Fight Back! is circulating the following call for a Twitter storm in solidarity with Colombian revolutionary Simon Trinidad, a political prisoner held by the U.S. government in the Florence, Colorado supermax prison. The National Committee to Free Simon Trinidad

Please join our “Twitter Storm” on July, 30, 2023, from 9am to 9pm Eastern time. We are celebrating the 73rd birthday of Colombian revolutionary Simon Trinidad and demanding the U.S. government commute his sentence so he is free to return to Colombia.

The Committee is calling for a Twitter Storm with the following instructions:

1) On Twitter, start a new tweet:

Upload the Simon Trinidad flyer (the image above) and the information

2) In the text box, write “FreeSimonTrinidad” and tag U.S. President Biden “@POTUS” and Colombian President Petro “@petrogustavo”. Please also tag the Colombian court asking for Trinidad’s return “@JEP_Colombia”

3) Repeat as many times as you can to push the #FreeSimonTrinidad into trending

Who is Simon Trinidad?

Simón Trinidad is a Colombian revolutionary and political prisoner of the U.S. empire. He will pass his 73rd birthday in solitary confinement in a federal supermax prison in Florence, Colorado. Simón Trinidad, born Ricardo Palmera, is imprisoned following a bogus extradition to the United States in 2004. Trinidad was convicted on trumped-up charges, and sentenced to 60 years in a Washington D.C. courtroom because he was fighting in Colombia for the freedom of his own country. This year he is being requested by the Special Peace Jurisdiction Court (JEP) in Colombia to help move his country towards peace with justice. With the incoming Petro-Marquez administration and strong mass movements, the conditions have changed in favor toward Trinidad’s release and role as a peace negotiator. Now is the best and probably only chance he will have to be set free and contribute.

On his 73rd birthday, revolutionary and progressive forces are calling for a Twitter Storm, in Spanish a Twitazo, that will tag President Biden to do the right thing and set him free.

“Now is the best and probably only chance Simon Trinidad will have to be set free. He can make great contributions to peace with justice in Colombia. His voice is an important one for the future of all Colombians. We need action now!” said Tom Burke with the Committee to Free Simon Trinidad in Michigan.

#UnitedStates #PoliticalPrisoners #SimónTrinidad

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the National Committee to Free Simón Trinidad.

Simón Trinidad, a Colombian revolutionary and political prisoner of the U.S. empire, will have his 72nd birthday in solitary confinement in a federal supermax prison in Florence, Colorado. Simón Trinidad, born Ricardo Palmera, is languishing in prison after a bogus extradition to the United States in 2004, convicted on trumped-up charges, and sentenced to 60 years. He has been requested by the Special Peace Jurisdiction Court (JEP) in Colombia to help rebuild his country toward a peace with justice. With the incoming Petro-Marquez administration and strong mass movements, the conditions have changed in favor toward Trinidad’s release and role as a peace negotiator.

On his 72nd birthday, revolutionary and progressive forces are calling for a Twitterstorm, in Spanish a Twitazo, that will tag President Biden in the following Tweet format:

#FreeSimonTrinidad @POTUS @SimonTrinidadLi

Free Simon Trinidad!

U.S. out of Colombia!

#UnitedStates #Colombia #PoliticalPrisoners #RicardoPalmera #SimónTrinidad

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the National Committee to Free Simon Trinidad. Simon Trinidad is a Colombian revolutionary illegally captured and extradited to the U.S. on bogus charges that required four separate trials to lock him up in solitary confinement in the Florence, Colorado supermax prison. The Special Court guaranteed in the 2016 Peace Accords is requesting his presence in order to move the country toward a peace with justice.

On January 24, 2022, Simón Trinidad filed a complaint in Federal District Court in Denver, Colorado against U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and the Bureau of Prisons. The complaint (22-cr-00193) asserted that the denial of access to a Colombian attorney violated his right to freedom of speech and freedom of association guaranteed by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.

He further asserted that his access to an attorney was critical, as he has numerous cases in the Jurisdicción Especial para la Paz (JEP), or Special Peace Jurisdiction, a specialized court in Colombia created to resolve issues related to Colombia’s 50-year armed conflict between the Colombian government and the FARC.

In 2017 Simón Trinidad requested access to a Colombian lawyer and his request was denied. Mr. Trinidad made numerous subsequent requests for access to a Colombian lawyer which the Bureau of Prisons ignored.

On June 9, the United States attorney general modified Simón Trinidad’s “Special Administrative Measures” (SAMS) to allow contact with a Colombian attorney and the lawsuit is now resolved. Trinidad’s Colombian attorney will now be traveling to the U.S. and will confer with his client.

This agreement to amend the SAMS reflects the importance of Simón Trinidad to the Colombian peace process.

Colombian political prisoner Simón Trinidad, known in the Bureau of Prisons as Juvenal Ovidio Ricardo Palmera Pineda, was a peace negotiator for the FARC.

He has been held in extreme isolation under Special Administrative Measures imposed by the attorney general of the United States since January of 2005.

Trinidad has been jailed at United States Prison ADMAX (a supermax prison) in Florence, Colorado since 2008. Simón Trinidad’s SAMS order states that he be segregated and isolated from society, including other prisoners, with very few exceptions. He can receive no mail or visitors.

