BOGOTÁ (AP) – A group of 78 policemen and six oil company workers were released on Friday after being detained since the day before by a group of indigenous people and peasants who were demonstrating against an oil field in Caquetá, south of Colombia, authorities confirmed.
The day before, the demonstration turned violent and there were reports of the death of a policeman and a civilian, as well as several injuries and dozens of policemen detained in a house in the community.
The events took place in the Los Pozos sector, located in San Vicente del Caguan, where the oil company Emerald Energy operates, to which the demonstrators have been demanding social and infrastructure investments for more than 40 days.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro promised the protesters to personally respond to their demands and asked the community to maintain the channels of dialogue. In addition, he called for the homicides to be investigated and those responsible prosecuted.
“Violent actions practically destroy the possibility, not only of having a popular and progressive government, but also the very paths of peace,” the president said in an official statement.