Colombia Council of State ruling on protest rights

Colombia’s Council of State has issued a ruling clarifying the legal boundaries of the right to protest. The decision follows demonstrations that occurred between July 31 and August 15, 2017, near the Ecopetrol Chichimene station in Acacías, Meta.

The court found that the protests involved the occupation of facilities, road blockades, and the restriction of worker access, which hindered the movement of machinery and supplies. These actions resulted in significant economic impacts, including a deferred production of approximately 32,000 barrels and estimated losses of 4.056 billion pesos for Ecopetrol.

As a consequence, the Council of State held the Corporación Juntas de Acción Comunal San Isidro de Chichimeney and its legal representative, Sandra Patricia Ruiz Riaño, jointly liable for the proven damages. The ruling specifies that while Article 37 of the Constitution protects the right to peaceful assembly, this protection is lost when demonstrations involve vandalism, the destruction of property, or the pursuit of illicit ends that illegitimately restrict the rights of others or disrupt essential economic activities.