Human rights activists and labor supporters hope that the new Obama administration will approach any free-trade agreements with Colombia differently than the Bush Administration. The Colombian government, led by President Alvaro Uribe, has been accused of permitting the murder of Colombian labor leaders ? a factor that motivated Democrats to block an agreement last year. Obama has already indicated that he will demand higher standards on trade union rights in Colombia. Uribe claims his government has made efforts to prevent the killings, and that the numbers are dwindling. The Colombian government also provides body guards to 2,000 unionists. However, Colombia's National Labor School contends that the numbers actually increased in 2008, though threats were less frequent.
See "Union killings loom over U.S.-Colombia trade pact", Helen Popper, Reuters, February 12, 2009