Colombia: Al Gore’s Snub · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

President Alvaro Uribe of Colombia has been attracting a lot of criticism for his alleged ties with paramilitary forces in his country.  Because of these unclear links, former U.S. Vice-President Al Gore officially dropped out of an environmental conference where Uribe would be in attendance.  The Colombia Herald writes about these accusations that have been issues in televised debates.  Adam Isaacson of the Plan Colombia and Beyond blog analyzes this snubbing and suggests that, “Gore should accept President Uribe's invitation to visit Colombia. Another snub will only give Uribe more ammunition for his domestic political battles. When appearing publicly with Uribe in Bogotá, though, Gore should make a clear and explicit show of support for the many brave Colombians who are investigating and prosecuting paramilitary power, and defending the rights of its victims.”