| See what leading U.S. newspapers are saying about Colombia and the Trade Promotion Agreement:
''Offering the Colombians anything less than access to
economic growth would be unfair and damaging not only to them, but to us.''
- San Francisco Chronicle, June 13, 2007
''For Congress to now say that it is disgusted by the violence, particularly against one sector of the Colombia population, and to use that argument to undermine a free trade treaty, is a travesty.''
- The South Florida Sun-Sentinel, October 29, 2007
''In 1991, [Colombia's] annual murder rate was 381 per 100,000 people - more than 500 homicides a month. In 2002, it was 184 per 100,000. Last year, it fell below 30, making Washington, D.C., look bad in comparison.''
- Newsweek, November 10, 2007
''Few countries in the Western Hemisphere have
shown as much improvement on human rights and international crime issues as Colombia, but Democrats threaten they'll kill that deal, too. That would have the odious effect of keeping some Colombian farmers in the illegal drug business. Reducing barriers to trade would give Colombian farmers a better incentive to sell legal agricultural
products.''
- The Detroit News, August 12, 2007
''With Venezuela's Hugo Chavez seeking to undermine U.S. influence in
Latin America while spreading his crackpot form of socialism, now is not
the time to stiff a friendly and embattled Colombia.''
- The Sacramento Bee, October 8, 2007
''Free-trade treaties are actually a big opportunity to draw friendly countries like Colombia closer to the U.S. The high investment they attract creates jobs and reduces the appeal of hard-left populism. It's a major reason why populist leaders like Venezuela's Chavez oppose them. ''
- Investor's Business Daily, January 4, 2008
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|  | |  | | Did you know?
| | | Colombia was praised in the World Bank's 2008 ''Doing Business'' report as one of the top 10 economic reformers in the world over the past two years - the only Latin American country to achieve such acclaim.
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| | | | Overheard
| | | ''...the government of Colombia and the social partners have worked in close collaboration with the ILO to promote and defend the fundamental worker rights, specifically their physical integrity, freedom of association and collective bargaining...we are pleased to refer to the developments in Colombia as a case of progress.''
--Statement by the European Union and several other countries, March 20, 2007
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