Juan Manuel Santos, President Of Colombia, To Negotiate With Striking Farmers Over Free Trade Agreements

Colombian president Juan Manuel Santos has agreed to negotiate with striking farm workers in his country. Dairy farmers, potato, onion and rice farmers as well as coffee growers have all gone on strike demanding better wages and a solution the problem they feel the government created by the free trade agreement with the United States and the European Union. The strike, now in its ninth day, has caused massive transportation issues in Colombia. Protesters blocked off roads and the President originally said he would not meet with the striking farmers until they vacated the streets.

As a result of the road blocks set up by the protesters major roadways have been cut off and now Colombian towns are running low on supplies like food and fuel. After the road blocks were assembled the protesters accused the riot police of firing their weapons at the striking works and of throwing tear gas canisters into people's homes. The Colombian government is accusing rebels of helping to incite protesters by infiltrating demonstrations. The strikes began over the free trade agreement Colombia signed with the European Union and the United States.

The free trade agreement with the United States will eliminate taxes and other "barriers to U.S. exports, expand trade to our two countries and promote economic growth for both," reads the Office of the United States Trade Representative website. The agreement with the European Union works in a similar fashion. The striking farmers say this agreement has flooded the Colombian market with "cheap imports while their costs for items such as fertilizers have gone up," BBC reports. The demonstrators are also demanding a guaranteed fixed price for their products.

On Tuesday, more than 15,000 people marched through Tunja supporting the farmers. The striking workers say they are on the verge of bankruptcy if they and will lose everything if they and the government do not come to an agreement. President Santos met with the leaders of the strike on Monday and made a statement saying he and his advisors are "determined to confront the problems and work hand in hand with the farmers to see how we can get out of this situation."

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