0:02
A time of transformation and setback, of peace and coffee, of corruption and progress. A supposed international threat, a containment of the influence of the Russian Revolution. A time of intense social agitation and labor mobilization.
0:43
In contrast with the 19th century, Colombia in this period experienced an absence of war and civil confrontation due to political causes. Conservative governments gave more priority to economic matters. The expansion of coffee production and export, the banana, along with oil and the manufacturing industry, will constitute the most important development poles during this period.
1:12
investments in infrastructure, public works, will be made, partly thanks to the resources that the United States of America paid since 1922 as compensation for its participation in the independence of the Colombian Department of Panama. In the midst of these changes, a rising working class emerges, which little by little makes claims for better working conditions.
1:39
such as the reduction of the day, safety of labor risks and hygiene conditions in workplaces. In this context, socialist and anarchist ideas fell into the intellectual layers, especially among those who came from the radical liberal tradition, orphaned for years of power. The Socialist
2:15
During the conservative hegemony, the three branches of public, legislative, executive and judicial power were under the control of a single party. This domain was closely related to the Catholic Church.
2:32
making Catholicism a fundamental part of the functioning of the state for that time. As for the liberals, the moderates had a minority participation within the conservative governments, occupying some bureaucratic positions, especially in the ministries.
2:57
However, during this period, the liberals played one more role from the opposition, in the middle of the censorship of the conservative authorities, who considered liberal ideas, along with the socialist ideologies, harmful to good customs, morality and public order.
3:27
The union of that social awakening, driven by popular leadership and the emergence of socialist currents, was read by different conservative governments as a conspiracy of international communism.
3:44
Under this logic, the reaction and response of several conservative governments, in the face of the different strike and workers' demonstrations, was to prohibit popular meetings on the streets and in public squares. This is how José Vicente Concha did it, through the Legislative Decree 02 of January 12, 1918.
4:11
This concern for the advance of communism also became present in the administration of Marco Fidel Suárez. During this government, law projects were presented that sought to ban the entry to the country of communists and anarchists through the control of migration. This fear of the communist ghost did not disappear during the government of Miguel Abadía Méndez,
4:39
the increase in social agitation was considered as a refutable proof of the infiltration of communism in Colombian society, which led to the expulsion of decrees and laws that hardened the measures to stop the supposed advance of the Bolsheviks. This brought with it the persecution, the prohibition and the censorship of all that was suspected of being influenced by socialist ideas.
5:13
Thus arose the so-called "heroic law" or Law 69 of October 30, 1928, in which the prohibition of meetings, freedom of the press, socialist ideas and social mobilization were established.
5:32
In virtue of this ideological concern, it was decided during this government of communists to include the expressions of discontent that sought for multinationals to comply with the Colombian law, as occurred in the oil and banana strike in 1927 and 1928.
