Three police officers killed in Colombia amid curfew
SOUNDBITE (SPANISH WITH ENGLISH TRANSLATION) COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT IVAN DUQUE, SAYING:
"A few minutes ago, as supreme commander of the military forces and police and in coordination with the mayor of Bogota, Enrique Penalosa, we have set a curfew for the areas of Kennedy, Ciudad Bolivar, and Bosa, from 8 p.m. at night and for the whole capital city, from 9 pm."
That was the declaration made by Colombian President Ivan Duque ordering a curfew for Friday night...
but that decree was met by a deadly attack against the police.
Three officers were killed in a bomb blast late-Friday and 10 officers injured, according to a police source.
The bombing occurred in a southwestern province well-known for being a hot spot for drug trafficking and violence.
Soldiers were called in to enforce a curfew put in place after three people were killed on Thursday.
Several supermarkets were looted as masked protesters burned items in the street and blocked roads. Other protesters stole a public bus.
In wake of the melee, some neighbors banded together to protect their homes from looters.
SOUNDBITE (SPANISH WITH ENGLISH TRANSLATION): RESIDENT GLADIS ARAQUE, SAYING:
"There are more good people, as our neighbors say, than bad. We are protecting our property, our family, our neighbors and that's the most important thing."
The protests began Thursday with a crowd of more than 250,000 staging a national strike.
Demonstrators say they are upset with economic reforms that are rumored to be in the works.
There's also anger over what is seen as government inaction on corruption and the murder of human rights activists.
SOUNDBITE: SPANISH UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTER, SAYING:
"I'm here for the same reason all Colombians are here. We are tired of Mr. Duque and we are tired of Mr. Uribe (former President Alvaro Uribe). They are a pair of liars. They never do what they are going to do. It's the worst government since I can remember."
Protests in Colombia have coincided with similar demonstrations in other Latin American countries in recent weeks.