#WashingtonDC #RicardoPalmera #PeoplesStruggles #PoliticalPrisoners #SimónTrinidad

Fight Back! is circulating the following statement from the Committee to Free Simon Trinidad. Simon Trinidad is a prisoner of the U.S. empire who has done nothing wrong, only struggled to free his country.

The Committee to Free Simón Trinidad condemns police murders and violent repression of protesters by the Colombian government. In the last ten days, Colombian police and military forces killed at least twenty-six protesters in the streets protesting higher taxes and government cutbacks. Backed by the U.S. government and President Biden, nobody will be prosecuted for these police killings and political repression.

On April 28, 2021, Colombian social movements, students and labor unions began marching in the streets to protest the Duque government’s attempt to impose a regressive value added tax (VAT). VAT targets basic goods and service and penalizes workers, peasants, students and small business owners who are suffering from sky high unemployment due to economic crisis and the COVID pandemic.

Peaceful protests took place in cities all across Colombia, but rather than listen to the people and engage in dialogue, the Colombian government of President Ivan Duque sent paramilitary police and the army against protesters. These forces attacked protesters in Cali, Bogotá, Barranquilla, Bucaramanga, and other cities all across the country.

Colombia is the most dangerous country in the world to be a trade unionist. The U.S. government spends billions on war and repression and operates seven military bases.

The Duque regime withdrew the regressive tax, but the protesters are pushing forward determined with broader demands. One demand is that President Duque comply with the Peace Agreement of 2016 that was negotiated with the FARC. Duque’s government is failing to abide by the peace accords and has undermined the special peace court (JEP), failed to implement agricultural reforms, and failed to re-incorporate a large number of political prisoners. The Colombian government has also failed to protect participants in the peace process. Two hundred and forty-six former FARC combatants have been assassinated by death squads.

The Colombian government has made no effort to reincorporate the Colombian champion of peace and former FARC peace negotiator Simón Trinidad. Trinidad is a political prisoner held by the United States government. Simón Trinidad should be freed as his presence in Colombia would reinvigorate the peace process. We call on all friends of peace and justice to work for Simon Trinidad’s repatriation.

Victory to the Colombian National Strike! FREE SIMON TRINIDAD!

#UnitedStates #FARCEP #Colombia #RicardoPalmera #PeoplesStruggles #SimónTrinidad #PoliticalPrisoners

Fight Back! interviews Mark Burton, attorney for Colombian revolutionary Simon Trinidad who is a political prisoner held by the U.S. government. Simon Trinidad, also known as Ricardo Palmera, is a good man who has done nothing wrong. His only crime is to fight for the freedom and independence of his own country, taking the side of Colombian workers and peasants. Due to U.S. government repression, we are unable to interview Simon Trinidad directly. Check out the campaign to Free Simon Trinidad at http://freesimontrinidad.org.

Fight Back!: Who Is Simon Trinidad?

Mark Burton, Esq.: Simon Trinidad is a historical figure who rose to be an important spokesman for peace for the FARC-EP in Colombia. Simon began his career as a banker and an economics professor in his home Department of Cesar, Colombia. In the 1970s and 1980s he became very interested in the struggle for peace in Colombia and joined the political group Causa Común and then joined the Patriotic Union (Unión Patriótica). A campaign of genocide against the Patriotic Union began in 1986 and Simon was threatened with death. After some colleagues were assassinated, Simon fled his home and joined the FARC-EP. In the FARC he became one of their principal spokespersons for peace.

Fight Back!: Why is he imprisoned in the Florence Supermax prison in Colorado?

Mark Burton, Esq.: Prisoners who are considered enemies of the state are often sent to the penitentiary Florence ADX, popularly known as Supermax, as the prisoner’s ability to communicate with the outside world is tightly controlled. In general, prisoners are cut off from contacts outside the prison. Simon was sent there after his conviction in Washington D.C., where it took the government four trials to convict him of one count of conspiracy. The rightist forces were unable to silence Simon through assassination, but the Colombian and American governments have been able to silence him by imprisonment in Supermax.

Fight Back!: A British judge recently ruled to not extradite Julian Assange of WikiLeaks, because he might be imprisoned in the Supermax prison in Florence. What are conditions like there?

Mark Burton, Esq.: For the prisoners who are under a SAM, the Special Administrative Measure, like Simon, they generally pass 23 hours a day in a 3.5 by 2-meter cell. Normally the prisoners are allowed a television, but, apart from approved family members and lawyers, they have no contact with the outside world. They are generally allowed three phone calls a month to the approved persons on the government approved list of contacts. Simon is under a SAM but is now in the step-down program that allows him access to three other prisoners for two hours a day He is still unable to communicate with the world at large. Even for prisoners who are not under a SAM in Supermax, communication is tightly controlled.

Fight Back!: What efforts are being made to free Simon Trinidad?

