Former President Petro Calls for General Strike Over Minimum Wage Dispute

Gustavo Petro, Colombia’s first leftist president, issued a social-media call on Wednesday demanding a general strike unless the conservative administration led by Abelardo de la Espriella agrees to a minimum-wage increase for 2027. Petro, who left office on August 7, will join a protest in Bogotá on October 14 that he expects to draw “all the city’s working people,” emphasizing a peaceful but forceful approach. The Historic Pact coalition and multiple labor unions have outlined a series of protests over the next four years of the conservative government, while pro-government groups also plan peaceful rallies on the same day.

Petro’s previous 23-percent minimum-wage hike in December was criticized for fueling inflation and fiscal deficits, a point echoed by Central Bank President Leonardo Villar. The de la Espriella administration says any future raise will be calibrated to inflation, resources, and negotiations with businesses and workers. Indigenous groups led by the Cauca Regional Indigenous Council will also hold a summit-style gathering from October 11-14, demanding additional resources, which the president said he will review but will not negotiate under pressure.