J Balvin Reminds the Need to Save Lives When Supporting Colombia’s Tax Reform Protests

Also voicing their support to students and workers who rally against the proposal by President Ivan Duque’s government are the likes of Maluma, Karol G and Kali Uchis.

AceShowbiz –J Balvin is leading an all-star protest against tax reform in his native Colombia. The hitmaker, Maluma, Karol G, Kali Uchis and others have offered their support to students and workers who took to the streets last week (ends April 30) to rally against a tax reform proposal by President Ivan Duque’s government, which will increase taxes on individuals and businesses and eliminate many exemptions.

Three of the protests, in Bogota, Cali and Balvin’s hometown Medellin, turned violent, with police and civilians clashing. Multiple arrests were made and several city buildings were vandalized.

Balvin jumped on social media and wrote, “I say no to the tax reform and also no to the vandalism of those who take advantage of the demonstrations to hurt, steal or destroy. The priority today must be everyone’s health. We are in a pandemic, we need to save lives!!!”

Maluma added, “It hurts me a lot even though I’m not there. I don’t agree with the tax reform because it directly affects my family and it affects me, [but] that’s [violence] not the way! There are ways to protest, and the best way is peaceful.”

Ironically, Balvin’s remarks come days before the release of his new concert documentary “The Boy from Medellin“, which chronicles the reggaeton star agonizing over the violent street protests against President Duque ahead of his 2019 homecoming concert.

In the film, which debuts on Amazon Prime Video on Friday, May 7, the hitmaker meets with a critic who believes he should be more vocal about the politics of his country, and also addresses the problems onstage after manager Scooter Braun reprimands him for not thinking through a social media tribute to a dead activist.

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