Colombia anti-govt protests: President orders curfew in Bogota

Colombian President Ivan Duque on Friday ordered a curfew in capital Bogota after anti-government demonstrators returned to the streets to express discontent over rising unemployment, economic reforms and a deteriorating security situation.

"I have asked the Mayor of Bogota @EnriquePenalosa to apply a curfew throughout the city, starting at 9 p.m. Our goal is to guarantee the safety of all Bogota citizens," Duque Tweeted, as cited by Sputnik.

The curfew comes a day after tens of thousands of people took to the streets in one of the nation's biggest marches in recent history. Local media reported that dozens of protesters had been detained, while several were injured in the violence, although specific numbers have not been reported.

Authorities have warned that the protest might provoke deeper unrest, which was the case in Venezuela and Bolivia, where riots led to a large number of casualties and significant material damage.