Thank you very much. That's very kind.
I would just like to finish up the part about Canada.
The European Parliament considered it important to stop the escalation of violence. The United States has spoken out against the widespread violence against protestors. Amnesty International called for an end to the repression of demonstrations and the militarization of cities.
Canada has a very strong trade relationship with Colombia. A bilateral economic agreement has been in place for 10 years. The impact of this agreement on the economy and on human rights has been quite difficult for Colombian society. Canada has supported the actions of a number of Canadian companies in Colombia through subsidies and political interventions.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Marc Garneau, issued a statement yesterday condemning the disproportionate use of force by law enforcement and defending the right to peaceful protest. In that statement, however, the minister focused on vandalism, attacks on public officials and the blocking of highways, and expressed his support for the Colombian government in investigating human rights violations. This statement demonstrates a misinterpretation of the situation in Colombia, which does not take into account the responsibility of the state and the government in the serious human rights violations that have been recorded, the fact that vandalism is in part promoted by dark forces linked to the state, nor the perpetual situation of impunity for crimes committed by the state for decades.
The Government of Canada, led by Prime Minister Trudeau must take its share of responsibility for this conflict and unequivocally condemn the current repression, while ensuring that the armed forces are withdrawn from the cities so that the repression will end and the rights of those participating in the protests will be respected. We would like to see an observer mission to protect the lives of those who remain on the street.
Thank you.