[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 24 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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117th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. RES. 24
Supporting efforts by the Government and people of Colombia to pursue
peace and regional stability.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 2, 2021
Mr. Cardin (for himself and Mr. Blunt) submitted the following
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Supporting efforts by the Government and people of Colombia to pursue
peace and regional stability.
Whereas, in 2016, the Government of Colombia concluded a historic peace
agreement with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People's Army
(FARC-EP) aimed at addressing the historical causes of the half-a-
century armed conflict in Colombia, and the Government of Colombia is
currently working to implement that agreement;
Whereas the Governments and people of the United States and Colombia have forged
a resolute bond through a shared commitment to support peace, human
rights, democracy, the rule of law, and security throughout the Western
Hemisphere and the world, which has been bolstered by the support of
hundreds of thousands of Colombian Americans and their contributions to
life in the United States;
Whereas, in 2000, the Government of Colombia achieved a national consensus to
build state capacity, and the United States committed to combat
organized crime, drugs, and violence through its foreign assistance in
support of Plan Colombia;
Whereas Plan Colombia and its successor, Peace Colombia, have received
consistent support from each United States President since 1999, and
from both Democrats and Republicans in the United States Congress;
Whereas, while the Government of Colombia contributed more than 95 percent of
funds over the duration of Plan Colombia, the political leadership,
technical advice, military assistance, and intelligence-sharing role of
the United States, along with the $11,000,000,000 appropriated by the
United States Congress through Plan Colombia and Peace Colombia to
combat narcotics trafficking and transnational criminal organizations,
strengthen democratic governance, promote economic growth, and defend
human rights, played a key role in helping to transform a country on the
brink of collapse into an increasingly peaceful and prosperous
democracy, while also safeguarding important United States interests;
Whereas the Government of Colombia has made major investments and shown strong
leadership, often at great cost and sacrifice, to consolidate domestic
security, socioeconomic development, and the rule of law;
Whereas, since 2000, levels of crime and violence have decreased significantly
in Colombia, with annual per capita homicide rates declining from 62 per
100,000 people in 1999 to a low of 24.5 per 100,000 people in 2015;
Whereas the alignment of improved security and sound economic policies has
translated into steady growth in the gross domestic product of Colombia,
which increased from approximately $86,000,000,000 in 1999 to more than
$309,000,000,000 in 2017, and led to greater foreign direct investment,
which grew from approximately $1,500,000,000 in 1999 to one of the
highest in Latin America at an estimated $14,000,000,000 in 2017;
Whereas the United States and Colombia enjoy a robust economic relationship,
with United States goods and services trade with Colombia totaling an
estimated $36,400,000,000 in 2017, supporting more than 100,000 jobs in
the United States;
Whereas the Government of Colombia has made impressive strides in reducing
poverty since 2005, with the poverty rate decreasing from 64 percent in
1999 to 27 percent in 2017, according to the World Bank;
Whereas, since 1999, the Government of Colombia has expanded its presence across
all 32 territorial departments, has contributed to the professionalism
of the Colombian judiciary, and has improved the capacity of the Army,
Navy, Air Force, and National Police of Colombia;
Whereas Colombia is one of the United States most consistent and strategic
partners through its support of United States diplomatic objectives at
the United Nations and efforts made in combating transnational organized
crime and increased security and rule of law abroad;
Whereas, in 2017, Colombia signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and became the first NATO partner
country in Latin America;
Whereas the gains Colombia has made are threatened by an escalating crisis in
Venezuela, which has led to an influx of more than 1,800,000 Venezuelans
into Colombia, and the need for continued financial support to implement
the peace agreement;
Whereas the internal armed conflict victimized all Colombians, including women,
children, and Afro-descendant and indigenous peoples, resulted in one of
the largest populations of internally displaced persons in the world,
and has led to the repeated targeting of leading representatives of
civil society, including trade unionists, journalists, human rights
defenders, and other community activists who remain at grave risk from
guerrilla groups, successors to paramilitary groups, organized criminal
