Colombia's president to address Conference of Mayors
3:50 PM Tue, Jun 09, 2009 | Permalink
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PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Colombian President Alvaro Uribe Velez will be in Providence this week to address members of the 77th annual U.S. Conference of Mayors, which begins Friday. The visit marks the first time that a Colombian president serving in office comes to New England, according to Bibiana Gomez, the consul general for the Colombian Consulate in Boston. President Uribe, 56, who was elected in 2002, is scheduled to deliver a speech at the conference award luncheon Friday at the Rhode Island Convention Center. He will address the Conference of Mayors as part of his efforts to encourage the United States to pass its Free Trade Agreement with Colombia and to promote the progress Colombia has made in terms of economic growth, national security and human rights. Uribe is widely credited with leading Colombia's turnaround, according to Gomez. After the reception, President Uribe will meet with the state's sizable Colombian community in a Town Hall-style meeting scheduled for 5:30 p.m. at Central Falls High School gymnasium in Central Falls. Hundreds of Colombians from Rhode Island and neighboring states are expected because this is the president's only visit in the area. The Colombian community in Rhode Island can be traced to the 1960s when textile mills began recruiting skilled loom mechanics from Medellin and Baranquilla to work in the mills in Central Falls and Pawtucket. By the early 1980s, there were more than 10,000 Colombians living in the Blackstone Valley area, most of them in Central Falls, Gomez said. 
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A couple of things. First - Why is this guy even speaking at a mayor's conference? Especially about free trade. The mayor's have no say in these matters, most can't even keep control of the city/towns that they govern. Secondly - Why is this guy holding a town hall style meeting. If the colombian community is so excited about seeing him, why don't they go back to columbia. I am of certain descents and if the foreign leader of those countries came here, I couldn't give a rat's you know what. They serve no purpose in my daily life.
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What,no mention of the protest today in Canada, against his visit there, by labor and human rights advocates?
He's addressing the Conference of Mayors only to promote a Free Trade Agreement-($800k to Pres.Clinton hasn't cinched that deal yet).
No one believes that Columbia has had any turnaround in any area that affects the average citizen in that country.Sure Mr.Uribe has stepped up prosecution of the FARC,but that is only because they are responsible for his father's assassination in 1983.
Hundreds of Columbians are expected in CF for his visit.No self-respecting Columbian would ever voluntarily attend any event where Mr.Uribe is present.Yet,expect a good turnout.
Pres. Uribe is generally considered to be right wing,anti-labor (ironic),connected to drug cartels,and in bed with paramilitarists.The last group is said to be responsible for the majority of slayings of labor leaders in Columbia.
Google Alvaro Uribe Velez and start reading -scary.
Mayor Cicilline has a strong anti-labor supporter in Mr.Uribe.
I am beginning to wonder if VP Biden and the Presidents reps.are not attending the Conference of Mayors because of their invitation to Mr.Uribe.Who actually suggested to them that he be invited ?
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You pleople r so ignorant. To me it is an Honor & a pleasure to have Alvaro Uribe here in town. I hope all the COLOMBIAN community is proud!!!!!!!!
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