COLOMBIAN OIL WORKERS UNION (USO)
NATIONAL EXECUTIVE BOARD
www.usofrenteobrero.org

February 17, 2007

AN OPEN LETTER TO THE HONORABLE MEMBERS OF THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES

Bogotá, January 23, 2007

OPEN LETTER TO THE HONORABLE REPRESENTATIVES, TO THE COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS AND TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

ATTN: REPRESENTATIVE CHARLES RANGEL

Bogotá, enero 23 de 2007

CARTA ABIERTA A LOS HONORABLES REPRESENTANTES, A LA COMISIÓN DE MEDIOS Y ARBITRIOS Y A LA CÁMARA DE REPRESENTANTES DE ESTADOS UNIDOS DE AMÉRICA Y ATENCIÓN AL REPRESENTANTE CHARLES RANGEL

Bogotá, Jan 21 -- Senator Jorge Robledo announced on Sunday new demonstrations against the congressional approval of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the governments of Colombia and the US.

Robledo noted that his party, the Polo Democrático Alternativo, along with grassroots organizations is organizing protests against the FTA, which, according to him, will destroy thousands of jobs in the countryside as well as small and medium companies.

Bogotá, Colombia, 15 de enero de 2007

H. Congressman
CHARLES RANGEL
House of Representatives

A raíz del triunfo demócrata en las elecciones del pasado 7 de noviembre y en nuestra calidad de organizaciones sindicales, ambientales, de campesinos y pequeños comerciantes, de comunidades negras e indígenas, de mujeres y de derechos humanos, nos damos cuenta que este cambio en Washington ofrece la oportunidad de evitar los daños que acarreará lo acordado en el TLC entre Estados Unidos y Colombia, muchos de los cuales han sido señalados por importantes líderes demócratas en Estados Unidos

Bogotá, Colombia, January 15, 2007

The Honorable
CHARLES RANGEL
Chairman, Committee on Ways and Means
United States House of Representatives
Washington DC 20515 - U.S.A.

As a coalition of union, environmental, peasant, and small business organizations, communities of Afro-Colombians and indigenous people, and women’s and human rights groups, we realize that the Democratic Party victory in the November 7 elections affords an opportunity to prevent various harmful effects inherent in the Free Trade Agreement between the United States and Colombia. Many of these impending problems have been noted by leaders of the Democratic Party in the United States.

13 de noviembre de 2006

Honorables
SENADORES Y CONGRESISTAS
Estados Unidos de América
Washington D.C.

Cordial saludo:

No hay una sola organización representativa de los trabajadores, campesinos, indígenas, estudiantes, intelectuales y demás sectores populares de Colombia que respalde el TLC con Estados Unidos. Incluso, la mayoría de las agremiaciones de empresarios agrícolas se opuso al texto del Tratado hasta el 27 de febrero de 2006, día en que se impuso su firma. Pero no rechazamos el TLC porque por principios nos opongamos a los negocios internacionales o a las relaciones con Estados Unidos. Nos oponemos porque sacrifica la soberanía de Colombia, anexa la economía nacional a la estadounidense y le quita al país los principales instrumentos del desarrollo, lo que empobrecerá más a casi todos los colombianos.

In one of its final acts, the outgoing 109th US Congress narrowly passed a bill containing a raft of trade preferences and other commercial measures long pursued by the Bush administration. Support from both Republicans and Democrats was essential to securing passage of the bill.

Kristin Sampson, Senior Research Associate of the Engendering Economic and Social Policy project - December 08, 2006.

International trade issues have frequently emerged as a topic in recent Washington Post editorials. Last week, Robert J. Samuelson in his editorial “’Fair Trade' Foolishness” argued that “In the name of “fair trade,” we may punish our own exporters.” Samuelson goes on to suggest that opposition by Democratic leaders to the pending free trade agreements with Colombia and Peru signifies “trade obstructionism.” The basic crux of his argument is that the indictment against free trade is largely wrong and that now is precisely the time for the U.S. to be involved in trade negotiations to expand export markets.

Mark Engler, DemocracyUprising.com -- Positive signs that a new Democratic Congress is breaking with the corporate globalization agenda. November 30, 2006.

Long a bipartisan crusade in Washington, “free trade” is now set to face some overdue opposition. And there’s no better time to start the rumble than in the lame duck session of Congress.