Residents of Bogota slum facing eviction despite quarantine
MAY 15, 2020 / 5:35 PM / UPDATED 2 HOURS AGO
Oliver Griffin
3 MIN READ
BOGOTA (Reuters) - Hundreds of people expected to be evicted from their hillside homes in a slum of Colombia’s capital Bogota on Friday, despite having nowhere to go during the country’s coronavirus lockdown.
The informal houses have been declared illegal by local authorities and will be knocked down as part of the evictions. Residents accuse police accompanying the eviction process of excessive force.
The evictions in the Altos de la Estancia neighbourhood are taking place despite Colombia’s months-long lockdown meant to stem the spread of coronavirus, which has killed more than 500 people.
The neighbourhood was home to about 1,000 families when evictions began two weeks ago. Now just some 100 families remain, residents told Reuters.
“The majority of the people that live here are unemployed because of COVID-19 and the pandemic,” said John Parra, 36, who moved to Bogota after being displaced by the country’s internal conflict.
More:
https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-colombia-evictions/residents-of-bogota-slum-facing-eviction-despite-quarantine-idUKKBN22R3DF?rpc=401&
Jaime Florez Murcia,
the incredibly stupid mayor.
= new reply since forum marked as read
