Colombia: Curfew in Fusagasugá following supermarket looting /update 1

Event

A curfew has been implemented in the town of Fusagasugá, located 50 km (30 mi) southwest of Bogotá , following incidents of looting. The curfew will remain in place between 21:00 and 05:00 (local time) until Friday, February 23, with a potential to be extended. The sale of alcohol has been banned in Fusagasugá as well as in Melgar, where minors are banned from public spaces after 21:00.

Looting broke out at Supercundi supermarket branches in Bogotá and in the departments of Boyacá, Tolima (Melgar, Guamo, Espinal, Saldaña), Cundinamarca (Fusagasugá), and Quindío February 19-20, after the government publicly accused the company of laundering money for the now-demobilized FARC guerrilla group. Several branches were set on fire and scores of people have been arrested. Police have been deployed to guard Supercundi stores amid fears of further unrest. Relative calm was reported on Wednesday, although tensions remained high.

Context

A peace deal between the FARC and the Colombian government was ratified by the congress in November 2016, officially ending an armed conflict that killed more than 260,000 people over five decades.

Advice

Individuals in Colombia are advised to adhere to the curfew and any other instructions issued by the local authorities, remain vigilant, and avoid Supercundi supermarkets in the coming days.