Central American, U.S. trade officials sign CAFTA

By JANE BUSSEY

jbussey@herald.com


President Bush's chief trade emissary inked a free trade accord with five Central American countries today as the administration strives to maintain negotiating momentum during a tough election year.

Trade ministers from Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua joined U.S. Trade Representative Robert B. Zoellick for the midmorning ceremony, applauded by diplomats and representatives of business, at the Organization of American States in Washington.

''CAFTA will promote exports to a large and open market even as it supports continued openness and democracy in Central America,'' Zoellick said.

Despite the handshakes and flashing cameras, the administration concedes there is almost no chance that the Central American Free Trade Agreement, known as CAFTA, will be sent to Congress before November elections. A number of lawmakers -- mainly Democrats and some Republicans -- have expressed opposition to the agreement.

more: http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/8785957.htm

Now Bush wants to allow U.S. companies to outsource to Central America as well as China?

it will probably be approved in the Central American countries, so the only chance is to stop it in the US Congress.

- if something sounds too good to be true..

What we need is fair trade, with regulations that ensure viable and sustainable economies for all involved. Just look to our own economy right now, with its myriad problems. We are over our heads in debt, and then there's outsourcing, corporate profiteering, pay cuts, job losses, foreclosures, etc., etc. as a direct result, in some cases, of NAFTA.

Are the economies of the CAFTA participants in any better shape? These countries have their own set of unique problems to deal with.

What has happened to long-term strategic thinking - 20 years, 30 years into the future?

"Free Trade" = little 8 year old girl stitching Nike shoes for 10 cents an hour, 10 hours a day

It's a green light to exploitation.

how does allowing multinational corporations to seize the economies of nations and exploit their workers spread "democracy"?

All this will do is spread corporate fascism.

We already know the effects of NAFTA and GATT. This is madness.

more here than outsourcing and slave labor. agreement lets corporations override nations' environmental protections. think oil, costa rica, harken.

http://www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=18258

But let's not forget, it's all for more "democracy" and "freedom"... :eyes:

Free trade, right! But I can't get my pills from Mexico or Canada.