Note: The People’s Travel Advisory for Colombia does NOT call for a boycott of travel to Colombia, but for responsible travel to Colombia that supports the nation’s aspirations for peace, justice, and liberation from Empire. Click here to learn more…
People’s Travel Advisory for Colombia:
The Colombian government has launched many campaigns to change the image of the country and present it as a safe and fun place for all the family, indeed, a tourist paradise. That is a lie, given that one of the worst human rights crises is in Colombia.
We have two simple and sincere demands:
- An end to the genocide against the social movements and the rural, indigenous, and Afro-Colombian communities;
- Fulfillment of the government’s obligations with respect to the Peace Accord.
We know this, that Colombia IS NOT a safe country, but a dangerous country for every person who desires a just peace!
Colombia is dangerous:
- For the more than 730 human rights defenders and social leaders who have been murdered since the implementation of the Peace Accord in 2016. They are being killed at a rate of one victim every 30 hours. The assassins are military and paramilitary troops that act with impunity.
Colombia is dangerous:
- For the ex-insurgents who have laid down their weapons in order to participate in the peace who, since the implementation of the accord, have lost more than 130 persons murdered by enemies of the peace.
Colombia is dangerous:
- For the indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities who constitute more than 40% of the victims of right-wing violence.
Colombia is dangerous:
- For the Marcha Patriótica popular movement for peace, whose members also are more than 40% of the victims.
Colombia is dangerous:
- For the more than 6,100 indigenous children in the Department of La Guajira, who have died from hunger and thirst, and the Wayúu communities who do not have food security while foreign mines rob their water and the Colombian and US government ignore them to invest in militarization and use their territory to foment interference and prepare for war against Venezuela.
Colombia is dangerous:
- For the more 8 million forcibly internally displaced and the more than 5.5 million of Colombian refugees in Venezuela. The majority of these are rural families and social leaders displaced due to the threats and assaults against them by the military and paramilitaries, and from the dispossession of their territories to satisfy the greed of big landowners, narco-traffickers, and foreign corporations.
Colombia is dangerous:
- For the tourist who dares to deviate from the official path. If a tourist wants to see the beautiful mountains and forests of Cauca, she may find herself in the midst of a military incursion against a rural community. If a tourist wants to learn about the rich traditions of the Wayúu people in La Guajira or César, he can find himself in the line of fire of paramilitaries assaulting an indigenous leader. If someone wants to celebrate the Afro-Colombian culture in Buenaventura, they will find themselves in a place without emergency medical attention, in a place where union leaders are under constant threat.
We are activists who have marched and demonstrated repeatedly for Colombia’s peace. We have written letters, called the authorities, visited their offices, signed declarations. But the Colombian government does not listen to us and does nothing to stop the genocide. The US government adopts policies that undermine the Peace Accord even more and enlist Colombia in internal wars and threats against her Venezuelan neighbors, but does nothing to support the peace.
Our message is: Colombia will not be safe for tourism, neither for the Colombia people, until the right-wing violence against the peace is terminated and Colombia becomes a land at peace.
