Colombian cities brace for third peak

BOGOTA: Colombia’s three largest cities are bracing for an extended third peak in coronavirus cases and over-stretched intensive care units after nearly two weeks of anti-government protests, local authorities said.

Demonstrations fueled by outrage at a now-canceled tax plan began on April 28. Protesters’ demands have expanded to include a basic income, an end to police violence and the withdrawal of a long-debated health reform.

Marches look set to continue for the foreseeable future, with protest leaders and the government at odds despite an initial meeting to discuss the demands.

Capital Bogota is confronting a “hospital collapse,” Mayor Claudia Lopez said in a press conference on Monday.