THE MIAMI HERALD
Santos won't govern in Uribe's shadow
Colombia's new president, Juan Manuel Santos, is a realist with a broader agenda than his predecessor, Alvaro Uribe. His Aug. 7 inaugural speech laid out goals, and Santos wasted no time in advancing them.
He will continue Uribe's policy of ``democratic security'' but wants to do far more about human rights as well as on social and economic issues. He respects the independence of Colombia's Congress and its judiciary more than Uribe. By the end of August, his administration had reached agreement with Venezuela and Ecuador on repairing damaged bilateral relations. One would think reaction in Washington would be positive. Instead, some of his critics seem out of touch with reality.
Santos differs greatly from Uribe. Despite ample evidence, those who oppose approval of the Trade Promotion Agreement (TPA) insist he is an Uribe clone, especially about human rights. U.S. congressional approval of the TPA signed four years ago would increase U.S. exports and create jobs for Americans. But in an election year such an effort is unlikely.
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