Via his Twitter account, former Colombian President Alvaro Uribe mourned the death of prominent Colombian trade unionist Luis German Restrepo Maldonado, who was assassinated in Medellin Thursday.
“I reject the assassination of German Restrepo, an example of democratic and participative trade unionism. The death of German Restrepo, worker for brotherhood, is painful,” Uribe wrote.
Uribe called Restrepo “an exemplary trade union leader. With him we opened the doors to trade union participation.”
Restrepo, who was the president of Colombian packers’ union Sintraempaques, was murdered in public by a hitman, who evaded capture by fleeing down a nearby street.
The 58-year-old trade unionist, who spent 40 years representing workers in Colombia’s central Antioquia department, was decorated by Uribe on November 1, 2009, in celebration of his 35 years with Sintraempaques.
Restrepo was considered a leader in the field of “new Colombian trade unionism” and was well known for his support of his country’s free trade agreement with the U.S. before the North American nation’s Congress.
The Colombian authorities are investigating Restrepo’s assassination.