Indigenous Takeover of Colombia’s National University Disrupts Classes & Research. Tribes Dissatisfied WIth Government Inaction

The week began with the Bogotá campus of the Universidad Nacional de Colombia hosting an encampment by the Indigenous “Minga,” which arrived over the weekend in anticipation of the May 1st International Workers’ Day protests. Although this was a coordinated action agreed upon with local and national authorities—intended as a humanitarian effort that would not interfere with academic life—the situation is more complicated than what was forecasted, as far more people arrived than initially anticipated, and they are taking control of key areas of the campus.

In Colombia, a “Minga” is a mass convocation of indigenous tribes who travel to meet en masse.

While many members of Colombia’s Indigenous groups support parts of Colombian President Gustavo Petro’s struggling legislative agenda, minga leaders are also  pressing for the government to fulfill previously agreed-upon commitments concerning various aspects, including the implementation of peace agreements, investments in health and education within their communities, and guarantees for their territorial autonomy.

Although university authorities, including Rector Leopoldo Múnera, had coordinated with the national government to accommodate the Minga at the bandshell within the campus for this week, they had initially spoken of about 4,000 participants, but the number has now exceeded 10,000 people. Moreover, several academic buildings, including those for Engineering, Science and Technology, Mathematics, and the Julio Garavito building, were unexpectedly occupied due to bad weather (“extreme weather conditions,” according to the university’s press release).

Students were not allowed to access these buildings and several classes had to be cancelled. To ensure academic continuity, the university authorities set the implementation of online classes during this exceptional situation. “The priority has been to ensure mutual respect and maintain an environment of peaceful coexistence,” Munera stated as per the press release. Even the León de Greiff auditorium is reportedly closed, preventing the Bogotá Philharmonic Orchestra from rehearsing. The situation is worrying, especially considering that this semester only began a month ago, following a three-month delay caused by a student strike.

Jhoe Sauca, a senior advisor from the Regional Indigenous Council of Cauca (CRIC), told El Tiempo that internal discussions are ongoing and that they are working with the Indigenous Guard to prevent further incidents at campus entrances since Minga members are controlling access in and out of some of these buildings, as reported by Prof. Diego Torres through various posts on X.

Local authorities have emphasized on the coordination efforts they are working on to ensure the situation does not escalate with the arrival of the remaining attendants. On Sunday, April 27, Gustavo Quintero Ardila, Secretary of Government for Bogotá, acknowledged the continuous arrival of Indigenous groups from across the country and confirmed that part of the delegation had already settled within the premises of the Universidad Nacional and the city administration has designated Parque Tercer Milenio as an additional space to accommodate those still arriving. “We continue to provide ongoing support to the various stakeholders and work collaboratively to ensure the Minga’s arrival and continued presence in Bogotá proceeds as smoothly as possible,” Quintero mentioned via X.

Estas declaraciones de la administración de la @UNALOficial en @lasillavacia no son precisas. Abro hilo con videos y fotografías que yo mismo tomé el día de hoy, o que le fueron cedidas y autorizadas para publicar. 🧵👇

“Rector de la Unal dice que Minga no bloquea actividades…

— Diego A. Torres G. (@DiegoTorres_Fis) April 29, 2025

Headline photo: The Minga at the Plaza ‘Che’ (Central Square) of the university (@ValenVolandoVa / X)