Mark Burton, Esq.: Simon was never an item on the agenda of the peace talks in Havana, Cuba but there were efforts, both diplomatically and informally, to free him. Some members of the FARC-EP, particularly Iván Márquez, who was the leader of the FARC-EP’s peace delegation, made diplomatic efforts to free Simon with the Colombian and U.S. governments. Iván Márquez met with John Kerry in Havana, Cuba in 2016 and thought he had some sort of commitment to free Simon, but was later disappointed when Simon was not freed.

Since that time, there have been numerous calls for Simon’s freedom from popular movements in the United States and internationally. Simon will ask the new Biden administration for executive clemency and this will give the new administration an opportunity to right this historic wrong.

Fight Back!: Will having President Biden in office offer new possibilities?

Mark Burton, Esq.: There is certainly hope that the Biden administration will have a different approach to Colombia than the outgoing Trump administration. However, this hope should be approached with some caution. Joe Biden was one of the promoters of the notorious Plan Colombia which led to an intensified war in that country. It should also be noted that his foreign policy team is largely made up of persons who served in the Obama administration. Obama had the perfect opportunity, during the peace talks, to free Simon Trinidad and failed to do so.

On the other hand, there are reports that the Biden team is very unhappy with the current Colombian president Ivan Duque, who openly supported Donald Trump and whose ambassador to the United States, Francisco “Pacho” Santos, actually campaigned for Trump among the Latino community in Florida, interfering in the internal affairs of the United States. There are reports that Duque has called Biden five times and each time Biden has refused to talk to him. Many in Colombia hope that this unhappiness with Duque may turn into more U.S. support for the implementation of the peace agreement, which has languished under Duque, and there could possibly be some benefit for Simon.

#UnitedStates #InJusticeSystem #Colombia #Americas #PeoplesStruggles #PoliticalPrisoners #SimónTrinidad #FuerzasArmadasRevolucionariasDeColombiaFARC

Chicago, IL – Prominent Argentinian Nobel Peace Prize laureate Adolfo Perez Esquivel and 43 other human rights activists from 18 countries have written to President Donald Trump asking him to free Colombian revolutionary Simon Trinidad.

Perez Esquivel, a writer and painter, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1980 for his opposition to the Argentinian military dictatorship (1976-83), which tortured him and held him without trial for 14 months.

Simon Trinidad, a Colombian citizen and a peace negotiator for the FARC, has served 17 years at the supermax prison in Florence, Colorado where he is unable to receive visitors or mail. He celebrated his 70th birthday this past July.

The letter asks President Trump to pardon or commute Trinidad’s 60-year sentence, stating that it took U.S. prosecutors four trials and three hung juries to convict him. The letter goes on to say, “Freeing Trinidad and allowing him to return to Colombia, would advance the peace process.”

The letter finishes by saying that releasing Trinidad “would be a real gesture of peace” which “most all the people of Latin America would applaud.”

The National Committee to Free Simon Trinidad has posted the full text of the letter on its website here and here on Facebook.

The committee is asking everyone to telephone the Pardon Attorney’s Office at the Justice Department at 202-616-6070 ext. 4 on Thursday January 14, saying, “Free Simon Trinidad.”

Contact for more info: SimonTrinidadLibre@gmail.com or www.freesimontrinidad.org

#ChicagoIL #Colombia #PeoplesStruggles #RicardoPalmera #SimónTrinidad #PoliticalRepression #Americas

Chicago, IL – El destacado Argentino Adolfo Pérez Esquivel, Premio Nobel de la Paz, y otros 43 activistas de los derechos humanos de 18 países, han escrito al Presidente Donald Trump pidiéndole que libere a Simón Trinidad, 7 de enero, 2021.

Pérez Esquivel, escritor y pintor, ganó el Premio Nobel de la Paz en 1980 por su oposición a la dictadura militar Argentina (1976-83) que lo torturó y lo mantuvo detenido sin juicio durante catorce meses.

Simón Trinidad, colombiano y negociador de paz de las FARC, ha sido encarcelado durante 17 años en la prisión Super Max enColorado, donde no puede recibir visitas ni correo. Celebró su 70 cumpleaños el ano pasado

La carta pide a Trump que perdone o conmute la sentencia de 60 años de Trinidad diciendo que se necesitaron cuatro juicios y tres jurados en la horca para condenarlo. La carta continúa diciendo “Liberar a Trinidad y permitirle regresar a Colombia, haría avanzar el proceso de paz” y que liberar a Trinidad “...sería un verdadero gesto de paz...” que “La mayoría de los pueblos de América Latina aplaudirían...”

El Comité Nacional para la Liberación de Simón Trinidad ha publicado el texto completo de la carta aqui y en Facebook.

El Comité está pidiendo a todos que llamen a la Oficina del Abogado del Perdón (202) 616-6070 ext.4 en el jueves 14 de enero y que insten a la liberación de Trinidad.

Contacto: SimonTrinidadLibre@gmail.com o freesimontrinidad.org

#UnitedStates #RicardoPalmera #PeoplesStruggles #SimónTrinidad #PoliticalPrisoners

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following declaration demanding the release of Ricardo Palmera (Simon Trinidad). Freedom Road Socialist Organization is one of the signers.

The Communist Parties and Workers signed by this declaration, we demand from the Government of the United States of America the immediate repatriation and release of political prisoner Ricardo Palmera Pineda, better known as Simon Trinidad in his militancy in the insurgent organization FARC-EP.

