Colombian President Gustavo Petro mobilized a large-scale march in the capital Bogota on International Workers' Day, urging legislators to approve a national referendum on labor reforms.
Petro mobilized Colombians to march in support of the referendum after his initiatives faced legislative setbacks in Congress. The reforms, central to his administration's social transformation agenda, were recently defeated in the Senate amid strong opposition.
Seizing the symbolic timing of International Workers' Day, Petro reignited efforts to fulfill long-delayed campaign promises.
"(I come to this march to support) the labor reforms, the pension reforms, the health reforms," said Carlos, a citizen.
"The march has been peaceful. People are happy, and their passion is running high," said Rocio Duzant, another citizen.
Petro asked citizens to march all the way to Congress to pressure legislators into approving the national referendum, known in Colombia as a popular consultation. The proposed referendum would ask voters whether they agree or disagree with reforms to Colombia's labor laws.
"Since congress did not approve, the people are the ones who should decide, they should approve, they should be the ones to say yes to these labor reforms, through a popular consultation," said Sandra Jaimes, a Colombian senator.
The labor reforms aim to provide workers with increased access to health benefits and overtime pay.
"(In Colombia,) there are more workers without rights than workers with rights. Many don't get paid health benefits, pension, security. What we are looking for is labor stability, so that those thousands of workers can feel it," said Jaime Dussan, a former Colombian senator.
Colombians rally in capital on Int’l Workers' Day, urging labor reforms
Colombians rally in capital on Int’l Workers' Day, urging labor reforms
Japanese citizens held rallies on Thursday outside the headquarters of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the National Diet building in Tokyo, protesting Japan's weapons export policies.
The ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party, agreed at a meeting on Monday to revise the implementation guidelines of the Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology and lift restrictions that limit defense equipment transfers to five noncombat purposes. And they planned to submit the proposal to the cabinet in February next year.
Demonstrators chanted slogans, calling for a complete ban on arms exports, denouncing the ruling parties, and demanding Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and the cabinet to step down.
"I believe that Japan must never become a 'weapons merchant.' At present, there are already some companies in Japan engaged in weapons-related industries. Not only does the government fail to stop this, it is actually promoting it, attempting to revive the economy in this way. I find this extremely dangerous, and it makes me deeply dissatisfied. I want to make my opposition clear," a protester said.
Another voiced concern over Takaichi's erroneous and provocative remarks on China's Taiwan region.
"Japan has never recognized Taiwan as a country. Under the premise of respecting the Treaty of Peace and Friendship between China and Japan, the Sino-Japanese Joint Statement, and the Potsdam Proclamation, Japan should abide by these documents. But now the Japanese government is ignoring them. Is this a deliberate move, or that Prime Minister Takaichi simply does not understand the contents? This is deeply unsettling. It is totally disrupting the current situation and undermining Japan's position in international relations," said a demonstrator.
A third rally participant said a dangerous shift has been taking place in Japan.
"Recently, some people have started talking about 'possessing nuclear weapons.' In fact, over the past 20 to 30 years, the threshold for such discussions has been gradually lowered. The moral restraints that once hold back these debates, the [right] path Japan should follow, and its commitment to pacifism have been continuously weakened and dismantled. While the situation has worsened sharply due to Prime Minister Takaichi's remarks, this is actually the result of a trend lasting for decades. Both the lawmakers and the public lack sufficient awareness of and reflection on this ongoing trend. I am very concerned about this," another protester said.
Japanese protesters rally against arms exports in Tokyo
