While the Colombian government continues to have civic-military presence in over a thousand municipalities in the country, other thousands of Colombians resist being part of this Uribist paraphernalia.

The bicentennial patriotic march is an initiative of countless social, political, neighborhood organizations and trade unions that have opted for an alternative. On July 20 they told Colombia and the world that there is no independence to celebrate, but the struggle of the Colombian people for its emancipation and true independence. Billions of pesos were invested in the over a thousand concerts to celebrate the bicentennial around the country.

The celebrations were planned by the Presidency of the Republic and
implemented by the Ministry of Culture, as a sort of farewell party for outgoing President Alvaro Uribe.

Meanwhile, thousands of people in several regions organized the Patriotic March and the Open Cabildos with donations, fundraisers and different events in the capital city.

On July 20, over 20,000 people marched in Bogota to say that the Colombian people are still standing and that the fight for autonomy and freedom and for democracy goes on. Meanwhile, social, grassroots organizations, children and elderly met in Cali, to celebrate the bicentennial of the peoples’ fight for independence with a march, music, games, a soup kitchen, videos and liberation messages.

Photo: Real World Radio