Simón Trinidad was captured in January 2004 in Quito, Ecuador, while advancing contacts for future peace talks. It was immediately handed over to the Colombian government who mined him to the US government as a war trophy of “Plan Colombia”.

Simon Trinidad, sentenced to 60 years in prison on the false and manipulated charge of “terrorist conspiracy,” remains held in USP's federal high-security prison Florence ADMAX, better known as Supermax, in strict solitary confinement.

The Communist and Workers' Parties and revolutionary organizations, signatories, declare that:

1. Simon Trinidad is a political and war prisoner. After the signing of the Havana Peace Agreement, between the Colombian Government and the FARC-EP insurgency, he should have been released and repatriated.
2. Due to its interference and intervention in Colombia's internal affairs and its military and intelligence activity in Colombian territory, which uses it as an aircraft carrier in the region, the US Government is the main part of Colombia's social, political and armed conflict.
3. Simon Trinidad, who has just turned 70 years old and more than 15 years imprisoned in solitary confinement, must be released immediately, for his firm commitment to peace.
4. We are committed to supporting, participating and promoting solidary actions with Simon Trinidad until we achieve the just goal of his release from the prison that keeps him truly abducted.

We recognize in Simon Trinidad an entire communist, who despite the harsh conditions to which the American imperialists subject him, stands firm in his convictions. Simon Trinidad is one of thousands of communists and revolutionaries imprisoned around the world, so our commitment and revolutionary ethics is for their liberation.

Freedom for Simon Trinidad!

August 9, 2020

PROMOTED BY COMMUNIST PARTY BRASILEIRO (PCB) COMMUNIST PARTY OF THE PEOPLES OF SPAIN (PCPE) COMMUNIST PARTY OF VENEZUELA (PCV)

Solidnet Parties signing the joint statement

1. Communist Party of Albania
2. Communist Party of Australia
3. Communist Party of Belgium
4. Brazilian Communist Party
5. New Communist Party of Britain
6. Socialist Worker's Party of Croatia
7. Communist Party In Denmark
8. German Communist Party
9. Communist Party of Greece
10. Palestinian People's Party
11. Paraguayan Communist Party
12. Philippine Communist Party (PKP-1930)
13. Communists of Serbia
14. New Communist Party of Yugoslavia
15. Communist Party of the Peoples of Spain
16. Communist Party of Turkey
17. Communist Party of Venezuela

Other Parties signing the joint statement

1. Partido de la Liberación (Caba) (Argentina)
2. Partido Comunista de Gran Bretaña (Marxista-Leninista)
3. Partido Comunista de Chile (Acción Proletaria)
4. Communist Party of the Donetsk People's Republic
5. Iniciativa Comunista (España)
6. Unión Proletaria (España)
7. Partido Comunista Obrero Español
8. Pôle de Renaissance Communiste en France
9. Agora Galiza – Up
10. Freedom Road Socialist Organization (USA)

#UnitedStates #FARCEP #Colombia #RicardoPalmera #PeoplesStruggles #SimónTrinidad #PoliticalPrisoners

In response to the call for birthday greetings for political prisoner Simon Trinidad, The National Committee to Free Ricardo Palmera received a video message from freed Puerto Rican political prisoner, Oscar Lopez Rivera. Lopez Rivera unjustly spent 35 years in U.S. prison for fighting for the independence of his homeland. Below is the transcription of the video message:

“I want to take this moment to wish a Happy Birthday to comrade Simón Trinidad. He is one of the heroes of our countries. He is one of the heroes who is imprisoned because he wants to fight for the independence and sovereignty of Colombia and for a better, more just world. I know that he is imprisoned in very difficult conditions because I was imprisoned there as well. I know it all too well. But, I know that he will endure all those difficulties in a place like that. I also know that he will not allow and has not allowed the U.S. government to break his spirit.

“I believe this moment is the time to say: this comrade, a revolutionary, a man who has dedicated the majority of his life to fight for a better, more just world – that he must be free, completely free. With his freedom, Colombia can continue fighting for their country and a better world. That is something that all of us must do, and if we want it, we have to stop the interference of the U.S. government in our countries.”

Simón Trinidad is languishing in the Florence, Colorado Supermax prison after a bogus extradition to the United States in 2004, convicted on trumped-up charges, and sentenced to 60 years. The Colombian revolutionary and political prisoner of the U.S. empire will have his 70th birthday in solitary confinement in a federal Supermax prison.

Organizers are asking people to email their birthday greetings for Simón to simontrinidadlibre@gmail.com before his birthday on July 30. On his birthday, the group is calling for a Twitterstorm, in Spanish a Twitazo, that will then post the greetings on their Twitter account @SimonTrinidadLi and ask people to use this Tweet format:

#FreeSimonTrinidad @realDonaldTrump

#UnitedStates #RicardoPalmera #PeoplesStruggles #PoliticalPrisoners #PuertoRicanPrisoners #SimónTrinidad #OscarLopezRivera

En repuesta a la llamada por deseos por el cumpleaño del president politico Simón Trinidad, El Comité Nacional a Liberar Ricardo Palmera recibió un mensaje de video del preso politico Puerto Riqueño, Oscar Lopez Rivera. Lopez Rivera injustamente pasó 35 años encarcelado en los EEUU por luchando la independencía de su patria. Abajo está la transcripción de su mensaje.

