Meanwhile, Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez urged lawmakers on Wednesday to approve new trade agreements with not just Colombia but also Panama, Peru and South Korea. Gutierrez attacked Latin American critics of trade deals with Washington.

Carlos Gutierrez: “There’s some in the region that seem to have hijacked the term 'social justice.' It’s almost as though it’s a copyright used by the socialist, radical left, as if they understood the real meaning of social justice, and under the guise of social justice, they’re implementing policies that we know are going to hurt their people and ultimately are going to hurt the economy, and at best they will make everyone poor.”