Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement by the National Committee to Free Ricardo Palmera (Simon Trinidad).

The National Committee to Free Ricard Palmera (Simon Trinidad) wishes happy birthday to Colombian revolutionary Simon Trinidad!

On July 30, 1950, Ricardo Palmera (Simon Trinidad) was born into a wealthy family and as a student became active in the people’s movements. Then in 1989, at the age of 39, he joined the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) after seeing dozens of his friends and Patriotic Union political candidates murdered by Colombian government death squads.

Palmera joined the FARC to fight for social justice, to seek democratic social and economic change, to organize the poor to overthrow the rich and become the rulers of society. The FARC opposed the U.S. empire – where U.S. corporations steal the oil, coal, minerals, gems and agricultural products that belong to the Colombian people.

Then in 1999, Clinton and Gore, along with Senator Joe Biden launched ‘Plan Colombia.’ The U.S. spent over $8 billion and directed a war that brings only poverty, misery and death to Colombia. Unable to defeat the FARC on the battlefield, U.S. intelligence captured Ricardo Palmera in Ecuador while he was on a UN peace mission. The U.S. extradited Ricardo Palmera (Simon Trinidad) to Washington D.C. and put him on trial four times.

Palmera is currently serving a 60-year sentence in the federal supermax prison in Florence, Colorado under ‘Special Administrative Measures’ that violate human rights.

President Obama needs to free Ricardo Palmera (Simon Trinidad) to guarantee the Colombian peace process. The National Committee to Free Ricardo Palmera (Simon Trinidad) wants President Obama to act now to push the Colombian peace forward.

On his 66th birthday, we offer Simon Trinidad warm hugs and wish him a long life in struggle! We salute your sacrifice and look forward to your freedom!

Peace for Colombia! Free Simon Trinidad!

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