organizations, and corrupt officials and individuals;
Whereas efforts to achieve lasting peace in Colombia must address the hardships
faced by victims of the armed conflict, including implementing the Law
on Victims and Restitution of Land of 2011;
Whereas the prospects for national reconciliation and sustainable peace in
Colombia rely on the effective delivery of justice for victims of the
conflict, long-term solutions for individuals who have been displaced,
and the ability to hold accountable perpetrators of violations of human
rights and international humanitarian law, particularly obligations
under Article 3 of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of
Civilian Persons in Time of War, done at Geneva August 12, 1949
(commonly referred to as the ``Fourth Geneva Convention'');
Whereas the work of the Special Jurisdiction for Peace, the transitional justice
mechanism created for the purpose of ensuring accountability in the
context of Colombia's internal armed conflict, is fundamental to the
implementation of the peace agreement and the consolidation of peace in
the country;
Whereas implementation of the peace agreement faces serious challenges,
including a dramatic increase of coca cultivation and cocaine
production, a spike in violent attacks against civilians, including
social leaders implementing peace agreement programs, and the enormous
burden of a mass exodus of Venezuelans fleeing the authoritarian regime
of Nicolas Maduro; and
Whereas, on August 29, 2019, Luciano Marin Arango, also known as Ivan Marquez,
and Seuxis Hernandez Solarte, also known as Jesus Santrich, along with
other members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC),
publicly called for the renewal of armed conflict in Colombia and for
increased cooperation between the FARC and the National Liberation Army
(ELN), two organizations that are designated by the United States as
foreign terrorist organizations under section 219 of the Immigration and
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1189): Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) reaffirms the steadfast support of the Government and
people of the United States for the people of Colombia in their
pursuit of peace and stability so they can live in a country
free of violence, impunity, injustice, and organized crime;
(2) lauds efforts to bring an end to Colombia's internal
armed conflict;
(3) commends the work of the United Nations Verification
Mission in Colombia in overseeing the implementation of the
2016 peace agreement and the disarmament and reintegration of
former combatants;
(4) urges authorities in Colombia to hold accountable
perpetrators of violations of human rights and international
humanitarian law, particularly obligations under the Geneva
Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in
Time of War, done at Geneva August 12, 1949 (commonly referred
to as the ``Fourth Geneva Convention'');
(5) encourages the Government of Colombia to protect
vulnerable populations who remain at risk in Colombia,
including defenders of human rights, individuals facing threats
due to participation in crop substitution programs, internally
displaced persons, Afro-descendant and indigenous leaders and
communities, and demobilized combatants;
(6) condemns the assassinations of social leaders and
demobilized combatants, and the decision of certain senior
members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) to
return to arms and hostilities and strengthen their alliance
with the National Liberation Army (ELN), which threatens the
consolidation of lasting peace;
(7) reaffirms the importance of the extradition treaty
between Colombia and the United States as an important part of
the bilateral relationship that has promoted the interests of
justice in both countries for decades;
(8) encourages the Secretary of State to develop a
comprehensive strategy to assist the Government of Colombia in
managing the impacts of the crisis in Venezuela while
continuing the successful implementation and sustainability of
the peace agreement and stabilization of territories previously
in conflict in Colombia, and to further strengthen the close
bilateral partnership between the United States and Colombia;
(9) reaffirms its commitment to its partnership with the
Government and people of Colombia on issues of mutual interest,
including security, counter-narcotics cooperation, combating
transnational organized crime, ensuring justice for individuals
who have caused harm to populations in the United States and
Colombia, reintegration of former FARC combatants, inclusive
economic growth and investment with a focus on disadvantaged
communities, health cooperation, and educational and cultural
exchanges that strengthen diplomatic relations; and
(10) commits to furthering the bilateral relationship
between the United States and Colombia by working with leaders
in the public and private sectors, as well as civil society in
both countries, to ensure that the United States-Colombia
relationship remains a pillar of United States foreign policy
in the Western Hemisphere.
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