Mayor of Colombia's Cali reports 13 deaths, says many were possibly protest-related

A demonstrator gestures during a protest demanding government action to tackle poverty, police violence and inequalities in healthcare and education systems, in Bogota, Colombia, May 28, 2021. REUTERS/Luisa Gonzalez

BOGOTA (Reuters) - At least 13 people died on Friday in the Colombian city of Cali, the epicenter of demonstrations across the country, and many of those deaths may have been linked to protests, Mayor Jorge Ivan Ospina said on Saturday.

Friday marked a month of often bloody demonstrations across the country. The government has linked 17 civilian deaths and the deaths of two police officers to the protests, which started on April 28, while rights groups say dozens more civilians have been killed by security forces.