Colombia Prepares for Nationwide Pot-Banging Protests · Global Voices
Cati Restrepo

Colombians have planned a national “cacerolazo” for 6 p.m. Colombian time today, September 4, 2013. A cacerolazo is a form of popular protest in which people express their agreement with an issue by making noise and banging pots (cacerolas), pans and kitchen utensils, or other items that can be used to create sound.
Using the Twitter hashtag #CacerolazoPor users express their reasons to take to the streets.
Paola Ochoa Rivera invites the protest to move from the virtual to the physical:
#CacerolazoPor más protestas en la calle y menos twitter
— Paola Ochoa Rivera (@VisosVioleta) September 4, 2013
#CacerolazoPor more protests in the street and fewer on Twitter
Tefy expresses her hope for a more fair nation:
#CacerolazoPor un país mas justo
— tefy (@teffypuentes) September 4, 2013
#CacerolazoPor a more just country
Meanwhile, Tatu García discusses the dignity of Colombian society:
#CacerolazoPor la dignidad de mi Pueblo
— Tatu Garcia (@tatugarcia17) September 4, 2013
#CacerolazoPor the dignity of my society
Santiago mentions his disagreement with the national government's efforts and strategies:
#CacerolazoPor el mal gobierno de Santos y por arrodillado al imperio y sus multinacionales
— santiago (@santilandia0102) September 4, 2013
#CacerolazoPor Santos's bad government and for kneeling in front of the empire and multinationals
And Stephanie states that participation in the “cacerolazo” is an act of solidarity with the nation's farmers, who have been on strike since August 19:
#CacerolazoPor #YaEsHora de solidarizarse con los campesinos y sus justas luchas salir de las pantallas a la realidad VIVA EL PARO AGRARIO
— stephanie (@stephanieconh) September 4, 2013
It is time to act in solidarity with the farmers and their justified struggles, get away from the screens and into reality LONG LIVE THE AGRARIAN STRIKE
For Camila Andrea, the protest serves as a call to work toward a better country:
#CacerolazoPor Tener un mejor país para todos y para las personas de un futuro !!
— Camila Andrea (@CamiAndreDiaz) September 4, 2013
#CacerolazoPor To have a better country for everyone and people in the future!!
And in Catalina Gualdron's opinion, the protest is justified by the complex reality of life in Colombia:
#CacerolazoPor Un pueblo lleno de malos servicios, en salud, educación, agro… #YaEsHora del cambio! @JuanManSantos @marchapatriota
— Cata Gualdron † (@Cata_G95) September 4, 2013
#CacerolazoPor A country filled with terrible services, in health, education, agriculture… #YaEsHora It's time for a change!
However, Juan Sebastián believes that many people simply tweet about the cacerolazo to get favorites for their tweets:
#CacerolazoPor Falta de Fav's (?).
— Juɑn Sebɑstiɑn. (@JuanSebastiann_) September 4, 2013
#CacerolazoPor Lack of Favorites (?).
Finally, the Fuerza Común account shares this poster:
#CacerolazoPor las calles, por veredas. Vamos con toda contra las políticas que han despojado a Colombia @PaisComun pic.twitter.com/VPDZuoE3gM
— Fuerza Común (@fuerzacomun) September 4, 2013
#CacerolazoPor the streets, through side walks. We go all-out against the policies that have stripped Colombia of everything @PaisComun pic.twitter.com/VPDZuoE3gM
Stay tuned for further posts about Colombia's agricultural strike, which has already been in effect for 17 days.