Family members of newborns in the unit at Kennedy Hospital are speaking to their babies via hundreds of video calls organized by staff.

Video calls connect mothers and newborns separated by coronavirus in Colombia

Boisterous mariachi music usually heard at family celebrations and birthday parties has burst out into the open on the empty streets of Colombia's capital, Bogota. Surprised residents often record the serenades on their cell phones and some sing along.

Mariachis delight quarantined Colombians with joyous street music

Colombian unions, student groups and other protesters converged outside the country's Congress on Monday (December 16) against rumoured economic reform plans that critics argue give businesses too many tax breaks.

National strike converges on Colombia's Congress amidst outrage over tax reform

Colombian unions and student groups will hold their second&nbsp;national&nbsp;strike&nbsp;in less than a week&nbsp;on Wednesday in honour of a dead demonstrator and&nbsp;protest rumoured government economic plans, corruption and police violence.

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/thousands-in-colombia-protest-against-policies-of-president-ivan-duque-263769">series of&nbsp;protests</a>&nbsp;began last&nbsp;week&nbsp;with a 250,000-person march and a nationwide&nbsp;strike.

Demonstrators are rallying against economic plans - like a rise in the pension age and a cut to the minimum wage for young people - that <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/colombia-president-ivan-duque-to-meet-protest-leaders-264602">President Ivan Duque</a> denies supporting, as well what they say is a lack of government action to stop corruption and the murder of hundreds of human rights activists.

Marches have attracted thousands of peaceful demonstrators, but Thursday and Friday were also marked by the destruction of mass transit stations, curfews in Cali and Bogota and the deaths of three people in connection with alleged looting.

Saturday's marches took a dark turn when 18-year-old protester Dilan Cruz was fatally injured by a tear gas canister fired by the ESMAD riot police.

Cruz died on Monday and has become a symbol for protesters, who allege the ESMAD are using excessive force in their crowd dispersion efforts.

The&nbsp;National&nbsp;Strike&nbsp;Committee, comprised of major unions and student organizations, is demanding the government dissolve the force and "purify" the police.

Talks between the committee and the government have stalled amid union demands Duque meet with them without the presence of business leaders or other groups.

The committee has also demanded a rejection of the government's tax reform proposal, which includes a cut in business duties.

Duque announced several changes to the proposal this&nbsp;week&nbsp;at the cost of some $930 million - including the return of value-added tax to the poorest 20 per cent&nbsp;of&nbsp;Colombians and lower contributions to healthcare by minimum wage pensioners.

Meanwhile, his promise to hold a social issues-focused&nbsp;national&nbsp;dialogue through March has sparked derision among marchers and opposition politicians, who see it as a tepid response to growing discontent.

Duque's administration has been plagued by problems during his nearly 16 months in office, including a combative congress, low approval ratings and unsuccessful legislative efforts.

Colombian unions and student groups will hold their second national strike in less than a week on Wednesday in honour of a dead demonstrator and protest rumoured government economic plans, corruption and police violence.

Colombian unions and student groups will hold their second national strike in less than a week on Wednesday in honour of a dead demonstrator and protest rumoured government economic plans, corruption and police violence. The series of protests began last week with a 250,000-person march and a nationwide strike. Demonstrators are rallying against economic plans - like a rise in the pension age and a cut to the minimum wage for young people - that President Ivan Duque denies supporting, as well what they say is a lack of government action to stop corruption and the murder of hundreds of human rights activists. Marches have attracted thousands of peaceful demonstrators, but Thursday and Friday were also marked by the destruction of mass transit stations, curfews in Cali and Bogota and the deaths of three people in connection with alleged looting. Saturday's marches took a dark turn when 18-year-old protester Dilan Cruz was fatally injured by a tear gas canister fired by the ESMAD riot police. Cruz died on Monday and has become a symbol for protesters, who allege the ESMAD are using excessive force in their crowd dispersion efforts. The National Strike Committee, comprised of major unions and student organizations, is demanding the government dissolve the force and "purify" the police. Talks between the committee and the government have stalled amid union demands Duque meet with them without the presence of business leaders or other groups. The committee has also demanded a rejection of the government's tax reform proposal, which includes a cut in business duties. Duque announced several changes to the proposal this week at the cost of some $930 million - including the return of value-added tax to the poorest 20 per cent of Colombians and lower contributions to healthcare by minimum wage pensioners. Meanwhile, his promise to hold a social issues-focused national dialogue through March has sparked derision among marchers and opposition politicians, who see it as a tepid response to growing discontent. Duque's administration has been plagued by problems during his nearly 16 months in office, including a combative congress, low approval ratings and unsuccessful legislative efforts.

