Free Ricardo Palmera! End US Intervention in Colombia!

Protest August 20th in Washington, DC

The Bush Administration is starting a new trial against Colombian revolutionary Ricardo Palmera on August 20th. The Colombia Action Network calls for its supporters to join the National Committee to Free Ricardo Palmera's picket at the D.C. Federal Court Building to demand Palmera's immediate release. Palmera's supporters plan to picket the courts prior to jury selection.

The US has given almost $5 billion in military aid to Colombia since 2000. Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, & Colombia Action Network (CAN) delegations have all documented that our tax dollars are going directly to support military & death squad violence in Colombia.

Recent news reports demonstrate that US corporations like Drummond & Chiquita, as well as the Colombian government, use US supported death squads to attack & kill trade unionists, human rights workers, & campesinos (peasants) who question the US' free trade agenda or President Uribe's right wing policies.

FARC – EP peace negotiator Ricardo Palmera's extradition & trial demonstrate a new chapter in US intervention in Colombia. The Colombia Action Network is against ALL forms of US intervention in Colombia - whether it's capturing & trying peace negotiators or sending weapons, contractors, & soldiers.

The Bush administration's new excuse for trying Palmera is for drug trafficking. However, the Colombia Action Network sees these charges for what they really are: a political smokescreen. Since the Clinton administration, the US has used the "war on drugs" to justify the trampling of Colombian sovereignty. There is increasing evidence and news coverage of the connections between the drug cartels and members of Colombian President Uribe's cabinet, military intelligence services, and the ruling coalition. If the Bush administration was really serious about drugs they would use the funds they spend on war on Colombia instead on drug rehabilitation efforts in our own country, they would stop fumigating crops which only increase the campesinos (peasants) poverty and need to grow cocoa, and would stop giving arms to the Colombian military and para-militaries who are known internationally for their dealings with the drug cartels.

The Colombia Action Network supports the calls for demonstrations at Palmera's trial in DC. We encourage everyone concerned about US intervention in Colombia to participate.

Free Ricardo Palmera!
Picket line and press conference for Ricardo Palmera's freedom!
Monday, August 20th, 2007,
8:30 a.m. picket line, 9:00 a.m. press conference
Federal Court Building (333 Constitution Ave. NW)
Washington, D.C.

Organized by the National Committee to Free Ricardo Palmera & endorsed by the Colombia Action Network

For more information, contact Tom Burke at 773-844-3612 or Mick Kelly at 612-715-3280 or go to info@freericardopalmera.org or www.freericardopalmera.org