“Quiero tomar este momento para desear al de feliz cumpleaño compañero, Simón Trinidad. El es uno de los héroes de nuestros países, uno de los héroes que está preso porque quiere luchar por la independencía, la soberanía de Colombia y por un mundo mejor y más justo. Yo sé que [el cárcel] es un sitio difícil dónde está preso porque estuve ahí, lo conozco bien. Pero, yo sé que él se va aguantar todo lo difícil que es ese lugar. Y que no va a permitir, no ha permitido, que el gobierno estadounidense rompe su espiritú.

Creo en este momento de decir que este compañero, un revolucionario, un hombre que ha dedicado la mayor de su vida por un mundo mejor y más justo, él debe estar libre, en completa libertad. [Con él] se puedan seguir luchando por su Colombia y un mundo mejor. Algo que todos y todas debemos que hacer y si queremos parar la ingerencia del gobierno estadounidense en nuestros países.

Simón Trinidad está languidiciendo en Florence, Colorado en una Supermax prisión Federal déspues una extradición falsa en 2004, convicto por cargas falsas, y sentenciado por 60 años. El revolucionario Colombiano y preso politico del Empirio de los EEUU se va a pasar su 70 cumpleaño en confinamiento solitario.

Organizadores piden a las fuerzas progresivas y populares a mandar por email su deseos por su cumpleaño de Simón a simontrinidadlibre@gmail.com antes su recharges de cumple, el 30 de Julio. En está fecha el grupo está llamando por Twitazo en el Twitter con este formato:

#FreeSimonTrinidad @realDonaldTrump

#EstadosUnidos #RicardoPalmera #PeoplesStruggles #PoliticalPrisoners #SimónTrinidad #OscarLopezRivera

Colombian revolutionary and political prisoner of the U.S. empire, Simón Trinidad, will have his 70th birthday in solitary confinement in a federal Supermax prison. Simón Trinidad, born Ricardo Palmera, is languishing in the Florence, Colorado Supermax prison after a bogus extradition to the United States in 2004, convicted on trumped-up charges, and sentenced to 60 years.

Organizers with the National Committee to Free Ricardo Palmera are asking people to email their birthday greetings for Simón to simontrinidadlibre@gmail.com before his birthday on July 30. On his birthday, the group is calling for a Twitterstorm, in Spanish a Twitazo, that will then post the greetings on their Twitter account @SimonTrinidadLi and ask people to use this Tweet format:

#FreeSimonTrinidad @realDonaldTrump

The signing of the 2016 Peace Accords has not made life more peaceful for working-class and poor Colombians. Paramilitaries, many times in coordination with the Colombian government, have killed nearly 800 social leaders from trade unions, environmental groups and indigenous rights organizations. To add to that, they have killed around 200 ex-combatants from the FARC as well. The election of ultra-right President Ivan Duque in 2018 has only led to an intensification of the murders, disappearances and intimidation.

That situation will only get worse with the recent arrival of a U.S. Security Force Assistance Brigade. It must also be noted that the SFAB is in eastern Colombia on the border with Venezuela, to coordinate activities among Colombian military, cartels and paramilitaries for the purposes of terrorizing Venezuela’s Bolivarian Revolution and movement toward socialism.

As these conditions unravel the Peace Accords, we demand that President Trump free Simón Trinidad and return a respected peace negotiator so that Colombia can chart a course for peace with justice.

Free Simon Trinidad! U.S. out of Colombia!

#UnitedStates #RicardoPalmera #PeoplesStruggles #PoliticalPrisoners #SimónTrinidad

The activists targeted 140 E 57th Street – a building that is owned by the Colombian government and houses many offices and businesses that have dealings in Colombian affairs. As activists picketed outside, they chanted and derided Juan Manuel Santos, the president of Colombia.

The event was also used as build up for the campaign to free Simon Trinidad (Ricardo Palmera). On Dec. 5, there will be a panel put on by activists in New York about the Colombian peace accords and the case for Simon Trinidad.

Simon Trinidad is a political leader and negotiator for the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). Professor Palmera is currently serving a 60-year sentence in in the U.S. for crimes he hasn’t committed. In fact, he has consistently defended the sovereignty of his country, the right for Colombia’s independence and the liberation of his people. While the FARC has gone through a peace process with the Colombian government, the imprisonment still stands.

The picketers handed out flyers for the event, and demanded justice for Simon Trinidad. Jessica Schwartz, from the Committee to Stop FBI Repression–NY, who helped organize the event states, “Repression doesn't only happen in other countries. Right here in the U.S., revolutionary Colombian leader Simon Trinidad is being held at a supermax prison in Colorado, and the U.S. refuses to release him, even though it is a demand by the revolutionary forces in Colombia. This is a strategic move by the U.S. to keep their boot on the necks of the Colombian people.”

The rally closed out in high spirits with a solidarity video message to the people of Colombia.

