The administration of Colombian President Alvaro Uribe (which is backed by America and acts accordingly) was condemned by the Directors of Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International USA, Refugees International, Human Rights First, and 18 other human rights groups for endangering the lives of activists by linking them to leftist rebels. The right-wing president has essentially given paramilitaries the green light to target activists by previously accusing these human rights workers of doing the bidding of FARC.

Following a wave of killings earlier this month, the human rights groups demanded in a public letter that Uribe do more to protect human rights advocates and trade union members. The letter described how at least four people protesting paramilitary death squad violence were killed recently by far-right groups as dozens more were threatened with death. It also accused close Uribe adviser Jose Obdulio Gaviria of jeopardizing the lives of protesters by suggesting the demonstration was organized by FARC.

“Baseless comments such as these are profoundly damaging to Colombian democracy and human rights, and place those against whom they are made in direct danger of violence,” the letter said. It urged Uribe to “publicly disavow statements by Gaviria and others that linked the protest organizers to guerrillas.”

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