Adolfo Pérez Esquivel, Nobe Prize Winner (Argentina)
Noam Chomsky, Author and international peace advocate (United States)
Former Senator Piedad Córdoba, founder of Colombians for Peace (Colombia)
Daniela Gonzalez, People’s Human Rights Observatory (International coalition with headquarters in Oaxaca Mexico)
Bob Brown, All-African Peoples Revolutionary Party-GC (International)
Nidia Quintero, Treasurer for FENSUAGRO (National Unified Federation of Agricultural Workers Unions – Colombia)
Rodrigo Vargas Becerra, Director de Comité Permanente de Derechos Humanos, capítulo Cali (Colombia)
Héctor Marino Carabali, Consejo Comunitario Cuenca Río Timba Marilopez de Buenos Aires Cauca (Colombia)
Stella Calloni, Journalist and correspondent for Mexico City’s La Jornada newspaper (Argentina)
Carlos Romainville, Director of the Alpha and Omega Movement (Peru)
Anahit Aharonian, Agronomist and ex-political prisoner (Uruguay)
Ana Andrés Ablanedo, Human Rights Defender (Spain)
Victor Mayorga Miranda Former Ambassador to Cuba and Congress Person (Perú)
Dr. Fernando Cebamanos, President Frente Amplio por la Democracia de Panamá (Broad Popular Front of Panama)
Dan Kovalik, Human Rights Defender and Author (United States)
Alice Loaiza, Marcha Patriótica, California Chapter (United States-Colombia)
Banbose Shango, National Network on Cuba (United States)
James Jordan, Alliance for Global Justice (United States)
Raquel Mogollón, Camino Común (Colombia-United States)
Permanent Committee for Human Rights (CPDH – Colombia)
People’s Human Rights Observatory (International coalition with headquarters in Oaxaca Mexico)
Alliance for Global Justice (United States)’
ANSWER (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism – United States)
Fundación Lazos de Dignidad (Links of Dignity Foundation – Colombia)
Coalition Against Foreign U.S. Military Bases (United States)
Task Force on the Americas (United States)
Portland Central America Solidarity Committee (United States)
Camino Común (Colombia – United States)
Communist Workers League (United States)
Sacramento Action for Latin America (United States)
People’s Alliance (Oakland, United States)
United National Anti-War Coalition (United States)
Alameda County Peace and Freedom Party (United States)
USLAW (United States Labor Against the War)
Trade Justice Alliance (USA)
California Peace and Freedom Party (USA)
Socialist Unity Party (USA)
Nukewatch (USA)
William Lankford, Charlottesville, VA, USA
William Nusbaum, Minneapolis,MN, USA
William Snavely, Lawrence, KS, USA
William Finzel, Columbus, OH, USA
Vince Snowberger, Louisville, CO, USA
Victor Silva, Amora, Portugal
Ty Shlackman, Miami, FL, USA
Travis Frampton, Guelph, Canada
Tom Alden,Ukiah,CA, USA
Tina Ann, Bolinas, CA,USA
Tim Duda, San Antonio, TX, USA
T Bell, Austin, TX, USA
Susan Stout, Vancouver, Canada
Steven Berge, Antelope, CA, USA
Steve Wise, Atlanta, GA, USA
Steve Ditore, Seattle, WA, USA
Siamak Fooladi, Eugene, OR, USA
Sharon Garratt, Rogers, AR, USA
Russell Nadel, Springfield, VA, USA
RogerLeisner, Augusta, ME, USA
Roger Stoll, San Rafael, CA, USA
Robert Janusko, Bethlehem, PA, USA
Robert Carson, Asheville, NC, USA
Robert Helm, Portland, OR, USA
Rita Petruccelli, Villas, NJ, USA
Richard Lewis, Berkeley, CA, USA
Richard Kane, Gateshead, NC, USA
Richard Fullerton, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
Ray Hearned, Leicester, NC, USA
Ray Wager, Middlesex, NJ, USA
Rael Nidess, M.D., Marshall, TX, USA
Peter Gale, New York, NY, USA
Peter Gunther, Chicago, IL, USA
Paul Schaafsma, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
Patrick Auld, Franklin, WI, USA
Pat Eisenberg, Rochester, NY, USA