For information on the event, Challenges of the Colombian Peace Process and the Case of Simon Trinidad, go to https://www.facebook.com/events/2049128295309085/

#NewYorkNY #Colombia #FARC #RicardoPalmera #SimónTrinidad #Americas

Call the White House Dec. 14, Free Simon Trinidad!

Wednesday 12/14 8am-5pm EST

Call the White House 202-456- 1111

And say: President Obama, secure the peace in Colombia, Free Simon Trinidad!

Simon Trinidad a leader within the Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC). He has been in a US Federal Supermax Prison since 2010 after it took four trials to find some bogus conviction. Trinidad is one of the FARC's most talented leaders and probably has the best understanding of how to form a political party and run elections. Freeing Trinidad and having him tour Colombia, campaigning and speaking to crowds of supporters and the curious would advance the peace process tremendously. By keeping Trinidad in a US prison, the Obama administration holds peace back and encouraged the belligerent right-wingers who fear contested elections.

The Obama administration should free Simon Trinidad as a real gesture of peace from the US towards the people of Colombia. Trinidad is one of the few survivors of the UP (Patriotic Union), the leftist party that ran for office in the 1980s and 1990’s, but suffered almost 5000 assassinations by government death squads. That was why Trinidad gave up his life as a professor and politician and joined the FARC at the age of 37. Now, Trinidad can help the FARC and people’s movements navigate how to make change in a new Colombia.

Support Peace in Colombia!

The Colombian Congress voted overwhelmingly to accept the Peace Agreement. President Santos has told the US that he welcomes the release of Simon Trinidad. Organizations who have supported the approved Peace Agreement: UN, Organization of American States (OAS), USA, and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC).

De-list the FARC!

Decisions to remove the FARC from terror lists have been made by the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom's Parliament. These are not only important symbolic gestures but actually frees up $600 million in post-conflict aid money from the EU. The US government needs to follow suit and Drop the FARC from the list of terrorist organizations. This will facilitate the release of Simon Trinidad and secure the peace for Colombia.

Wednesday 12/14 8am-5pm EST

Call the White House 202-456- 1111

And say: President Obama: secure the peace in Colombia, Free Simon Trinidad!

#WashingtonDC #Colombia #RicardoPalmera #SimónTrinidad #PoliticalPrisoners

It is important to know that the Colombian peace agreement was carefully negotiated over a four-year period and though momentum may be slowed, a return to war seems unlikely. Another fact is that it is an agreement with standing in international law and cannot simply be reversed or changed.

For their part, the FARC are willing to make it work, so the most powerful liberation movement in Latin America is returning to the table to find solutions to problems. The FARC wants to end 52 years of war, end the terror of right-wing death squads, end the displacement, poverty and misery for farmers and workers, and end the $10 billion U.S. military intervention in their country. The FARC want a country where Chiquita Banana is not funding, arming and directing death squads and where Coca-Cola and Drummond Coal do not conspire and pay for the assassination of union leaders.

During negotiations the FARC questioned the wisdom of a referendum, and desired instead huge assemblies across the country. FARC proposed a process of participatory democracy with debates about what peace with justice should look like. A process where social movements, political parties, churches, unions, universities, schools, business associations and community groups propose and discuss suggestions.

Instead President Santos offered an up or down vote. So the vote no groups simply campaigned against their former battlefield enemy, emphasizing the negative, lying about facts, and claiming topics that are not even in the peace agreement. They also threatened and intimidated people campaigning for a yes vote. That is how they won, just barely.

The FARC know that Colombians are cynical about elections where one faction of politicians loyal to one rich family or another trade places every few years. Colombian turnout for elections is low, as was true for the failed peace referendum, with only 37% voting. Consider too that one third of the politicians in the Colombian Congress are controlled by narco-traffickers and you can understand how the peace process is challenging vested interests.

In terms of the U.S. role in the Colombian peace process, the U.S. government appointed a special envoy and should now take steps to guarantee success. The European Union recently took the FARC off the terrorist list with Secretary of State John Kerry looking on and the U.S. should do the same. It shows good will and confidence in Colombian peace.

However, the most pressing matter is to free Simon Trinidad, also known as Ricardo Palmera. President Obama should free Simon Trinidad from the Florence Supermax prison in Colorado.

Trinidad is one of the FARC's most talented leaders and probably has the best understanding of how to form a political party and run elections. Freeing Trinidad and having him tour Colombia, campaigning and speaking to crowds of supporters and the curious would advance the peace process tremendously. By keeping Trinidad in a U.S. prison, the Obama administration holds peace back and encouraged the belligerent right wingers who fear contested elections.

If the Obama administration freed Simon Trinidad, it would be a real gesture of peace from the U.S. towards the people of Colombia. Trinidad is one of the few survivors of the UP (Patriotic Union), the leftist party that ran for office in the 1980s and 1990s, but suffered almost 5000 assassinations by government death squads. That was why Trinidad gave up his life as a professor and politician and joined the FARC at the age of 37. Now, Trinidad can help the FARC and people’s movements navigate how to make change in a new Colombia.

Tell President Obama to help secure the peace in Colombia. Free Simon Trinidad!

