Action Center - Latin America Working Group

Hear What We Hear: Human Rights NOW

by Lisa Haugaard, Vanessa Kritzer, and Jenny Johnson on October 09, 2009

They don't get it... yet.

Although we now have new leadership in Washington, they still don't understand what they need to do to stand up for human rights. They think that by saying more about the importance of human rights and democracy than the Bush Administration did, they are making progress. But we know that until they actually change U.S. policies to support victims of violence in places like Mexico and Colombia, they will continue to be a part of the problem, not the solution.

Now, if we can get them to hear what we hear from people in Mexico and Colombia and know what we know, they might change their tune.

So, this month we are launching a "Human Rights NOW" campaign, which will use innovative tactics to get them to make human rights come first in U.S. policy.

:2009, Action Alerts, Action Alerts

Actions Speak Louder Than Words for Mexico and Colombia

by Vanessa Kritzer, Lisa Haugaard, and Jennifer Johnson on October 02, 2009

Actions speak louder than words.

This seems like a simple concept. But lately, the Obama Administration and the State Department seem to have forgotten it when dealing with Latin America. Despite serious human rights abuses by Colombian and Mexican security forces alike, the State Department just went ahead and declared that both countries were meeting the human rights requirements needed in order to receive more U.S. military aid.

Click here to send a fax to Secretary of State Clinton asking her to stand up for human rights!

:2009, Action Alerts, Action Alerts

Uribe's First Visit to the Obama White House

by Travis Wheeler, Vanessa Kritzer, and Lisa Haugaard on June 24, 2009

So it's going to happen. Colombian President Uribe will make his first visit to the Obama White House next Monday to discuss the future of Plan Colombia and the stalled U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with President Obama. While the two leaders met at the Summit of the Americas in April, this could be the moment when President Obama makes clear his positions on Colombia. It's up to us to use this opportunity to make sure that he sets the right course from the get-go by making human rights a priority in U.S. policy towards Colombia.

:2009, Action Alerts

Write a Letter to the Editor: Don't Break Colombia's Heart

by Vanessa Kritzer and Lisa Haugaard on September 11, 2009

$800,000 on hearts.

You heard that right. With a massive humanitarian crisis on their hands, the Colombian government is spending $800,000 on an installation of more than forty, 8-13 ft tall heart sculptures in DC and New York this fall. This campaign, called "Colombia Is Passion," was supposedly designed to educate Americans about the "real" Colombia, a fun and beautiful country in which violence and human rights abuses are a thing of the distant past.

At this point, you might be asking, "Why this? Why now?"

:2009, Action Alerts

Making Displaced Colombians Visible

by Travis Wheeler and Lisa Haugaard on June 01, 2009

We're emailing to say "¡gracias!" for participating in the 2009 Days of Prayer and Action for Colombia. Whether you mailed postcards to President Obama, organized a prayer service for your local congregation, or simply sent good vibes in our direction, you were part of the largest national call for peace in Colombia and change in the United States' approach since 2003. Give yourself a pat on the back—you deserve it!

:Action Alerts

Obama Hears Our Message on Colombia, But Now We Need Action

by Vanessa Kritzer and Lisa Haugaard on July 09, 2009

Well, it wasn't the ringing call for respect for human rights and freedom of expression that we longed for --that's for sure. But when President Obama met with Colombian President Uribe on June 29th, it was clear that he had been listening to our message on Colombia.

:2009, Action Alerts

What's Needed Now

by Travis Wheeler and Lisa Haugaard on May 26, 2009

Earlier this month the Obama Administration submitted its foreign aid budget request to Congress, giving us the first clear indication of where the administration intends to take Colombia policy. The administration has said many good (and needed) things since coming to office, but now that they're showing us the money—and repeating the Bush Administration's military aid request—it's clear that these positive words are not yet being backed up with positive deeds.

:Action Alerts