Pablo Grigera, Charlottesville, VA, USA
Nicolas Davies JS North Miami, FL, USA
Nancy Nelson, Mendocino, CA, USA
Nancy Eberg, North Haven, CT, USA
Nan McCurdy, Puebla, Mexico
MJ Baumann, Berkeley, CA, USA
Mike Pincus, San Francisco, CA, USA
Midge O’Brien, Savoy, IL, USA
Michael Motta, Holland, MI, USA
Michael Betz, Bellingham, WA, USA
Mary Anna Foskett, Arlington, MA, USA
Mary Smith, Rochester, NY, USA
Marv Cohen, Walnut Creek, CA, USA
Mark Ginsburg, Washington, DC, USA
Marilyn Stachenfeld, Aliso Viejo
Lois Aceto, Racine, WI, USA
Leona Semizian, Glen Oaks, NY, USA
Lee Robinson, USA
Laurie and David King, Portland, OR, USA
Laura LIben, NY, NY, USA
L Bagley, Albuquerque, NM, USA
Kwame Bowmani, Panorama, CA, USA
Kevin Lindemann, Winfield, IL, USA
Kenneth Hayes, Austin, TX, USA
Kenneth Lederman, Arlington, VA, USA
Kenneth Ruby, Salem, NH, USA
Kathryn Christian, Grand Junction, CO, USA
Katherine Hoyt, Chula Vista, CA, USA
Julian Kunnie, Tucson, AZ, USA
Julia Skelton, Van Buren, MI, USA
Judith Wraight, Detroit, MI, USA
Judith Green, El Cerrito, CA,USA
Judith Bohler, Ephrata, PA, USA
Joshua Angelus, Waterbury, CT, USA
Jorge Sorger, Ottawa, ON, Canada
Jonathan Boyne, Honolulu, HI, USA
John Morgan, Beallsville, OH,USA
John Nettleton, Portland, OR, USA
John Goshorn, Statesboro,GA,USA
John Estes, Birmingham, AL, USA
Joe Smith, El Cajon, CA, USA
Joan Beights, Beaverton, OR, USA
Jim Yarbrough, Ashland, OR, USA
Jim Fenn, Gathersburg
Jim Quinn, New Fairfield, CT, USA
Jerry Markatos, Pittsboro, NC, USA
Jerise Fogel, New York, NY, USA
Jeffrey White, Forest Grove, OR, USA
Jane Yater, Austin, TX, USA
James Miles, West Palm Beach, FL, USA
Jack Strausburg, Tucson, AZ, USA
Iris Edinger, USA
HIpolito Arriaga, Lauderhill, FL,USA
Herman Simms, Detroit, MI, USA
Harriet Belkin, Los Angeles,CA, USA
Haley Norriss, Austin, TX, USA
Gisela Lopez, Chicago, IL, USA
Gerson and Debbie Lesser, MD, Bronx, NY, USA
Gerard Couchould, Palaiseau, DC
Gary Thaler, Revere MA, USA
Gar Smith, Berkeley, CA, USA
Francis Ccollins, San Francisco, CA, USA
Fran Aguirre, Denver, CO, USA
Florence Boos, Iowa City, USA
Fernando de Sousa Falca, Portugal
Esther Moroze, NY, NY, USA
Emile Schepers, Woodbridge, VA, USA
Elsie Monge, Quito Ecuador
Elizabeth Molchany, Front Yoral, VA,USA
Elizabeth Watts, Boynton, FL, USA
Elizabeth Myers, Scottsville, NY, USA
Ello Mugnaini, Florence, Italy
E Matthews, Acton, MA, USA
Dr. Peter and Gail Mott, Rochester, NY, USA
Douglas Cooke, Brooklyn, NY, USA
Doran Hunter, Buckeye, AZ, USA
Donald Taylor, Fair Oaks, CA, USA
Donald Walsh, Alexandria, VA, USA
Dennis Lintz, Laconia, NH, USA
David and Judith Laws, Bellingham, WA, USA
David Rohrich, Jamaica Plain, MA, USA
David Pickett, Toronto, ON, Canada
David Nichols, Portland, OR, USA
David Archuleta, Jurupa Valley, CA, USA
David Bohn, Wahiawa, HI, USA
Craig Clark, Cliffside Park, NJ, USA
Christopher Buttimer, Corchester, MA, USA
Cheri Honkala, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Carmen Casis, Denver, CO, USA
Carla Compton, Placerville, CA, USA
Brady Torres, Sacramento, CA, USA
Bonnie Block, Madison, WI, USA
Billy Angus, Hamilton, MT, USA
Betty McElhill, Tucson, AZ, USA
Bernardo Alayza Mujica, Sioux City, IA, USA
Ben Rall, Spokane, WA, USA
Barbara Larcom, Baltimore, MD, USA
Arnold Maitlin, Linwood, NY, USA
Antonio Torres, Sacramento, CA, USA
Antona Shouse, Ithaca, NY, USA
Andrew Costigan, Norwood, MA, USA
Anamaria Meneses, Bergenfield, NJ, USA
Amy Harlib, New York, NY, USA
Allan Widmeyer, Ashland, OR, USA
Alexander Cox, Ashland, OR, USA
Adrianne Aron, Berkeley, CA, USA
Adela Brent, Queensland, Australia
Adam Weiss, Astoria, NY, USA
Sonia Liskoski
Carol Hanisch
Jan Fraser