#GrandRapidsMI #AntiwarMovement #Colombia #RicardoPalmera #FARC #SimónTrinidad #Americas

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement by the National Committee to Free Ricardo Palmera (Simon Trinidad).

The National Committee to Free Ricard Palmera (Simon Trinidad) wishes happy birthday to Colombian revolutionary Simon Trinidad!

On July 30, 1950, Ricardo Palmera (Simon Trinidad) was born into a wealthy family and as a student became active in the people’s movements. Then in 1989, at the age of 39, he joined the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) after seeing dozens of his friends and Patriotic Union political candidates murdered by Colombian government death squads.

Palmera joined the FARC to fight for social justice, to seek democratic social and economic change, to organize the poor to overthrow the rich and become the rulers of society. The FARC opposed the U.S. empire – where U.S. corporations steal the oil, coal, minerals, gems and agricultural products that belong to the Colombian people.

Then in 1999, Clinton and Gore, along with Senator Joe Biden launched ‘Plan Colombia.’ The U.S. spent over $8 billion and directed a war that brings only poverty, misery and death to Colombia. Unable to defeat the FARC on the battlefield, U.S. intelligence captured Ricardo Palmera in Ecuador while he was on a UN peace mission. The U.S. extradited Ricardo Palmera (Simon Trinidad) to Washington D.C. and put him on trial four times.

Palmera is currently serving a 60-year sentence in the federal supermax prison in Florence, Colorado under ‘Special Administrative Measures’ that violate human rights.

President Obama needs to free Ricardo Palmera (Simon Trinidad) to guarantee the Colombian peace process. The National Committee to Free Ricardo Palmera (Simon Trinidad) wants President Obama to act now to push the Colombian peace forward.

On his 66th birthday, we offer Simon Trinidad warm hugs and wish him a long life in struggle! We salute your sacrifice and look forward to your freedom!

Peace for Colombia! Free Simon Trinidad!

#UnitedStates #AntiwarMovement #FARCEP #Colombia #PoliticalPrisoners #RicardoPalmera #PeoplesStruggles #SimónTrinidad #PoliticalRepression

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following February 12 statement from the National Committee to Free Ricardo Palmera (Simon Trinidad). We encourage readers to call President Obama today. Love not War! Peace for Colombia! Free Simon Trinidad!

The peace process between the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC-EP) and the Colombian government that is taking place in Havana, Cuba is moving quickly.

Recently, President Obama thanked Havana for hosting the peace talks and declared that the US supports the “implementation of the Colombian accord on the victims of the conflict, justice, and restitution of the lands” This means that the US supports the points where the FARC-EP and the Colombian government came to an agreement.

FARC-EP representative Marco Leon Calarca called the agreement “nearly irreversible.”

Yet President Obama refuses to act on the FARC-EP’s request to have Simon Trinidad, political prisoner & FARC-EP negotiator, present at the bargaining table. We need to demand his release so that the peace process may move forward.

In the spirit of Valentine’s Day we need to express our passion for peace and love for Simon Trinidad and all progressive Colombians by calling for the immediate release of Simon Trinidad so that he may fulfill his role in the negotiations.

Call President Obama at (202) 456-1111

Say: “I want peace for Colombia and to ask President Obama to free Simon Trinidad for Valentine’s Day! Trinidad belongs at the peace talks, not in solitary confinement at the Florence Colorado Supermax prison. Peace and love for the people of Colombia!” https://www.facebook.com/events/1009925899071968/

#UnitedStates #Colombia #RicardoPalmera #PoliticalPrisoners #SimónTrinidad #Americas

One presenter, James Jordan, a leader in the Free Simon Trinidad/Ricardo Palmera campaign, delivered a lecture entitled “The Imperial Infrastructure: Why Does the U.S. Build Foreign Military Bases and Jails?” It was well received and tied together several struggles, including opposition to police brutality, the prison-industrial complex, and U.S. intervention.

The following is an interview with Jordan.

What are the connections between the movement to abolish foreign military bases and the Colombian solidarity movement? James Jordan: The obvious connection is there are several U.S. bases in Colombia. However, you also can see the connection in that the Colombian government and its military follow all of the whims, decisions and directions of the U.S. government. So, in some ways, Colombia itself is a U.S. military base. In other words, U.S. military has effectively turned Colombia into an outpost of U.S. imperialism. The Colombian military is able to carry out what the U.S. military can’t get away with.

This is day two of the conference. Thus far, in what ways do you see this event uniting forces from countries around the world to move forward in the movement to abolish foreign military bases? Jordan: What I see coming out of World Peace Council is an emerging campaign to shut down NATO. What hasn’t come together yet, but what I hope this event will lead to, is international days of action against war in Syria and ongoing interventions around the world. This seminar brings together an international movement that I believe will be really sharp against NATO and vocal in the call to dismantle it. I hope it will contribute to and call for worldwide action against aggressions that are leading us to the possibility of World War Three and nuclear conflict.

