House Majority Leader Hoyer (D), waves pom poms for Plan Colombia

[rabs]

From Bogota magazine Semana online today: (No English available yet and I wonder whether Hoyer's mental faculties are completely intact.)

Una delegación de legisladores de los Estados Unidos, encabezada por el demócrata Steny Hoyer, en visita de dos días a Colombia, aseguró que el Plan Colombia antidrogas ha sido efectivo y debe continuar.

(A U.S. congressional delegation on a two-day visit to Colombia, headed by Democrat Steny Hoyer assured that the anti-drug Plan Colombia has been effective and should continue.)

"El Plan Colombia ha funcionado, está funcionando y necesita continuar", precisó Hoyer, luego de un encuentro con el presidente Alvaro Uribe y el Ministro de Defensa Juan Manuel Santos en el puerto turístico de Cartagena en el litoral caribeño.

("Plan Colombia has worked, is working and it needs to continue," Hoyer said after meeting with President Alavaro Uribe and Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos in Cartajena,a tourist port city on the Caribbean coast.


Hoyes destacó los avances de Colombia en materia de derechos humanos

(Hoyer highlighted Colombia's advance in human rights


El parlamentario por Maryland, aseguró que apoya el Tratado de Libre Comercio entre su país y Colombia, el cual se espera que sea refrendado por el congreso de los Estados Unidos. "Regresamos con la esperanza de trabajar con la administración Obama, para ver que este tema avance".

(The Maryland legislator said he backs the Free Trade agreement between his country and Colombia ....

Los 10 legisladores, liderados por Hoyes, que aprovecharon el receso del congreso, viajarán a Medellín, a 250 kilómetros al noroeste de Bogotá, donde recibirán información acerca de la recuperación que tuvo esa capital departamental que fue considerada como la ciudad más violenta de Colombia.

(The 10 legislators will travel to Medellin next where they will receive information about the recuperation of that capital ...)

Article does not say who the other nine legislators are.

[Judi Lynn]

1. Oh, christ. I knew he's an ass, but what the heck. This is so damned LOW.

His actions will appeal to scum ridden maggots but he's going to see the world turn its back on him, in time.

Does he spend his time drinking, or what's his problem? He surely doesn't identify with human beings, or give a flying #### about the poor and helpless of the world.

Screw the clown.

Thanks for the information, rabs, just looked in, can't stay, will return later.

Sure glad I saw this posted. You might want to put this one in LBN, too, as it's going to get a lot of attention there, no doubt, from the Democrats here at Democratic Underground.

[romy]

2. Diplomacy

I posted the link in a different thread as well, as Hoyer addresses Colombian officials http://www.cipcol.org/?p=819
Perhaps naiive, but I don't make too much of these words. One must remember the closeness that developed between Colombia and the US under previous US administrations, then juxtapose to the current US administration that has had little contact with Colombia. Therefore, I'm fine with this as part of setting a friendly stage of diplomacy that can lead to discussion of the grave human rights issues in Colombia.

[rabs]

3. Thanks romy for posting the link in English

I had only seen a brief Spanish version. Yours is more complete. Fmi where did you post the link? Did not see it just now after a quick scan of LBN or GD forums.

Hope you are right that Hoyer is just going through the motions at this time and that it could lead to more serious discussions on the human rights situation there. You are correct that since Obama took over, Colombia's Uribe all of a sudden has become the odd man out and isolated not only from Washington but throughout South America.

I am relatively new to posting too, but welcome to DU and look forward to more posting from you on Colombia.

[romy]

4. Thanks for the welcome

I posted in this section, under the Uribe attacks journalists thread.
Isolation of Colombia is certainly an issue that needs to be considered by politicians there. Elections are coming up soon and I think this will need to addressed.

[romy]

5. Compilation of drug-war statistics: Colombia

Nothing new, I don't think, but it's nicely presented
http://www.cipcol.org/?p=826

[Judi Lynn]

6. Thanks for the stats. DU'er Peace Patriot will be interested in seeing these.

She'll be involved in work for awhile, not able to post as often, temporarily, so I've sent your link to make sure she sees this.

[Peace Patriot]

7. Billions of US taxpayer dollars to Colombia, and the cocaine just keeps on coming.

There is lots and lots and lots of money to be made for US war profiteers--and, who knows, probably direct profits (I certainly think it's true of the Bush Cartel, and may be true of jerks like Steny Hoyer)--from the drug trade itself. How else explain this INSANE policy? Whenever you see insanity in government policy--like slaughtering a million innocent people in Iraq, or the thousands killed in Colombia and millions jailed at home, in the failed, corrupt, murderous US "war on drugs," follow the money. Greed is driving it. That is why common sense cannot be made to prevail.

Romy, thank you for these statistics. They tell this tale of horror and corruption like nothing else.