Rookie lawmaker triggers social media revolt in Colombia to squash 'coup' attempt

[Judi Lynn]

by Adriaan Alsema
March 19, 2021

A rookie congresswoman triggered an overwhelming social media response in Colombia that ended an attempted “coup” that sought to postpone next year’s elections on Thursday.

Opposition House Representative Katherine Miranda (Green Alliance) called on her constituents tot take to the streets after learning that members of the coalition were trying to propose a bill that sought to postpone next year’s elections.

Miranda’s alerts triggered a revolt on social media that forced most of the supporters of the bill to withdraw their support for the plan to extend the terms of President Ivan Duque, Congress, watchdog entities and even the high courts.

The alleged coup attempt alarmed experts and opposition lawmakers who warned that the impending threat to prevent free and and fair elections next year is far from being thwarted.

More:
https://colombiareports.com/rookie-lawmaker-triggers-social-media-revolt-in-colombia-to-squash-coup-attempt/

[Judi Lynn]

1. Katherine Miranda was also involved with this situation:

Colombia gathered intel on ‘more than 200’ politicians, journalists and human rights defenders
by Adriaan Alsema August 12, 2020

Colombia’s military illegally gathered intelligence on more than 200 politicians, journalists and human rights defenders, an opposition lawmaker said Tuesday.

According to House Representative Katherine Miranda (Green Alliance), the National Army illegally profiled or wiretapped not 130, but more than 200 people.

The Administrative Tribunal of Cundinamarca last week upheld the congresswoman’s request to fully disclose the list of names of people who were wiretapped or profiled after the defense ministry unsuccessfully appealed a lower court order, Miranda said on Twitter.

. . .

Months of silence
The army’s illegal wiretapping practices were revealed by weekly Semana in January, months before the magazine revealed the military had also been also profiling, among others, at least 52 Colombian and foreign journalists.

The revelations spurred a purge in the top of the National Army, which reportedly even profiled President Ivan Duque’s former chief of staff.

The United States’ House of Representatives threatened to cut aid to Colombia because of the illegal practices that were reportedly carried with equipment provided by the US military.

More:
https://colombiareports.com/colombia-gathered-intel-on-more-than-200-politicians-journalists-and-human-rights-defenders/