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.
"This fateful day has meant a very significant number of deaths, however we still can't say if all the deaths from May 28 are fully linked and associated with the protests," Ospina said in a video message. In addition to the 13 deaths reported by the attorney general's office, 34 people have also been reported injured, Ospina added.
Confirmation of the cause of the deaths is expected to be announced on Sunday, a representative of the attorney general's office said.