Colombia: Prospering economy overshadows thousands of political prisoners
Colombia: Prospering economy overshadows thousands of political prisoners
Posted Jul 8, 2014, 2:36 pm
Hannah Matthews
GlobalPost
Colombia, once a byword for crime, violence and instability, is opening its doors to foreign investment, tourism and an influx of international attention.
Recently re-elected president Juan Manuel Santos' has a strong record of growing Colombia's economy by engaging with new trading partners and signing agreements. Last month, following through on campaign promises to continue the upward trajectory and push for a peace agreement with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), the president signed a trade agreement with the European Union.
The move was applauded and the country heralded as a strong emerging market with many major international companies setting up offices in what they call the up-and-coming business capital of Latin America. Colombia has already seen an influx of $622.5 million — the largest inflow into an emerging market-economy this year.
A group of leading Colombian businessmen including heads of major banks, architects and several members of the financial sector openly expressed their support of the re-elected president in a letter stating, "Your government is responsible for unprecedented economic results, including a rise in employment, a rise in foreign investment and excellent international relations."
But behind the veneer of a quickly modernizing country, a hidden world of gross human rights violations continues to exist with at least 4,000 alleged political prisoners – though some estimates are as high as 9,500 — currently incarcerated in prisons across Colombia, with little to no media attention at the local or international levels.
Political prisoners are civilians jailed for their political beliefs and their democratic opposition to the policies of the Colombian government, and include numerous trade unionists, students and community leaders, human rights activists, indigenous people, academics and other activists and campaigners.
More:
http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/nationworld/report/070814_colombia_pol_prisoners/colombia-prospering-economy-overshadows-thousands-political-prisoners/
