McCain says he will visit Colombia soon

RIVERSIDE, California (Reuters) - Republican presidential candidate John McCain said on Tuesday he would travel to Colombia soon, where he is expected to offer his support for a free trade agreement with Bogota.

"I want to go to Colombia as it is a vital ally in our struggle against the scourge of drugs," McCain told reporters in a news conference during a campaign stop. "A great amount of cocaine that comes into the United States as you know comes from Colombia."

McCain, who has visited Colombia before, said he would travel there next week.

McCain favors approval of the Colombia free trade agreement, which would lock in Colombia's current duty-free access to the U.S. market while eliminating barriers to U.S. exports and making other business-friendly reforms.

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has argued, like many Democrats, that Colombia needs to reduce violence and murders of union members before Congress votes on the free trade pact.

(Reporting by Steve Holland; editing by David Wiessler)