Tuesday, December 3, 2013

The Farmers are Back on the March.

Hundreds of farmers crowded Ave. Septima today.
Campesino farmers staged another march today pleading for more government assistance. The farmers accuse the government of not fulfilling promises it made after the farmers' huge marches of a few months ago.

With all of this pleading and begging, it's a bit ironic that the farmers call their movement 'Dignidad.'

For all of their deservingness, subsidizing farmers is not a sustainable solution, since subsidies only generate more subsidies and are therefore sooner or late unsustainable.

'Agriculture shafted by Santos.'
'President Santos no more lies.'

This guy was giving away small, tasty apricots.
'Land for Colombians, not for foreigners.' This may refer to cases in which foreign multinataionls bought up huge stretches of agricultural land using a very dubious legal maneuver. The government has taken no action on the cases.

The ruana has come to symbolize the difficulties of humble, hard-working Colombians.


'No to free trade agreements.' The marchers blame imported agricultural products for forcing down prices. However, according to what I've read only a tiny proportion of Colombia's fruits and vegetables are imported. However, under current trade agreements that number will grow - inevitably impacting farmers in the future.
By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

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