Despite a heavy last minute push by the Bush Administration, the Colombian government, and editorial boards across the country, in addition to hundreds of thousands of dollars spent on lobbyists, the Colombia Free Trade Agreement has died in this session of Congress. The many activists and organizations, both in the U.S. and Colombia, who have worked hard to impede a vote during the Bush administration, have won an important victory.

Rumors spread that the agreement could come up in the lame duck session, tied to an auto-industry bailout or broader economic stimulus package, but President-elect Obama discouraged connecting the bills. A new version of the agreement is expected to be negotiated under President Obama, but not for at least the next several months.