Across the Americas

Nov 4, 2007 -- The leftist Alternative Democratic Pole held on to the mayoral office in the Colombian capital with the Oct. 28 election of former Sen. Samuel Moreno Rojas.

Moreno, grandson of former dictator Gustavo Rojas Pinilla (1953-57), captured 43.7 percent of the votes despite attacks from President Álvaro Uribe, who supported right-wing candidate Enrique Peñalosa, who served as Bogota’s mayor between 1998-2000. Peñalosa won just 28 percent.

06/29/2007 -- “We believe there must first be concrete evidence of sustained results on the ground in Colombia, and Members of Congress will continue working with all interested parties to help achieve this end before consideration of any FTA. Consequently, we cannot support the Colombia FTA at this time." Read the full statement.

This analysis was prepared by COHA Senior Research Fellow Dr. W John Green, May 15th, 2007, http://www.coha.org

Just months after Colombian President Alvaro Uribe Vélez’s landslide re-election in May 2006, some critics began pointing to ‘cracks in the pedestal’ of his popularity. The ongoing brouhaha surrounding the evident connections between the Uribe government and the paramilitary organizations, however, make that claim seem like so much wishful thinking. Uribe’s millions of supporters have long been aware of his ties to the paramilitaries but have chosen to ignore them, though they realize that they made a deal with the Devil. Without question, a majority of voting Colombians want to stay the course.

by Alfredo Molano, elespectador.com, 04/05/07. Translated to English by CIP.

Looking ahead, the way that big businessmen do, the Pacific coast and the eastern plains are the country's most promising regions in terms of value and profitability, taking into account the FTA [free trade agreement] and the paramilitaries' “reinsertion.” Or as the youngsters in Planning [the presidency's Department of Planning] might say, in the future soybeans, oil palm, corn, and sugarcane should displace the obsolete extensive cattle-ranching, bananas and basic food crops. And this project has been underway for several years now.

By Ian Swanson, The Hill, March 27, 2007

Organized labor is pressing the House Democratic Caucus to reject a free-trade agreement (FTA) with Colombia no matter what changes the Bush administration agrees to make, and the message is resonating with senior Democrats.