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InfoBrief – July 12, 2004
InfoBrief is a weekly news summary of events in the U.S. and Colombia produced and distributed by the U.S. Office on Colombia. Colombia This Week is reproduced with the kind permission of the ABColombia Group in London. Other sources include U.S. and Latin American newspapers, and reports from non-profit and grassroots groups. The content does not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Office on Colombia. If you would like to receive InfoBrief please contact jess_hunter@usofficeoncolombia.org indicating why you would be interested in this weekly news service
U.S. Current Affairs and Media
- Farr Amendment is Narrowly Defeated in Congressional Committee An amendment offered by Representative Sam Farr (D-CA) to the Foreign Appropriations bill to set the “troop cap” at 500 U.S. soldiers and 400 private contractors permitted in Colombia was narrowly defeated in the House of Representatives Appropriations Committee. The Committee was debating the 2005 Foreign Appropriations bill which will now move to the full House for approval. Lisa Haugaard of the Latin America Working Group stated that repeated amendments to limit any troop cap increase in Colombia, such as those offered by Rep. Farr (D-CA), Rep. Taylor (D-MS), and Senator Byrd (D-WV), “show that there has been resistance to the troop cap increase each step of the way.” Discrepancies in the House and Senate versions of the Defense Authorization bill—which also addresses the troop cap issue—will be reconciled in the coming months. The dangers of such an increase are exemplified by the situation of three U.S. contractors held hostage by the FARC for over a year. In a recent interview Mariana Howes, wife of hostage Tom Howes, said that her husband’s kidnapping continues to be difficult. “I have to be strong,” she says, “(but) the uncertainty is horrible”
- US Returns Extradited Colombian Rebel The U.S. exonerated an alleged FARC guerilla member of crimes related to the murder of three U.S. citizens in Colombia in 1999. Nelson Vargas was extradited to the United States in May 2003 after being charged with the killing of three aid workers who were visiting U’wa indigenous community. The three were kidnapped by the FARC in February 1999 and their gunshot riddled bodies were found a month later near the Venezuelan border. The murder prompted U.S. officials to end contacts with the FARC, until those responsible for the deaths were handed over to American officials. Colombia’s Office of the Prosecutor sought to exonerate Vargas in May stating that he was, “innocent in the murder of the three Americans.” A U.S. official stated that Vargas’ extradition was “beyond doubt” a case of mistaken identity and that Vargas has been returned to Colombia where he will serve out the remaining months of a rebellion conviction.
- Cuba Holding Colombian Drug Leader The alleged head of the Cali-based Norte del Valle cartel, Luis Hernando Gomez Bustamante was captured in Cuba on July 2nd. Bustamante is accused of smuggling $10 billion worth of cocaine to the United States during the past decade. Bustamante was arrested for entering Cuba on a false passport and was being held at an Interior Ministry center for crimes against state security. The U.S. indicted Bustamante last year on charges of drug-trafficking and offered a $5 million reward for information leading to Bustamante’s arrest. There is currently no extradition treaty between the U.S. and Cuba. Bustamante is also wanted in Colombia, but it is unclear if Cuba will turn over custody of the drug lord to the Colombian authorities. There were reports last week that if Bustamante is deported to Colombia, Colombian authorities will extradite him to the U.S.
- United Nations Worried About Displaced Population in Colombia The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) warned in a recent report that every day approximately 500 people join the Colombia’s internally displaced population. Fabio Varoli, deputy head of the UNHCR’s mission in Colombia, stated that, “the situation is getting worse. Last year there were 150,000 new displaced persons and now the total is more than three million according to NGOs, and two million according to the government.” Recently Colombia’s Constitutional Court ruled that the government was failing in its obligations to the country’s internally displaced people. Luis Alfonso Hoyos, head of the Uribe Administration’s Solidarity Network countered that, “the (Colombian government) will only be satisfied once the problem is completely resolved…there’s still a lot to be done. But progress has been made.” Human rights groups have estimated that if the fighting in Colombia were to end immediately, it would take at least 15 years for the problem of internal displacement to subside.
- United States and Colombia Affirm Joint Goals on Social Issues Lina Moreno of the Colombian Office of President’s Advisory Group for Special Projects and U.S. Ambassador to Colombia, William B. Wood, signed a letter on July 7 th in which the U.S. government committed to continue funding the agency’s development work. The Office of the Colombian President’s Advisory Group for Special Programs works on several programs dealing with children’s issues with the help of nearly $1million from USAID since August 2002. These programs are coordinated with the Catholic Church, civil society organizations, and private donors to reach over 120 municipalities.
- Goodyear Plans to Expand Operations in Colombia The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company announced a $50 million dollar expansion at its Cali, Colombia manufacturing plant to produce radial medium tires. Eduardo Fortunato, president of Goodyear’s Latin America Region, stated that, “growth in the Colombian tire market is encouraging, and new opportunities created by radial medium truck tire manufacturing and sales are exciting propositions.”
Upcoming Events and Seminars in the U.S. If you have news of upcoming events in your area please forward them to jess_hunter@usofficeoncolombia.org .
There is no CTW this week. We apologize for any inconvenience.
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