The mixed message on the Colombia Free Trade Agreement is a case in point.The mixed message on the Colombia Free Trade Agreement is a case in point. Rep. Michael Michaud (D-Maine), a leading congressional critic of the deal, praised Obama for refusing to make any trade promises to Colombian President Alvaro Uribe during a recent Washington visit but slammed the president for saying that the country has made progress on reining in violence. “President Obama’s comment that the assassination rate is declining is contradicted by the findings of the House Labor and Education Committee, which found unionist assassination grew in 2008 relative to 2007,” said Michaud, one of a number of Democrats who have been frustrated by how open Obama has been to trade deals. Read more here. Semana International delivers news about Colombia in English. Learn more in our home.