ICEM Protests Expulsions of Trade Unionists to Colombia

The ICEM is central to global protests against the Colombian government’s expulsion of four international trade unionists on 31 October. ICEM, along with representatives from the Textile, Education and Journalists GUFs, as well as ICFTU and Human Rights activists, met with Colombian Ambassador to Belgium Nicolás Echavarría on 5 November in Brussels over the expulsions. Colombia has officially apologized for the trade union breaches, blaming the incident on immigration officials and “erroneous interpretation” of decrees. The four were due to attend a regional trade union coordination meeting. About the same time, union leaders from the UK, Ireland and Spain who were in Colombia at a women’s trade union meeting had their 60-day visas cancelled and were permitted inside the country for only three days.