Troops patrol streets after thousands of Colombian students clash with authorities

        
President Juan Manuel Santos ordered troops onto the Colombian capital's streets on Friday after rioting in which at least two people died, while small farmers said they were lifting road blockades elsewhere after 11 days of protests.           

Soldiers were seen guarding vandalized shops and fuel stations in Bosa, a suburb of Bogota which saw an estimated 50 businesses damaged by protesters on Thursday night.              

The violence broke out on Thursday afternoon after some 30,000 people, many of them university students, marched in support of the farmers, who have been blocking highways and staging protests over a variety of issues.               

Santos opened talks with the farmers on Tuesday and has promised to address their grievances, including erasing import tariffs on fertilizer.           

The farmers say cheap imports of potatoes, onions and milk are impoverishing them.                

On Friday, Santos announced he had asked government negotiators to return from talks with the farmers in neighboring Boyaca state, though he did not say why.  
          
Four hours later, protest leaders said they would no longer block highways, but would retain roadside pickets.                   

"We maintain our willingness to hold a dialogue and we invite the protesters to continue to strike while allowing the free flow of all types of vehicles (meaning they should lift road blockades) and position ourselves on the side of the roads (to protest)," said Richard Fuelantala, a representative of striking milk producers.            

The unrest comes amidst peace talks in Cuba between the government and Colombia's main leftist rebel group to end a half-century-old conflict that largely affects remote provinces far from the capital.                 


AP