Cuba

Military Aid to Colombia

CAFTA Update

SOA

Cuba
In light of the upcoming presidential election, the Bush administration’s courtship of the anti-Castro Cuban vote in Florida has manifested itself through a tightening of the existing embargo on Cuba. On June 16th, the official US policy towards Cuba changed via the implementation of far stricter regulations regarding travel, study, and financial remittances. The apparent purpose of the restrictions was to weaken the Castro government. Family visits to Cuba, previously limited to once a year, were to be limited to once every three years. Educational travel would be virtually terminated. The restrictions threatened to deepen the existing divide between Cuba and the US and further limit aid to everyday Cubans.

Fortunately, on July 8th the House of Representatives voted to overturn the new restrictions by a count of 221-194. It was a bi-partisan effort (46 Republican, 174 Democrats and 1 Independent), with many free trade and farm-state Republicans joining the Democrats in opposing the tightening of the embargo.

ACTION: Send a letter or make a phone call expressing support for those Colorado Representatives (Degette and Udall) who voted against recommendations of the "Commission for Assistance for a Free Cuba." (The body in charge of the enforcement of the US embargo of Cuba). Likewise, contact Representatives Musgrave, McInnis, Hefley, Tancredo and Beauprez and question their decision.

Sign a letter supporting Senator Kerry's position regarding travel and remittances:

http://www.ipetitions.com/campaigns/Kerrycubatravel

Military Aid in Colombia

In July, 23 US Senators signed and sent a letter to Colombian President Alvaro Uribe expressing their concerns regarding the Colombian military's human rights record and continued threats and attacks on union leaders and human rights workers. Both John Kerry and John Edwards signed the letter. Unfortunately, both Colorado Senators failed to sign. Their constituents deserve to know why. Please call and request an explanation as to why neither Allard nor Campbell failed to sign the Feingold-Dodd letter on Colombia.

Increased US Military Presence? In the previous Legislative Update (June2004), we reported that President Uribe requested an escalation of US military and civilian contractors presence as a component of Plan Colombia. If granted, this would increase the cap on US military in Colombia from 400 to 800 troops, signifying a dangerous increase in US participation in the 40 year-old civil war. An attempt in the US Senate to limit the increase to 500 troops was defeated. There is still a chance to keep US troop and contractor presence by supporting the House version (which would limit US military personnel and civilian contractors to 500 and 400, respectively).

In September, members of the Armed Services Committee will meet to reconcile the Senate and House versions of the 2005 Defense Authorization Bill. Colorado Rep. Joel Hefley and Senator Wayne Allard are members of this committee that will determine the US troop and contractor levels for Colombia.

ACTION: Please help prevent the US Military from increasing its involvement in yet another complicated foreign war. Colombia is already the third largest recipient of US military aid behind Israel and Egypt. Considering the human rights record of the Colombian military, the US policy in Colombia is in need of revision. Please call or write to Rep. Joel Hefley and Senator Wayne Allard requesting that he endorse the House version.

Visit the Latin American Working Group Website to see a sample letter that you can send to your congressperson- http://www.lawg.org/countries/colombia/trooplte.htm

Also, visit the same site to sign a petition to limit U.S. military aid to Colombia- http://www.lawg.org/tools/petition.htm

DR-CAFTA Update

It appears that a vote on the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) will not occur until after the presidential elections in November. This controversial proposal is based on the NAFTA model, and would further exacerbate the corporate globalization model in the five participating Central American countries (Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras, Costa Rica and now the Dominican Repuplic). In May, the US and the Trade Ministers from the 5 affected nations signed the proposal. The US Congress now must approve it before it can be enacted. It appears that there is insufficient support in Congress for the DR-CAFTA proposal, which is why the Bush Administration will wait until after the November presidential and congressional elections before attempting to push the agreement through Congress.

Senator Kerry has vowed to "renegotiate" the details of DR-CAFTA to strengthen the environmental and labor provisions. Senator Edwards has historically voted against such agreements. While Kerry's position falls short of complete rejection of the proposal, it is a definite improvement to the Bush version that would certainly result in further environmental degradation, further US job losses, and increased labor exploitation by the beneficiaries of such free trade agreements.

There is potential urgency in this matter due to the possibility that DR-CAFTA proponents may attempt to push through a vote in late November's lame-duck session.  This threat stems from the fact that Senator Kerry, if elected, has promised to alter the existing DR-CAFTA environmental and labor sections. 

ACTION: Encourage your elected officials to vote against CAFTA. Make CAFTA an issue when determining your vote for Congress and President this November.

There is a petition from organizations designed to prevent a DR-CAFTA vote from being pushed through the lame-duck session.  If you represent an organization, sign the petition that will be presented to Representatives if the DR-CAFTA legislation is put to vote in a lame-duck session.

To sign the petition, click on:

www.stopcafta.org/modinput.php?modin=2

SOA Update

On November 19-21, the annual gathering of activists will converge on Fort Benning, GA to speak out in solidarity with the people of the Americas and to shut down the School of Americas/Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation. There is no SOA/WHINSEC-related legislation planned for the remainder of 2004. Rep McGovern has promised a vote on SOA/WHINSEC in 2005, so it is important to stay abreast of the situation.

For more information, please visit the SOA Watch Website at: www.soaw.org