab.

Senator Miguel Uribe of the Centro Democrático party stated: “This is not just political posturing — it is a grave assault on the Republic.

Petro has clarified that if institutions do not serve his agenda, he will seek to destroy them”.

Escalating Violence and Security Crisis

The political tensions have been dramatically compounded by a surge in violence that has shaken Colombia to its core. The country is grappling with what many fear could be a return to the deadly political violence of the 1980s and 1990s.

Assassination Attempt on Opposition Leader

On June 7, 2025, Senator Miguel Uribe Turbay, a conservative presidential candidate for the 2026 elections, was shot twice in the head during a campaign rally in Bogotá. 

The attack was carried out by a 14-year-old hitman who approached Uribe from behind and fired multiple shots at close range.

Uribe, whose mother was murdered by the Medellín Cartel in 1991, remains in critical but stable condition after undergoing emergency neurosurgery.

The attack has stunned Colombians and raised fears about the safety of political candidates ahead of the 2026 elections.

Coordinated Bombing Campaign

Just three days after the assassination attempt, southwestern Colombia was rocked by a coordinated wave of 19 bomb and gun attacks that killed at least seven people and injured dozens more. 

The attacks targeted police stations, municipal buildings, and civilian areas in Cali (Colombia’s third-largest city) and surrounding towns.

Security forces attributed the bombings to the FARC-EMC, a dissident faction of the former Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia that rejected the 2016 peace agreement. 

The attacks used car bombs, motorcycle bombs, rifle fire, and a suspected drone.

Broader Security Deterioration

Colombia has experienced a severe deterioration in security conditions throughout 2025. According to Human Rights Watch, since 2016:

Homicides have increased by 20.9%

Kidnappings have risen by 34.8%

Mass forced displacements have quadrupled

Community confinements have increased tenfold

Colombia now has the highest number of murdered human rights defenders globally. 

The northeastern region of Catatumbo has witnessed what the UN described as “the gravest escalation of violence” since the 2016 FARC peace agreement, with over 80 civilians killed and 80,800 people affected.

Current Status and Future Outlook

Ongoing Protests Despite Violence

Despite the escalating violence, pro-government protests continued on June 11, 2025, with thousands demonstrating in Bogotá, Cali, and other significant cities supporting Petro’s referendum decree. 

In Cali, where the recent bombings occurred, some suggested canceling the demonstrations due to security concerns, but protesters chose to proceed in solidarity with the government.

Congressional Negotiations

While Petro signed his referendum decree, the Senate debated a modified version of the labor reform that incorporates some government proposals but scales back others. 

This congressional version extends night work shifts to begin at 7 p.m. but omits elements like employment contracts for vocational training institute trainees.

Interior Minister Benedetti indicated that the referendum decree could be repealed if Congress passes an acceptable labor reform.

However, Petro has criticized the Senate’s version as inadequate for enhancing workers’ rights.

Legal and Political Uncertainties

The referendum faces multiple legal challenges that could derail Petro’s plans.

Constitutional Court review of the presidential decree

Ongoing lawsuit to nullify the Senate’s rejection

Opposition challenges to the decree’s constitutionality

With Colombia’s legislative session ending June 20, 2025, and the 2026 elections approaching, the crisis has significant implications for the country’s political future.

Petro, constitutionally barred from seeking re-election, appears determined to cement his reform legacy before leaving office in August 2026.

The current situation represents a critical test of Colombia’s democratic institutions as the nation grapples with the most serious political and security crisis in decades.

The outcome will likely shape Colombia’s trajectory for years as the country struggles to balance social reform aspirations with institutional stability and public safety.