Colombia holds another national strike as week of protests rolls on

Thousands of protestors defy curfew as anti-government rallies continue in Colombia

Colombian President Ivan Duque called on Saturday for coordinated international sanctions targeting Venezuela to help stop President Nicolas Maduro's support for Colombian rebels and drug traffickers from destabilizing Latin America.

Duque, who accuses Maduro of providing a safe haven for Colombian rebel fighters from the now-demobilized FARC guerrilla group and the still-active ELN rebels, compared the Venezuelan leader to former Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic, who was put on trial at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia for alleged war crimes in conflicts that destabilized the Balkans.

"We should look at communal sanctions and actions so that the threat of (Venezuela) protecting terrorism in its territory ends," Duque told Reuters before traveling to the United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York.

"The international community must understand that the dictatorship has to come to an end soon because the humanitarian tragedy, in addition to the consolidation of a dictatorial regime that is coexisting with drug cartels and with terrorism, is a threat for the whole Western hemisphere and for the stability of the world."

Maduro accuses Colombia of preparing to attack Venezuela and has repeatedly warned of an invasion coordinated with the US government.

Colombia is the top destination for Venezuelans fleeing widespread shortages of food and medicine some 1.4 million now reside in Colombia.

Colombian President Ivan Duque called on Saturday for coordinated international sanctions targeting Venezuela to help stop President Nicolas Maduro's support for Colombian rebels and drug traffickers from destabilizing Latin America.

Colombian President Ivan Duque called on Saturday for coordinated international sanctions targeting Venezuela to help stop President Nicolas Maduro's support for Colombian rebels and drug traffickers from destabilizing Latin America. Duque, who accuses Maduro of providing a safe haven for Colombian rebel fighters from the now-demobilized FARC guerrilla group and the still-active ELN rebels, compared the Venezuelan leader to former Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic, who was put on trial at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia for alleged war crimes in conflicts that destabilized the Balkans. "We should look at communal sanctions and actions so that the threat of (Venezuela) protecting terrorism in its territory ends," Duque told Reuters before traveling to the United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York. "The international community must understand that the dictatorship has to come to an end soon because the humanitarian tragedy, in addition to the consolidation of a dictatorial regime that is coexisting with drug cartels and with terrorism, is a threat for the whole Western hemisphere and for the stability of the world." Maduro accuses Colombia of preparing to attack Venezuela and has repeatedly warned of an invasion coordinated with the US government. Colombia is the top destination for Venezuelans fleeing widespread shortages of food and medicine some 1.4 million now reside in Colombia.

Coordinated sanctions could stop Maduro from destabilizing region: Colombian President Ivan Duque

Demonstrations were held in different cities of Colombia Wednesday in defence of the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP), considered the backbone of the peace agreement signed with the FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia), after president Ivan Duque objected to six articles of the peace legislation.

In the central Plaza de Bolivar in Bogota, about 500 people gathered, seeking to "embrace peace".

The attendees arrived at the square at dusk wearing white shirts, flags of the same colour and posters with phrases like "Such armed conflict does exist" and "They want to end the JEP because they fear the truth".

