Some Colombia stuff

Readers of this blog are probably following the Colombia-Venezuela situation with interest. A development late last week: apparently Colombian authorities arrested an apparent FARC member, Rodrigo Granda, in Venezuela on January 13. If that’s true, it was an abduction – Chavez called it a violation of Venezuela’s sovereignty. Colombia claims it arrested Granda on the border, in Colombian territory. But now Venezuela has been distancing itself publicly from FARC.

Maybe Colombia and Venezuela need some American help to resolve their problems, huh?


Readers of this blog are probably following the Colombia-Venezuela situation with interest. A development late last week: apparently Colombian authorities arrested an apparent FARC member, Rodrigo Granda, in Venezuela on January 13. If that’s true, it was an abduction – Chavez called it a violation of Venezuela’s sovereignty. Colombia claims it arrested Granda on the border, in Colombian territory. But now Venezuela has been distancing itself publicly from FARC.

Maybe Colombia and Venezuela need some American help to resolve their problems, huh?

Maybe not. An editorial in Colombian daily El Espectador describes a documentary made by Adriana Villamarin and broadcast in October 2004, called “Porno mariners”. It’s about several Marines and ‘private contractors’ on a base in Tolemaida Colombia sexually abusing three children, and making a video about it which was distributed in the municipality of Melgar. The children were offered visas and money. The children and their families left the area.

The editorial couldn’t help but make the obvious connection. “This very country, whose armed forces practice torture and sexual abuse against civilians in other countries, is the same country that claims the moral authority to judge Colombians using extradition?” That’s right folks. The US extradited FARC member Simon Trinidad for trial in the US.

Don’t expect Uribe to return the favor.

Author: Justin Podur

Author of Siegebreakers. Ecology. Environmental Science. Political Science. Anti-imperialism. Political fiction. Teach at York U's FES. Author. Writer at ZNet, TeleSUR, AlterNet, Ricochet, and the Independent Media Institute.

3 thoughts on “Some Colombia stuff”

  1. The “children” in this video
    The “children” in this video at the youngest 18 years old. One of the females went to the local authorities and accused the men of physically abusing her and forcing her to have sex. Upon being re-called to the authorities due to this accusation, the “civilian contractors” showed the tapes were she was plainly shown receiving money and freely engaging in sex; no physical abuse was noted. She subsequently dropped the charges. Also, no active members of the US military were part of the videos. Do we make a conspirace theory every time a former member of the US military commits a crime in the US? Let’s be intellectually honest. Believe me, I’m no fan of US involvement in Colombia, but, I’m also honest with myself.

  2. Considero valioso el aporte
    Considero valioso el aporte de j, especialmente porque al menos en Bogotá no se dió trascendencia al hecho. Me acabo de enterar. (marzo de 2005).

    Invito a j a comentarnos cuáles son sus fuentes, si tuvo acceso al video completo, o si le ha escrito al autor del artículo de El Espectador para poner a disposición la información.

    Me declaro interesado en ganar argumentos para poder tomar una posición crítica sobre la absurda actitud colonialista y avasalladora de las decisiones de Gobierno de Bush.

  3. Me gusta colombia no soy
    Me gusta colombia no soy colombiana pero
    me gustaria ser heido a colombia es muy bonito.
    ando en busca se un colombianito presentenme a alguien

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