BOGOTA, Colombia, March 19,  (AP): Colombia's President Gustavo Petro urged supporters Tuesday to "rebel” against centrist and right-wing politicians who have blocked efforts to reform Colombia’s health system and labor laws, as the nation prepares for congressional and presidential elections next year. During a protest organized by labor unions on Tuesday, Petro gave a half-hour speech in which he said his government will press ahead with plans to organize a special election.

The plebiscite will enable voters to approve or reject health and labor legislation that has languished in Congress due to a lack of consensus from political parties. "The people have made lots of sacrifices to be governed now by monarchs and tyrants,” Petro said of the members of congress who have opposed his reforms. "They want to exploit humans because they have sold their heart to greed.” Petro, the South American nation's first leftist president, has struggled to get legislation passed in the Senate, where his Historical Pact movement only has a fifth of all seats.

Petro gave national government workers the day off Tuesday so they could join protests in favor of the special election, while government agencies promoted the protests on their social media feeds and through television ads. On Tuesday, thousands of people joined a protest in Bogota’s historic Bolivar Square, where Petro was the main speaker.

In a fiery tone, the president urged voters to "punish” members of Congress whom he accused of legislating in favor of corporations, and of succumbing to "corruption and greed.” The special election the government plans to hold is known as a popular consultation in Colombian law, and requires Senate approval. For its results to be implemented, one third of all registered voters must participate, or around 13 million people.

Political analysts in Colombia say that it will be hard for Petro’s government to convince enough voters to turn out for the election. The president was elected in 2022, with 11.2 million votes. But some analysts have said that the special election can help the government energize its supporters before congressional elections in March. The special election also enables the national government to campaign for its causes, using public funds.