"Ordinary people do want peace and they feel that this attack on the JEP from the national government, headed by President Duque, is not only to the JEP itself but to the peace agreement," Luis Alberto Alban Urbano, better known as "Marcos Calarca", a parliamentarian of the House of Representatives from the Common Alternative Revolutionary Force, the successor party of the FARC, told Efe.

According to Alban, the president's objections "put the agreement at risk," which was signed in 2016.

At the same time, former vice-presidential candidate Angela Robledo, of the leftist movement Colombia Humana, insisted that "the JEP is the mechanism that allows access to truth and reparation," which is why she considered the agreement with the ex-combatants is currently in danger.

President Duque announced on March 10 that he will return the statute law of the JEP to the Congress, after objecting to six articles, on the grounds that they do not guarantee the application of the principles of truth, justice, reparation and non-repetition, which are part of the agreement with the FARC.

The aforementioned law was approved by the Senate and the House of Representatives in 2017 and then received the approval of the Constitutional Court, and the only procedure left was the presidential sanction, but the president decided to object partially.

In Medellin, the demonstration began in the Parque de las Luces with a small group of protesters who marched on the streets of the city centre under the slogan "peace is not to be objected, the JEP is to be respected", while the biggest gathering took was later when nearly 200 people joined at nightfall.

Among the attendees, most of them young people who sang the mantra "here is the generation of peace", were members of the FARC party that carried flags with messages demanding respect for the peace agreement and expressing the rejection of war.

Colombian opposition parties announced a national mobilization in support of the JEP for March 18.

"We are calling for unity, peace and reconciliation and we are calling for a great national mobilization on Mar. 18," Juanita Goebertus, representative to the House of Representatives of the Green Alliance party said.

Demonstrations were held in different cities of Colombia Wednesday in defence of the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP), considered the backbone of the peace agreement signed with the FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia), after president Ivan Duque objected to six articles of the peace legislation.

Demonstrations were held in different cities of Colombia Wednesday in defence of the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP), considered the backbone of the peace agreement signed with the FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia), after president Ivan Duque objected to six articles of the peace legislation. In the central Plaza de Bolivar in Bogota, about 500 people gathered, seeking to "embrace peace". The attendees arrived at the square at dusk wearing white shirts, flags of the same colour and posters with phrases like "Such armed conflict does exist" and "They want to end the JEP because they fear the truth". "Ordinary people do want peace and they feel that this attack on the JEP from the national government, headed by President Duque, is not only to the JEP itself but to the peace agreement," Luis Alberto Alban Urbano, better known as "Marcos Calarca", a parliamentarian of the House of Representatives from the Common Alternative Revolutionary Force, the successor party of the FARC, told Efe. According to Alban, the president's objections "put the agreement at risk," which was signed in 2016. At the same time, former vice-presidential candidate Angela Robledo, of the leftist movement Colombia Humana, insisted that "the JEP is the mechanism that allows access to truth and reparation," which is why she considered the agreement with the ex-combatants is currently in danger. President Duque announced on March 10 that he will return the statute law of the JEP to the Congress, after objecting to six articles, on the grounds that they do not guarantee the application of the principles of truth, justice, reparation and non-repetition, which are part of the agreement with the FARC. The aforementioned law was approved by the Senate and the House of Representatives in 2017 and then received the approval of the Constitutional Court, and the only procedure left was the presidential sanction, but the president decided to object partially. In Medellin, the demonstration began in the Parque de las Luces with a small group of protesters who marched on the streets of the city centre under the slogan "peace is not to be objected, the JEP is to be respected", while the biggest gathering took was later when nearly 200 people joined at nightfall. Among the attendees, most of them young people who sang the mantra "here is the generation of peace", were members of the FARC party that carried flags with messages demanding respect for the peace agreement and expressing the rejection of war. Colombian opposition parties announced a national mobilization in support of the JEP for March 18. "We are calling for unity, peace and reconciliation and we are calling for a great national mobilization on Mar. 18," Juanita Goebertus, representative to the House of Representatives of the Green Alliance party said.

Hundreds of Colombians protest in defence of peace deal

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