This seminar comes at a historic moment. Not only are the Cuban and U.S. governments taking steps to normalize relations, but there is also the Colombia peace process happening in Havana, Cuba. How do the National Committee to Free Simon Trinidad / Ricardo Palmera goals intersect with the seminar’s goals? Jordan: The seminar has reiterated support for the peace process in Colombia. This is good because the peace process will not endure without international support. All forces working for world peace must pay attention to these negotiations and raise our voices in support. Adding international voices to the demand to free Simon Trinidad is important and absolutely crucial to moving the peace process forward.

#HavanaCuba #Havana #Colombia #Cuba #GuantanamoBay #SimónTrinidad #fourthInternationalSeminarForPeaceAndAbolitionOfForeignMilitaryBases #JamesJordan #Americas

Columbus, GA – Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and anti-war activists from college campuses in Tampa, Gainesville and Tallahassee, Florida traveled to Columbus to protest the School of the Americas (SOA) on Nov. 20.

Peace and justice activists have been protesting to close the SOA, also known as the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (WHINSEC), for 20 years now. The SOA trains Latin America military death squads who murder leftists and union leaders, especially in Colombia. Protesters also joined together in front of the nearby Stewart Detention Center to demand “Not one more deportation!” of undocumented immigrants. Many undocumented immigrants in the U.S. are fleeing from countries where SOA-trained military death squads operate.

The Florida students and anti-war activists educated other SOA protesters about Simon Trinidad, a Colombian political prisoner in the U.S. They are demanding Trinidad be released in order to participate in the peace negotiations between the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the Colombian government. The activists promoted a Nov. 24 call-in day to the White House to free Simon Trinidad.

“I support Simon Trinidad because he is doing what any person should do: serve their people and their interests by ending a destructive civil war through peace negotiations. He doesn't deserve to be jailed, and the peace process should be supported,” said Homam Nasser, an organizer with the Committee to Stop FBI Repression–Tampa.

Elizabeth Kramer with Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) explained, “U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) funds research on torturing methods and drone technology, has a student population to recruit from, and a well-funded ROTC program, amongst many other things at the University of South Florida.”

Kramer continued, “We as students, in our opposition to American imperialism and campus militarization, support SOA Watch. We are here to protest U.S. military operations in Latin America and support freedom for Simon Trinidad.”

Tampa Bay SDS currently has a campaign to cut the contracts between University of South Florida and SOUTHCOM and Central Command (CENTCOM), which direct wars and death squads in Latin America and the Middle East.

#ColumbusGA #AntiwarMovement #StudentsForADemocraticSociety #Colombia #SchoolOfAmericas #SimónTrinidad #PoliticalRepression

Columbus, GA – A large group of anti-war and international solidarity activists passed out hundreds of flyers at the annual School of the Americas (SOA) protest at Fort Benning, Georgia on Nov. 21. The flyer calls to support the peace process in Colombia, freedom for Simon Trinidad and to close the SOA, where Latin American death squads and dictators are trained. The Colombian military trains regularly at the SOA and has the worst human rights record in the hemisphere.

Trinidad, a member of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, is held in the Florence, Colorado supermax prison as a political prisoner of the U.S. government. The FARC say Simon Trinidad is needed to complete the peace negotiations with the Colombian government in Havana, Cuba. Activists are organizing a Thanksgiving week call-in day to President Obama to “Free Simon Trinidad!”

On Nov. 21, Florida members of Students for a Democratic Society, the Tampa Committee to Stop FBI Repression and the Freedom Road Socialist Organization rallied with hundreds of others to close a for-profit detention center holding undocumented immigrants, including many women and children. On Nov. 22, a memorial procession for the tens of thousands of victims of the SOA marches to the gates of Fort Benning.

The call-in day is on Tuesday, Nov. 24, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern time. Organizers are asking people to call President Obama at 1-202-456-1111 and say, “I want President Obama to support peace for Colombia, and to free Simon Trinidad. Simon Trinidad belongs at the peace negotiating table, not in solitary confinement at the Florence Colorado Supermax prison.”

#ColumbusGA #AntiwarMovement #StudentMovement #Colombia #SchoolOfTheAmericas #SimónTrinidad

Simon Trinidad, a leader of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia (FARC) was kidnapped, brought to the U.S. and is currently being held in the Florence, Colorado supermax prison. The FARC wants him released so that he can join the peace negotiations with the Colombian government.

After the presentation, the panelists discussed the Colombian peace process and showed why progressive-minded people in the U.S. should demand the immediate release of Simon Trinidad. There was a diverse crowd, largely student based, and they were upset with the misinformation that they have received about Colombia from the capitalist media. During the discussion, many of them were interested in ways that they could get involved in the campaign to free Simon Trinidad, in order to end U.S. intervention in Latin America and Colombia.

The panelist discussed the national call-in day, in which people will be encouraged to call President Obama and demand the release of Simon Trinidad. There was interest in having future actions and educational events related to Simon Trinidad and the ongoing peace process. The meeting ended with a revolutionary Colombian song:

For justice and truth together with the people On the first dawn came up this little song Which was born in our guerrilla voices of struggle and future With Bolívar, Galán is riding horse again No more crying, no more pain for our nation We are people who go after freedom Constructing the path of peace

#HoustonTX #FARCEP #Colombia #SimónTrinidad #HoustonAntiWarCoalition #SolidarityHouston #Americas