The Wall Street Journal
By LAURA MECKLER
Original Publish Date: July 2, 2008
Cartagena, Colombia -- Sen. John McCain said Tuesday he is concerned about human-rights abuses in Colombia but in a visit to this Latin American ally, he praised progress made so far and pushed for ratification of a pending free-trade agreement back home.
The Republican presidential candidate repeatedly praised efforts by Colombian President Alvaro Uribe to gain control over left-wing guerillas and right-wing paramilitary groups. The pair met for an hour and 40 minutes at the presidential retreat in this coastal city.
"I think we have achieved a remarkable degree of success even though we have a long way to go," Sen. McCain told reporters after their session.
The visit to Colombia and then Mexico Wednesday was meant to send images back home of the Republican presidential candidate comfortable engaged in critical issues on the world stage.
He was also highlighting his support for the pending free-trade agreement with Colombia, which he says is needed to support a vital partner in the region. Sen. Barack Obama and many Democrats say there are still too many human-rights abuses, particularly against labor activists, to allow the pact to go through.
Sen. McCain declined to mention Sen. Obama by name, even though his host, Mr. Uribe obliquely said he was pleased with recent comments by Sen. Obama.
"The only discussion I had concerning the presidential campaign was that I believe that any partisanship ends at the water's edge," he said.
The partisan skirmish persisted in the air en route to Colombia, though. Aboard his plane, the Arizona senator told reporters that Sen. Obama would represent a step backward for trade that could endanger the U.S. economy.
"He's a protectionist and anti-free trade," he said.
Sen. McCain told reporters that he raised human rights with Mr. Uribe and said he was assured that progress is being made. Mr. Uribe appeared with Sen. McCain at the evening news conference but declined to answer any questions.
Earlier in the week, Sen. McCain said that the abuses are not bad enough to hold up the agreement. "I balance [human-rights abuse] against Uribe and his administration's rescue of Colombia from a failed-state status," he told reporters in Pennsylvania Monday. The abuses do not justify the need "to throw out the entire theory of free trade."
Upon arrival in Colombia, Sen. McCain traveled to the presidential retreat, Casa de Huespedes, where he met with Mr. Uribe and the Colombian ministers of foreign affairs; trade; and mines and energy, and well as each nation's ambassador to the other. Dinner and an overnight stay were to follow.
He was accompanied by his wife, Cindy, and two of his closest friends in the Senate, Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.) and Joe Lieberman (I., Conn.). Wednesday, the group was to meet with additional government officials, visit a naval hospital and have lunch with business leaders.
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