The U.S. Bolivarian Circles and the Colombia Action Network are organizing a joint contingent for the September 24th, 2005, March on Washington to end the U.S. occupation of Iraq.  We will announce our rallying point at a later date, but we promise to be visible on the streets in front of the White House!

Washington, DC - 300,000 rallied and marched here, Sept. 24, to oppose the continuing U.S. war and occupation in Iraq, a turnout stunning even the organizers. In the largest anti-war protest in Washington D.C. since the Vietnam era, marchers at the White House chanted, “No blood for oil! U.S. out of Iraq!” Many took pictures of friends or family holding anti-war signs in front of the empty White House.

Washington, D.C. – 1,000 people descended on the Supreme Court, February 28, demanding a new trial for political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal. Protestors blocked traffic and clogged the streets in a civil disobedience action. Police arrested 185 people. The Washington D.C. demonstration coincided with a protest in San Francisco where 166 people were arrested for jamming the streets around the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Washington DC – Sonia, a Colombian revolutionary and political prisoner of the U.S. government, was found guilty in a U.S. Federal Court here, Feb. 20. Sonia’s trial is part of a Bush administration plan to criminalize Colombian freedom fighters.

Washington DC – With no evidence and only the testimony of U.S. government paid informants, Colombian revolutionary “Sonia” awaits a jury’s verdict here in Federal Court. Sonia, whose full name is Anayibe Rojas Valderrama, is a peasant rebel who joined the fight for a free, just and independent Colombia. A nurse with the 30,000 member Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), Sonia was extradited to the U.S. in violation of Colombia’s sovereignty.

Washington D.C. – Colombian revolutionary Ricardo Palmera is facing a second trial, March 26. Ricardo Palmera, known in Colombia as Simon Trinidad, is a political prisoner of the George Bush and the U.S. government. Palmera’s first trial resulted in a hung jury and Judge Hogan was forced to declare a mistrial. U.S. prosecutor Kohl and Judge Hogan will need to bend the legal rules more if they are going to win this time.

Washington D.C. – Jury selection for Colombian revolutionary “Sonia” is scheduled to start here on Jan. 8, in front of Federal Court Judge Robertson. Sonia, whose full name is Anayibe Rojas Valderrama, is an important member of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). The FARC is a 30,000-member guerrilla army that governs nearly 40% of Colombia.

Washington D.C. – Ricardo Palmera, known in Colombia as Simon Trinidad, is going on trial for a second time on Mar. 26, 2007. The first trial resulted in a hung jury and Judge Hogan was forced to declare a mistrial. The U.S. prosecutors asked for a second trial after failing to win the first time.

Trial ends with hung jury, mistrial declared

Washington D.C. – Colombian revolutionary Ricardo Palmera is smiling tonight. Today in U.S. Federal Court, Palmera and progressive people everywhere scored a big victory as the jury sent its third note saying it could not agree. Dour-faced Judge Hogan was forced to declare a mistrial. As many in the U.S. celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday, none will be happier than Ricardo Palmera and his supporters in the National Committee to Free Ricardo Palmera. People throughout Colombia will be slapping each other on the back and toasting the jurors who took a stand against the sheer injustice of this trial.

“You Are a Liar!”

Washington D.C. – As the trial of Ricardo Palmera continues, a parade of corrupt officials and paid informants are passing through the federal courtroom here. With Judge Hogan looking on, Colonel Mora from the Colombian military took the stand. The Colombian military has the worst human rights record in Latin America. Now in its 42nd year, Colombia’s civil war pits the Colombian military against of the organization Palmera represented in peace negotiations, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or the FARC.

Washington DC - Smiling at supporters with his fist in the air, Ricardo Palmera, a leading Colombian rebel was led from the courtroom by guards Oct. 12. Palmera, a negotiator and spokesperson for the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) was kidnapped and brought to the United States. He is now on trial in Federal Court.

Washington D.C. – Colombian revolutionary Ricardo Palmera goes on trial here Oct. 10, in one of the most bizarre cases ever. Palmera is a negotiator for the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, the FARC. The FARC controls 40% of Colombia and has 27,000 armed fighters. The trial of Palmera is an attempt by the Bush administration to criminalize a national liberation movement.

Washington D.C. – Jailed Colombian revolutionary Ricardo Palmera was in the U.S. District Court of Washington D.C. Jan. 24 and 25. Palmera is an important leader for the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, the FARC, who represented the organization in the peace negotiations with the Colombian government. During the hearing, FBI agent Alex Barbeito testified that Palmera willingly and with the approval of his Colombian lawyer talked to the FBI on three occasions. This was challenged by the defense, who presented Palmera’s Colombian lawyer, Oscar Silva. Oscar Silva said he, “Never spoke to a jail administrator, or authorized a judicial procedure without his own presence, and that Silva himself spoke to Ricardo Palmera before his extradition, and he vowed, ‘he would not allow the FBI to interrogate him.’”

Tells Colombian Revolutionaries: “Come to D.C.”

Washington, D.C. – A U.S. judge placed ads in Colombia’s newspapers the last week of August “ordering” the FARC – the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, to appear in his Washington D.C. courtroom. This adds to a list of bizarre procedures involving the extradition, imprisonment and trial of Ricardo Palmera, an important FARC leader. U.S. District Judge Thomas Hogan ridiculously asserts that the FARC members should leave their homeland and come to the U.S. to appear on charges of, “taking hostages in violation of U.S. laws.”

Washington, DC – People across the country took to the streets to protest on the sixth anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq. Demonstrators called for an end to the ongoing wars and occupations in Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine. It was the first national day of protest against the war and occupations since Obama was elected president.

Washington D.C. – Fed up with the domination of the U.S. government by big corporations, workers came to Washington D.C. for the second convention of the Labor Party, July 25-28. Over 500 delegates, representing many thousands of workers from unions, worker organizations and Labor Party chapters, as well as at-large delegates, came to challenge corporate power and set a course for workers to have a voice in the halls of government.

Washington, D.C. – “On every major headline issue of the day, the Labor Party, at its very inception in 1996, had charted a pathway to protect workers' interests. Now, more than ever before, workers of America should rededicate themselves to building their own movement.” states Labor Party National Organizer, Tony Mazzocchi.

Washington, D.C. — Chants of “No return, no peace!” filled Lafayette Park, Sep16, as over 4500 demonstrators demanded the right of Palestinian refugees to return to the land they were forced from in 1948. As the protesters marched from Freedom Plaza to this park overlooking the White House, organizers marveled at the largest mobilization of Arab demonstrators since the Gulf War.

Workers Take Fight Back To Washington D.C.

Washington DC – Ten thousand militant workers and students gathered here, Sunday, Oct. 17, to rally and march at the Lincoln Memorial. The Million Worker March demanded living wage jobs, health care for all and an end to war and occupation in Iraq. The same demands were echoed by union organizers and labor activists across the U.S. The Million Worker March united the advanced – the grass roots of the labor movement who understand that those who fight back can win.

On Sept. 29, an important demonstration will take place in Washington D.C. In conjunction with the protests surrounding the meeting of the International Monetary Fund, thousands will raise their voices against U.S. intervention in Latin America and the Caribbean. What follows is a reprint of the call to the protest. We urge the readers of Fight Back! to build for, and attend the demonstration.