GLJ-IRLF Sends Letter in Support of SITRATALSA Trade Union Leader Santos Celestina Carranza Ruiz

Oxfam AmericaPartnership for Working FamiliesRainforest Action Network (RAN)The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) Unidad Latina en Accion -ConnecticutWashington Office on Latin America WeCount! -Florida Witness for Peace Solidarity CollectiveWorkers Center of Central New YorkWorkers Defense Action Fund -TexasWorkers’ Dignity/Dignidad Obrera -Nashville

Cooperationand Development (OECD) must be used to align its practices regarding freedoms of association, expression and assembly with those of the OECD.In addition, the Biden administration should impress upon Colombia the importance of accepting the fact-finding mission recently proposed by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR).The U.S. human rights and labor movements, stand in solidarity with the National Strike Committee (Comité Nacional del Paro) and the Colombian people from different sectors, communities and regions, especially young people and women,small farmers,indigenous and Afro-descendent communities, as they continueto peacefullymobilize and protest in support of their full demands, including negotiating an agreement with the Colombian social movements on taxreformthat motivated the recent protests, and negotiations over the Unified Emergency Proposal of the National Strike Committee.These demands are not the product of the most recent events but reflect widespread discontent with the Duque government’s refusal to honor the commitments of the 2016 peace process, rising poverty and inequality, and public health distress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.Simply de-escalating the violent repression of valid social protest while urgently needed will not resolve the root causes of the 2019 protests and current ones.We urge theBidenadministration to offerstrongguidance and formsof assistance that focus on immediately restoring constitutional order with full protection of human rights and democracy to the country andsupporting good faith negotiations to reach clear and binding commitments on these issues.Thank you for your time and attention to this urgent matter. Sincerely,ActionAid USAARISE CHICAGOCASA Casa Latina -SeattleCenter for Constitutional Rights (CCR)Centro de Trabajadores Unidos en Lucha (CTUL) -MinnesotaCoalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW) Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador (CISPES)Fair World ProjectFarmworker Association of FloridaFood Chain Workers AllianceGeorgia Stand-UpGlobal Health PartnersGlobal Labor Justice-International Labor Rights Forum (GLJ-ILRF)Jobs with Justice Justice Is GlobalLatin America Working Group (LAWG)National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON)National Employment Law Project (NELP)New Labor Oxfam AmericaPartnership for Working FamiliesRainforest Action Network (RAN)The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) Unidad Latina en Accion -ConnecticutWashington Office on Latin America WeCount! -Florida Witness for Peace Solidarity CollectiveWorkers Center of Central New YorkWorkers Defense Action Fund -TexasWorkers’ Dignity/Dignidad Obrera -Nashville