Huber Ballesteros, the famous Colombian trade union leader, spoke at the Irish Congress of Trade Union’s (ICTU) biennial delegate conference in Belfast last week. This was his first international trip since being released from prison, where he had been held for three and a half years as a political prisoner on trumped up charges.

He was invited by IMPACT deputy general secretary Kevin Callinan, who met Ballesteros languishing in a jail cell without basic medical attention or equipment when on a union delegation to Colombia last year. Ballesteros was never convicted of any crime.

The delegation was in Colombia during the week that an historic peace deal was signed between the FARC rebel group and government authorities. At that time Kevin and his fellow delegates called on the Colombian government to release Ballesteros, and other political prisoners, as a demonstration of faith in the peace process.

Upon Ballesteros’ release, the campaign group Justice for Colombia wrote a personal note of thanks to Kevin and other Irish trade unionists for their solidarity and support.

The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) ranks Colombia among the top ten countries for violations of worker and union rights. Last year, 19 Colombian trade unionists were murdered, 17 were attacked and 186 were threatened with violence of death.

Last week, Kevin said it was “a privilege to welcome” Ballesteros to the conference after his ordeal. He said that the ultimate success of the campaign to have Ballesteros freed demonstrated the importance of “solidarity and perseverance.”

Ballesteros received a spontaneous standing ovation from delegates as he rose to address conference. In his remarks, he again thanked the Irish Congress of Trade Unions for its support during his time in prison.

He said that trade unionists’ commitment to the principles of solidarity and social justice must be permanent and that they must be willing to make sacrifices to see their aims and objectives achieved. He gave an update on the current status of the peace deal at a fringe gathering, where there was a strong emphasis on the need for continuing international support and pressure.

Owen Reidy, assistant general secretary of ICTU, thanked Ballesteros for his “inspirational contribution”. Conference also endorsed an emergency motion calling for continued support for peace in Colombia and for the release of remaining political prisoners.