On 21 November, mass protests began as part of the National Strike in Colombia, convened by wide-ranging and diverse sectors of society, and attended by hundreds of thousands of Colombian citizens. The protests are still ongoing in different parts of the

In a statement on 20 November, the International Office for Human Rights – Action Colombia (OIDHACO) warned about the risks of excessive use of force by members of the state security forces during the demonstrations, as had occurred in previous protests, committed in particular by the National Police Mobile Anti-Riot Squad (Escuadrón Móvil Antidisturbios – ESMAD). On 23 November, a young 18 year-old student named Dilan Cruz was shot at close range by a member of the ESMAD in Bogotá, and later died of his injuries. There have also been reports from citizens in different parts of the country regarding the disproportionate use of force against people protesting peacefully, by members of the ESMAD and other police squads.