One march, several hashtags
Despite the almost unanimous support of the left for the marches of this May Day, the call to invite citizens to take to the streets is not focused. At least four ‘hashtags’, or labels, have emerged from sectors close to the Government. The most official and widespread, used by the same X account of the Presidency and by several ministries, is #lemarchoalcambio. It is promoted mainly by senators from the Historical Pact, among whom Isabel Cristina Zuleta, Martha Peralta, Esmeralda Hernández and María José Pizarro stand out.
Senator and Nasa leader Aida Quilcué, from MAIS, who also belongs to the Pact, the coalition of parties with which Petro came to power, has decided to amplify her message and use more than one label. “For the dignity of the people and the ancient struggle for rights. #MañanaYo #LeMarchoAlCambio #1deMayo2024”; This last ‘hashtag’, in addition to being used to gather marches for Labor Day in other countries, is the one that brings together the majority of Colombian labor unions.
The former mayor of Medellín, Daniel Quintero, ran his own campaign: #somoslallavedelcambio, in which he once again resorted to a metaphor related to vehicles and mechanics to support the Government – he had already done so with ‘El Cambio en Primera’, a publication that It was interpreted as a nod to Petro’s campaign. By following this hashtag you can see videos of Quintero and politicians close to him, such as Senator Alex Flórez or House Representative Alejandro Toro Ramírez, who invite you to march with a wrench in your hand. This manual tool used to loosen or tighten nuts and bolts becomes the symbol of the changes they believe still need to be made.
Finally there is the hashtag #Movilización1M, promoted by Carlos Caicedo, former governor of Magdalena, and his Citizen Force movement, which continues to have a media presence despite having lost its status as a political party after the Council of State annulled the resolution of the National Electoral Council that had granted it legal personality.
#Colombia
