Colombia

The Time to Vote on the U.S. Colombia Free Trade Agreement Is Now

WASHINGTON, Sunday, July 20, 2008 — U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos M. Gutierrez issued the following statement on the occasion of Colombia’s Independence Day with a call to Congress to schedule a vote on the U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement:

“Freedom and democracy go hand in hand. As our nation celebrates with our Colombian friends and allies on their independence day, we reflect on the remarkable progress that they have made toward stability, social justice and peace. These are developments that all Americans should be proud to support. When Colombia is strong, secure and prosperous, so is the Western Hemisphere.    » read more »

25 May 2008 -- Leaders of Colombia's most powerful rebel group have confirmed the death of longtime guerrilla leader Manuel Marulanda.

A top official for the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia appeared in a video aired on Venezuelan television Sunday, confirming the death of the 78-year-old leader. He said the group's maximum leader had suffered a heart attack in March, saying he died "in the arms of his partner." He said Alfonso Cano would take over the top spot from Marulanda.

Colombia's military had called on rebels late Saturday to confirm or deny intelligence reports suggesting that Marulanda was dead.    » read more »

Members of Congress, Colombian And U.S. Unions Pledge Continued Opposition To Pending Trade Deal

May 14, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Seven leaders from the largest Colombian unions joined members of Congress and U.S. labor leaders for a news conference on Capitol Hill today to pledge their continued opposition to the pending U.S. – Colombian Free Trade Agreement, despite continued lobbying by the Bush administration and the Colombian government.

Colombia FTA protesters: Photo by b.wu (CC)    » read more »

12 May 2008 -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has accused neighboring Colombia of trying to provoke a war in order to justify a U.S. intervention in Venezuela.

President Chavez made the accusation Sunday during his weekly radio broadcast.

Hugo Chavez: Photo by Bernardo Londoy (CC)

Both Colombia and the United States have dismissed similar statements by Mr. Chavez.

The remarks came days after U.S. intelligence sources said that documents seized by Colombian forces during a raid on FARC, Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia rebels in Ecuador showed Venezuela had deeper ties with the rebels than previously thought.    » read more »

Hoffa Disagrees with Bush Statement on Benefits

April 14, 2008 -- (Washington, D.C.) –Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa on Monday said President George Bush is out of touch with American workers when he says a trade deal with Colombia would be good for them.

The Teamsters strongly oppose the agreement.

James Hoffa, Jr at Teamsters Dinner: Photo by Rob Jacob (CC)

"George Bush is dead wrong when he says a trade deal with Colombia would be good for American workers," Hoffa said. "That's the same lie that was told about NAFTA, CAFTA and PNTR. American workers know these trade deals are a disaster."    » read more »

Statement of Lori Wallach, Director of Public Citizen’s Global Trade Watch Division

April 10, 2008 -- We applaud House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for reasserting congressional authority over trade by removing Fast Track treatment from the Colombia Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

Public Citizen will apply its full resources to ensure that the Colombia Free Trade Agreement is defeated by Congress.

The United States should never have negotiated a trade agreement with Colombia, a country with a shameful record of labor leader assassinations and systematic violence against Afro-Colombian communities whose current government has been linked to deadly right wing paramilitaries.    » read more »

Hoffa Says Congress Should Not Vote on This Agreement This Year

April 10, 2008 -- (Washington, D.C.) –Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa on Thursday commended House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for blocking a vote on the proposed trade deal with Colombia.

The Teamsters will continue to strongly oppose the agreement.

“All of these trade deals are hurting American workers, but this one is especially bad because of Colombia’s horrible human rights record,” Hoffa said. “No agreement with Colombia should be considered until the government prosecutes the killers of trade unionists and until the union killings stop. Already this year, 11 trade unionists have been killed. It will take years to address the decades of violence and impunity that has taken place.”    » read more »