MEXICO CITY (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 25th November, 2019) Colombian President Ivan Duque has launched a national dialogue aimed at determining social policy of the state and drafting reforms to tackle issues like corruption and inequality, following three days of anti-government mass protests across the country.
"Today, in the presidential office, we are starting the grand national dialogue with the elected mayors to assess the situation and urgent needs of municipalities and cities," Duque said on Twitter on Sunday.
According to the president, this dialogue is expected to result in forming long-term policies and raising the effectiveness of national and regional government programs.
Duque added that the dialogue will run through March 15, 2020 and all Colombians are welcome to submit their proposals to improve the life in the country.
Over the past several days, the mass unrest has gripped Colombia's large cities. The demonstrators are protesting against the authorities' inaction in fighting crime and improving the economic situation in the country.
On Thursday, more than 200,000 people participated in a national day of protests and strikes. The demonstrations were originally planned to be held as a peaceful march involving students and professors. However, the opposition announced its plans to carry out a general strike on the same day.
Meanwhile, the authorities have warned that the protest might provoke unrest, which was a case in several other Latin American countries, where riots led to a large number of casualties and significant material damage.
