John McCain points to supporter at opening of town hall meeting campaign event in Pipersville, Pa., 30 Jun 2008

U.S. presidential candidate John McCain travels to Colombia Tuesday,where he is expected to highlight the country's efforts to fight drugtrafficking, and also push for passage of a U.S.-Colombia free tradeagreement.

The presumptive Republican presidential nominee meetswith Colombian President Alvaro Uribe and other officials in the cityof Cartagena Tuesday. Wednesday, the Arizona senator travels to Mexicoand is to meet the following day Thursday, with President FelipeCalderon.

McCain is expected to discuss drug trafficking andfree trade in both countries. McCain supports President Bush'sproposed free-trade agreement with Colombia, unlike his opponent,presumed Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama.

Obama,like many of his Democratic Party colleagues, has expressed concernover Colombia's often-criticized record on human rights, labor unionactivity and the environment. Bush administration officials have saidfailure to adopt the free trade agreement will harm U.S. credibility inLatin America.
 

Some information for this report was provided by Reuters.