Month of December, 2007

Six months ago, when news of the deal struck by the Chiquita executives with the US Dept of Justice hit the press, the Colombian public was justifiably outraged that none of the managers of the North American company would personally pay any penalty. The Colombian media - notably, Caracol, RCN, and Caracol - generously granted me air time to call for the extradition of the Chiquita executives. Although this point of view was quite popular in Colombia, the concept of extraditing North Americans to Colombia met with a great deal of skepticism. Nobody thought it was possible. After all, no gringo has ever been extradited to Colombia before. But now it's a real possibility.

The National Committee to Free Ricardo Palmera, along with students and other activists from around the country protested here Dec. 3 against the sentencing of Colombian revolutionary Ricardo Palmera. Ricardo Palmera was convinced of 'conspiracy to kidnap' in July. The other false charges the government attempted to pin on him met with a hung jury.

Drummond Co.'s July legal victory over accusations it ordered the murders of three Colombian labor leaders has been appealed to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta.

The US and Canadian governments repeatedly point to a recent reduction in the number of Colombian labor leaders killed as justification for a free trade agreement. However, in actuality, the intensity of attacks against Colombian workers has increased, not decreased, under the Uribe government—and state security forces are directly responsible for an increasing number of the abuses.

A justice minister -- later assassinated -- complained in the 1980s that drug dealing had infiltrated politics, possibly even the Uribe family, documents showed.

The treatment given to messengers has sparked wars or has been seen as a sign of political will and mutual trust and confidence. The arrest and imprisonment of two young women carrying evidence showing that at least 17 of the 45 hostages held by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrillas are still alive could place an insurmountable roadblock in the path forged by Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, in his efforts to broker an agreement for an exchange of hostages for imprisoned rebels.

protestrnc2008.org Everyone who wants to end the U.S. war on Iraq should join the massive march planned for September 1, 2008 - the first day of the Republican National Convention. Inside the convention hall, the Xcel Center, the Republicans will nominate a candidate who wants to continue the war.

Outside, tens of thousands will say "No!" The *Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War *invites you - activists and organizers form all progressive movements - to join us for a national conference to help organize the September 1 march. We will also discuss other plans for protest at the Republican National Convention.

The people of Colombia, like the people of Iraq, need us in the streets protesting at the Republican Convention. We need to stop the U.S. sponsored war in their country, to stop spending working peoples tax dollars to prop up a corrupt narco-trafficking regime. The American public is increasingly aware of the U.S. atrocities in Iraq and becoming more adamantly anti-war. This public outrage will manifest itself at the RNC. We have an opportunity to educate the 100,000 plus people who will come to St. Paul, MN to demonstrate at the RNC about how the U.S.' effort in Iraq is not the only example of this country's quest for empire causing death and destruction.

On December 3rd Colombian revolutionary Ricardo Palmera faces sentencing in a Washington D.C. federal court. The National Committee to Free Ricardo Palmera will pack the courtroom in support of this brave freedom fighter. Ricardo Palmera is a peace negotiator for Colombia’s rebels - the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). The U.S. extradited Palmera to a prison outside Washington D.C. and hold him in solitary confinement - no family, no friends, no reporters, not even his own Colombian lawyer. Palmera only defends his country and fights for freedom and democracy for the Colombian people.