Press Releases

U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) today sent a bipartisan letter to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on U.S.-Colombia Policy.

The letter, signed by 62 members of Congress, expresses support for a U.S. policy that emphasizes peace, development and human rights and urges the State Department to encourage all parties to stay the course at the negotiating table - and for the U.S. to reorient and redirect funds to the full implementation of a peace accord should the negotiations be successful.

The letter further expresses support for funding programs in Colombia that create the foundation for lasting peace, many of which already receive U.S. support, especially in the areas of rule of law, supporting victims of violence, ending the culture of impunity, and the implementation of Colombia's Law on Victims and Land Restitution. In particular, the letter argues in favor of greater attention to truth, justice and the participation of and attention to victims of violence and the armed conflict.

Four specific issues were highlighted as requiring answers as peace is being negotiated, namely freeing all remaining kidnapped victims and revealing the fate of all others who perished in captivity, what happened to the disappeared and who was responsible for their fate, ending the use of child soldiers and child recruitment, and ending the use of landmines and removing those already laid.

A pdf version of the letter, as well as a Spanish translation, is attached.