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Colombia Deal Has Officials' Support

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By WILLIAM MARCH

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 6, 2008

TAMPA - Florida Sen. Mel Martinez came through Tampa on Monday with the Colombian ambassador to the United States to promote the Colombian Free Trade Agreement, a pact that has become politically controversial even though both sides acknowledge its economic effects would not be large.

House Democrats are stalling the agreement, and Democratic presidential contenders Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama have both said they oppose it.

Martinez and Ambassador Carolina Barco met with Tampa business leaders and port officials at midday, then sat for an interview with The Tampa Tribune editorial board.

Martinez said the agreement would substantially benefit Florida, the top trading partner with Colombia among the states, and would increase U.S. exports by $1 billion a year. He said it would do little if any harm to any U.S. industry: Most Colombian exports already enter the U.S. with no tariffs, but U.S. exports must pay tariffs in Colombia. Those tariffs would be ended.

Martinez said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is violating the "fast-track" Trade Promotion Authority legislation by refusing to have a vote on the treaty. Pelosi has denied that; Congress specifically has authority to delay under the fast-track legislation, Democrats say.

Democrats have said they don't want to kill the Colombian trade pact, only delay it to pressure the Colombian government to halt the killings of union organizers in the country and pressure President Bush to take measures to improve the U.S. economy.

Barco said the killings of union organizers have been substantially reduced, though not eliminated, under new government programs to provide them protection and prosecute killers.

She said Colombia has been a strong U.S. ally but faces hostility from anti-U.S. neighbors, including Venezuela. Because other nations nearby, including Chile and Peru, have free-trade pacts with the United States, the lack of one in Colombia is an economic disadvantage as the nation works to combat drug cartels and a violent guerilla movement, she said.

"The U.S. has in Colombia one of its best friends, long-term friends," she said.

The political backdrop appears to make it unlikely the pact will make headway before November's election, however. Democrats in Congress are angry at Bush for sending it to them and seeking a quick vote when they preferred to delay. Republicans in Congress, meanwhile, have gone on a public relations offensive in favor of the pact, apparently seeking to make the Democrats appear anti-business.

Reporter William March can be reached at (813) 259-7761 or wmarch@tampatrib.com.

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