Protesters greet Colombian Ambassador Barco P'10
Leslie Primack
Issue date: 10/30/07 Section: Campus News
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Barco urged the audience to look past Colombia's problems and focus on the country as one of "creative, compassionate people."
"Many Americans have seen Colombia from one prism, and especially your generation," she said. She described how Colombia was once known for coffee, then for marijuana in the 1960's, and now for cocaine.
"And yes, we'll talk about human rights and we'll talk about democracy and what it means," she said, addressing the protesters as they filed into the back rows of the audience.
Barco discussed Plan Colombia, the U.S. aid plan to alleviate Colombia's drug trade, and attempts by President Alvaro Uribe's government to reduce cocaine production through eradication of coca crops, military force and reduced jail sentences for paramilitary leaders who turn themselves in.
She pointed to graphs showing decreases in the size of paramilitary forces (which she also referred to as "self-defense groups"), homicides, kidnappings and poverty. She said 60 paramilitary leaders and 60,000 soldiers have surrendered to serve jail time, and 10,000 guerrilla fighters have become reintegrated into society. In fact, she said, the Colombian Congress now contains former members of M-19, a Colombian guerrilla group.
Over 650 drug traffickers have been extradited to the United States, according to Barco. Describing the cocaine market as consumer-driven, she stressed the need to reduce American and European consumption of the drug.
After her speech, Barco fielded questions for an hour, including some about the paramilitary chainsaw massacre of civilians, the destruction of famers' crops due to fumigation and Uribe's alleged connection to the drug lord Pablo Escobar.
"You're asking me all the questions I have to answer, but in months, not all in the same half an hour," Barco said, smiling.