Subject: FYI
From: "Jay Rouse" <[email-masked]>
To: "Hunter Biden" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 10:39:56 -0500

President Barack Obama extols the separation of powers in Colombia

Photo: Reuters

The letter of President Obama (photo) was delivered to Uribe by Gen.  
James Jones, director of U.S. National Security

The U.S. president sent a letter to Colombian President Álvaro Uribe.

Read the letter sent to Barack Obama Álvaro Uribe (English)
Spanish version of the letter sent by Obama to Uribe
The U.S. president, Barack Obama, yesterday praised the performance of  
Colombian democratic institutions, on which said, "are governed by the  
rule of law and an abiding respect for the constitutional framework."

The impressions of Bush are contained in a letter he sent to his  
Colombian counterpart Álvaro Uribe, which stresses that this would  
have accepted the decision of the Constitutional Court declared the  
referendum unconstitutional reelection.

"The recent decision of the Court and its acceptance of the decision,  
has generated great interest in the United States and elsewhere," said  
Obama's letter.

He adds in the letter that "this interest stems from the importance  
that these developments have not only for Colombia but for the  
Americas as a whole, demonstrates how both functioning democracies, as  
the case of Colombia, are governed by the rule of law and an abiding  
respect for the constitutional framework. "

According to Obama, when Uribe accepted the ruling of the Court "gave  
a valuable example of how all citizens, even presidents-should be  
subject to the law and accept the results of the democratic  
institutions of their country."

In the view of Bush, "the clear compliance" of this "principle" often  
"ignored throughout the region," go "to resonate in the Americas in  
the years ahead and form another vital chapter" for the "legacy" Uribe.

"When you took office, Colombia was involved in violence and chaos  
that threatened the survival of the rule of law and democracy itself  
Colombia," Uribe told Obama.

"With their relentless effort and that of his fellow Colombians, this  
August you can proudly hand over the reins of a country with an  
unlimited future. This is a testament to strengthen its leadership and  
people of Colombia," he adds.

Obama closes the letter saying his country was "pleased to have played  
a role, over several administrations, to help Colombia to achieve  
progress it has achieved in the last decade," while reaffirming its  
"ongoing commitment to work with Colombia, in order to deepen  
cooperation and friendship that our countries have enjoyed under his  
mandate. "

"We are united by our strategic alliance and our commitment to  
democracy, human rights, social justice and economic progress in the  
Americas, says.
Obama's missive was delivered Thursday to Uribe by Gen. James L.  
Jones, national security adviser in the White House during a meeting  
with Uribe before the inauguration ceremony as president of Sebastian  
Pinera, Chile.

"We congratulate the people of Colombia for the stability of the  
process and the democratic transition will take," said Gen. Jones.

Cesar Mauricio Velasquez, press secretary of the Casa de Narino said  
after learning of the letter, "Obama stresses that attitude, that  
behavior, the democratic maturity of the institutions Colombian  
President Álvaro Uribe to receive"
News of the ruling of the Court.

Jay Rouse
Strategic Campaigns International
1010 Wisconsin Avenue, NW suite 705
Washington, DC 20016