Amnesty International (AI) requested the Spanish government to refrain from selling weapons or military materials to Colombia and criticized the deal ratified with Venezuela, "a highly explosive area where the sale does not help with hemispheric stability."

AI director in Spain Esteban Beltrán voiced these remarks during presentation of the fourth AI report on foreign policy and human rights of the Spanish government. The report shows the organization concern against the Cabinet "token" being materialized, Efe reported.

One of the items in the paper makes reference to arms trade, a prevailing issue following the recent sale of aircraft and patrol boats to Venezuela and an offer to Colombia of 21 planes and four choppers.

Beltrán stressed the need for Spain to enact a law regulating arms trade, and claimed that transfer of such materials to Colombia may infringe the European Union code of conduct, which bans such operations with countries in conflict and where human rights are not respected.