Colombia pushes to save proposed trade deal with U.S. [View All]

[Omaha Steve]

Source: USA TODAY

By David J. Lynch, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON — Congressional Democrats who are delaying action on a proposed trade deal with Colombia, saying violence against labor leaders there too often goes unpunished, are acting mostly for "domestic politics," according to Colombian Vice President Francisco Santos.

"We're not extraterrestrials. We understand how politics are done," he said in an interview Thursday with USA TODAY.

Santos said Colombia, which has been embroiled in armed conflict for four decades, has made great progress in recent years reducing violence, including against union leaders. And he disputed claims that most of the roughly 300 killings of labor leaders the past five years were linked to their union activities. This year, for example, 15 of 16 murders of union officials that were prosecuted stemmed from "common criminal issues," he said.

CONTROVERSY: Murder and payoffs taint business in Columbia

Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/money/world/2007-11-01-colombia-trade-deal_N.htm