Political Quotes

“if I had been born in Colombia, I would probably be dead. As a former president of my labor union, my fight for higher wages, better working conditions, and secure pension could have cost me my life. Thirty-nine trade unionists were murdered in Colombia in 2007, and they are being killed at a rate of over one per week this year. Even more alarming is only around 3 percent of cases result in convictions, illustrating the culture of violence that has existed in Colombia for decades. Inexplicably, President Bush wants to reward Colombia with a free trade agreement. Not on my watch. The right to organize and bargain collectively is essential to human freedom and the passage of the U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement would greatly diminish our Nation's reputation as a leader in the fight to end human rights abuses worldwide. We should not even consider this agreement until Colombia puts a stop to the violence against union organizers.”