Colombian Opposition Leader Gustavo Petro Defies Threats to Challenge Ties Between Death Squads and US-Allied Columbian Government

Columbian President Alvaro Uribe -- the closest U.S. ally in Latin America -- has been mired in scandal. Eight lawmakers from Uribe’s party and his former domestic intelligence chief have recently been jailed for having ties to right-wing paramilitary death squads. We speak with Gustavo Petro, the leader of Colombia’s main opposition party, the Democratic Pole. He is a Senator in Colombia and has been leading efforts to investigate ties between paramilitary death squads and top politicians.

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We turn now to the situation in Colombia – the closest U.S. ally in Latin America. President Bush arrives in Colombia on Sunday. He is making the first visit by a sitting U.S. president to Bogota since Ronald Reagan in 1982. Ahead of his trip, President Bush praised Colombian President Alvaro Uribe.

President Bush.

President Bush’s visit comes at a time that Colombia’s government is in a state of turmoil. Eight lawmakers from Alvaro's Uribe’s party and his former domestic intelligence chief have recently been jailed for having ties to right-wing paramilitary death squads. Uribe’s foreign minister also resigned last month.

Gustavo Petro is a leader of Colombia’s main opposition party, the Democratic Pole. He is is a Senator in Colombia and has been leading efforts to investigate ties between paramilitary death squads and top politicians. Gustavo Petro is also a former member of the M-19 guerrilla movement. He joins us now from Washington -- He will be translated by Charlie Roberts.

• Gustavo Petro. Leader of Colombia’s main opposition party, the Democratic Pole. Petro, is a former member of the M-19 guerrilla movement. He has led efforts in Colombia’s Congress to investigate revelations of ties between paramilitary death squads and top politicians.

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