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"Pass the Colombian Trade Agreement"

Editorial, The New York Times | November 18, 2008

In 2006 president Bush signed a free-trade agreement with Colombia that Congress has yet to pass, arguing Colombia’s state of human rights is unacceptable. ++ Most Colombian exports are free of tariffs, in view of efforts to combat the drug economy there. ++ The US would benefit from such an agreement by not having to pay high tariffs on exports to Colombia. ++ With regard to the $600 million that the US provides for military and anti-narcotics aid, Washington has a powerful tool to press for an improvement of Colombia’s human rights record.