Most Colombian mayor candidates have criminal ties: NGO

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Colombia Reports

Most Colombian mayor candidates have criminal ties: NGO
Monday, 24 October 2011 11:20
Alice Boyd

An NGO monitoring Colombia's local elections said Monday a large majority of mayoral candidates have ties to convicted criminal politicians or paramilitary groups.

The announcement was made following an investigation by NGO Nuevo Arco Iris into the possibility of corruption in the upcoming October elections, to be held this Sunday.

Nuevo Arco Iris, a non-governmental organization committed to democratization and modernization in Colombia, said that "parapolitics" continues to be a major issue throughout Colombia.

The announcement undermines ongoing and highly publicized attempts by political parties to purge any members or candidates who have been linked to paramilitary groups.

Read more: http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/19891-majority-of-mayoral-candidates-have-paramilitary-ties-ngo.html

[Judi Lynn]

1. US union tells Clinton Colombian colleagues face 'elevated threat'

US union tells Clinton Colombian colleagues face 'elevated threat'
Saturday, 22 October 2011 09:05
Adriaan Alsema

U.S. labor union United Steelworkers sent Hillary Clinton an "emergency alert" Friday warning Secretary of State that Colombian unionists are under an "elevated threat" after Washington approved a free trade deal between the two countries.

The letter follows a warning by Colombia's largest workers union CUT that the number of threats against labor rights activists increased this year. "In 2010 there were 307 threats and so far this year there have been 251," the Colombian labor union said on its website. According to the USW, 23 unionists have been killed so far this year, 15 after the April signing of a bilateral treaty in which Colombia compromises itself to improve the protection of labor rights workers.

Both the USW and the CUT mentioned a letter allegedly received by the Colombian labor union on October 17 -- four days after the U.S. Congress approved the FTA -- in which, according to the USW, neo-paramilitary group Aguilas Negras announced its intention to "declare war against all" Colombian unions. Three of the union's leaders were explicitly named the "next military target" of the neo-paramilitary group.

"We would like to remind you that when given the first opportunity we will take any of you out of the way. As you already know we are already recognized as terrorists worldwide and we are not afraid to do this work now that we count on the support of large criminal groups like the Paisas, the Rastrojos, the Aguilas Negras etc.," part of the letter published by the CUT said.

More:
http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/economy/19868-us-union-tells-clinton-colombian-unions-under-elevated-threat-after-trade-deal.html

[Judi Lynn]

2. Study: Colombia anti-union violence undeterred

Study: Colombia anti-union violence undeterred
By Frank Bajak
Associated Press / October 2, 2011

BOGOTA, Colombia—A new study challenges claims from the administration of President Barack Obama that Colombia is making important strides in bringing to justice killers of labor activists and so deserves U.S. congressional approval of a long-stalled free trade pact.

The Human Rights Watch study found "virtually no progress" in getting convictions for killings that have occurred in the past 4 1/2 years.

It counted just six convictions obtained by a special prosecutions unit from 195 slayings between January 2007 and May 2011, with nearly nine in 10 of the unit's cases from that period in preliminary stages with no suspect formally identified.

Democrats in the U.S. Congress have long resisted bringing the Colombia trade pact to a vote, citing what they said is insufficient success in halting such killings.

More:
http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2011/10/02/study_colombia_anti_union_violence_undeterred/

[ShockediSay]

3. Hey! Our Congress is filled with criminal politicians who take bribes

from the 1%

[PSPS]

4. No problem. Sounds like an ideal "free trade" partner, right?

[Arctic Dave]

5. But.. but.. the UAW said the OK with the FTA because of Korea.

BArf.

Thanks Obama for selling out living and murdered unionist in Colombia.