The US State Department is not cooperating with the Colombian prosecution of Chiquita for their use of paramilitary death squads to repress union organizing of banana workers.  The Colombia Action Network delegation in 2006 met with union organizers in Santa Marta who described the severe level of intimidation & harassment union members face from paramilitaries who are hired by US corporations like Chiquita.  For more information you can check out the links below.  Please call the US State Department at 202-647-4000 and demand that the US not cover up Chiquita's bloody role in Colombia. 

Please sign the Four Steps toward Hope and Change in US-Colombia Relations. We are calling on Congress people to use their votes and influence to achieve the following goals:

• NO US-COLOMBIA FREE TRADE AGREEMENT!
• NO US MILITARY AID TO COLOMBIA
• STOP THE EXTRAJUDICIAL EXECUTIONS AND FORCED DISPLACEMENTS!
• FREE COLOMBIA'S POLITICAL PRISONERS!

You can sign the petition by going to:

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/4steps4Colombia/

The essay below was written by Colombian trade unionist, video documentary producer, and political prisoner Liliany Obando. Liliany wrote her "Reflections" with Mother's Day in mind. Like many organizers for social justice in Colombia, Liliany is imprisoned with little to no evidence. The US government is funding and advising Colombia's judicial system, but it has only worsened with time. The US government also continues to fund and direct the Colombian Military and their paramilitary death squads. Under the US "Plan Colombia", labor unionists are murdered every week, nearly 4 million Colombian peasants are displaced from their land, and 7000 political opponents of President Uribe are imprisoned. The CAN wants to thank James Jordan of the Campaign for Labor Rights for translating the original Spanish essay. We demand "Free Liliany Obando!"