At least 12 buses in which people from different parts of the country travel try to enter the department of Valle del Cauca this Saturday to settle in Cali in what they have called a 'National Popular Assembly'.
This occurs despite the fact that a decree that orders the closure of its borders is in force in the department, from Friday until next Thursday, July 22.
People who are mobilizing from Antioquia, Santander, Meta, Bogotá, among other regions of the country, try to reach Cali to participate in the so-called Assembly that would be held at the Universidad del Valle, Meléndez headquarters, which was taken by protesters the past Thursday.
In different national roads, the Police and the Army establish checkpoints for these buses, to comply with the decree of the Government of the Valley.
Also read: "We are not going to allow blockades in Cali," says Mayor's Office on July 20 protests
"Within the department there may be total mobility but, in this case, as a result of the pandemic still continuing, that we have a high number of people in the ICU and that we have more than 150 people queuing for an intensive care unit, we have closed the entrance to the department from today at 12 at night until Thursday at 12 at night, "said the governor of Valle, Clara Luz Roldán.
She added that "we want to make it clear that we are not against peaceful protest, demonstrations that are going to take place during the day and that are carried out in a peaceful manner and respecting the law."
On the "take" of Univalle
Several people "took" the Meléndez headquarters of the Universidad del Valle since the morning of Thursday, July 15, claiming "a space that by right corresponds to us, but that has been denied us, despite the fact that we wanted to have it with all transparency possible, with the requirements that were made to us ".
The "take" of the University is given precisely to use it as the headquarters of the so-called National People's Assembly, in which more than 300 popular expressions from all over the country would participate, according to the same Assembly in a Twitter account.
This in view of the day of mobilizations that have been scheduled for July 20, Colombia's independence day, and about which it has been alerted of possible public order problems due to the alleged infiltration of illegal armed groups, according to as stated on several occasions by the Minister of Defense, Diego Molano.
"We will not allow blockades": Mayor's Office
Despite these alerts, the Mayor of Cali has not decreed a curfew in the city for these days, although Mayor Jorge Iván Ospina said that was not ruled out and that it would depend on what happens.
What is decreed is dry law on July 19 and 20, from 7:00 p.m. at 5:00 a.m. of everyday.
However, the Mayor's Office has already installed a Unified Command Post to follow up on the events this weekend and next holiday.
In this regard, the Secretary of Security, Carlos Soler, said: : "it is clear that there are people who want to manipulate those who reached agreements with the Mayor's Office. They are moving resources to take advantage of some young people and instrumentalize them; they want to put them to close the city and we are not going to allow that".
https://www.elpais.com.co/cali/buses-con-manifestantes-intentan-ingresar-a-pese-a-cierre-de-fronteras-en-el-valle.html
This occurs despite the fact that a decree that orders the closure of its borders is in force in the department, from Friday until next Thursday, July 22.
People who are mobilizing from Antioquia, Santander, Meta, Bogotá, among other regions of the country, try to reach Cali to participate in the so-called Assembly that would be held at the Universidad del Valle, Meléndez headquarters, which was taken by protesters the past Thursday.
In different national roads, the Police and the Army establish checkpoints for these buses, to comply with the decree of the Government of the Valley.
Also read: "We are not going to allow blockades in Cali," says Mayor's Office on July 20 protests
"Within the department there may be total mobility but, in this case, as a result of the pandemic still continuing, that we have a high number of people in the ICU and that we have more than 150 people queuing for an intensive care unit, we have closed the entrance to the department from today at 12 at night until Thursday at 12 at night, "said the governor of Valle, Clara Luz Roldán.
She added that "we want to make it clear that we are not against peaceful protest, demonstrations that are going to take place during the day and that are carried out in a peaceful manner and respecting the law."
On the "take" of Univalle
Several people "took" the Meléndez headquarters of the Universidad del Valle since the morning of Thursday, July 15, claiming "a space that by right corresponds to us, but that has been denied us, despite the fact that we wanted to have it with all transparency possible, with the requirements that were made to us ".
The "take" of the University is given precisely to use it as the headquarters of the so-called National People's Assembly, in which more than 300 popular expressions from all over the country would participate, according to the same Assembly in a Twitter account.
This in view of the day of mobilizations that have been scheduled for July 20, Colombia's independence day, and about which it has been alerted of possible public order problems due to the alleged infiltration of illegal armed groups, according to as stated on several occasions by the Minister of Defense, Diego Molano.
"We will not allow blockades": Mayor's Office
Despite these alerts, the Mayor of Cali has not decreed a curfew in the city for these days, although Mayor Jorge Iván Ospina said that was not ruled out and that it would depend on what happens.
What is decreed is dry law on July 19 and 20, from 7:00 p.m. at 5:00 a.m. of everyday.
However, the Mayor's Office has already installed a Unified Command Post to follow up on the events this weekend and next holiday.
In this regard, the Secretary of Security, Carlos Soler, said: : "it is clear that there are people who want to manipulate those who reached agreements with the Mayor's Office. They are moving resources to take advantage of some young people and instrumentalize them; they want to put them to close the city and we are not going to allow that".
https://www.elpais.com.co/cali/buses-con-manifestantes-intentan-ingresar-a-pese-a-cierre-de-fronteras-en-el-valle.html
