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U.S.-Colombia FTA Overview

Latest Colombia FTA News

On November 22, 2006 the Bush administration, signed the Colombia FTA despite major concerns in both Colombia and the United States over the murder of labor union leaders – and concerns that the agricultural provisions in the agreement could increase rural poverty and lead to an increase in drug trafficking and violence.

On April 7, 2008, after the agreement had languished because of (among other things) ongoing concerns about Colombia’s atrocious human rights record, the Bush administration sent the FTA legislation to Congress over the objections of Congressional leaders. As we explain in our statement, this unprecedented move virtually guarantees the ultimate demise of this latest NAFTA expansion deal.

Only days later, only April 10, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) reasserted congressional authority over trade policy-making by removing “Fast Track” rules from the Colombia FTA.

Read the Text of the Colombia NAFTA Expansion

For a summary of the concerns about the labor situation in Colombia, refer to this page at the U.S. Labor Education in the Americas Project.