From: Flora Fernández <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
A Push for a Central American Trade Pact
By ELIZABETH BECKER
Published: May 13, 2005
WASHINGTON, May 12 - President Bush tried to kick-start his campaign to
win passage of a stalled free trade agreement on Thursday by welcoming
the presidents of five Central American countries and the Dominican
Republic to the White House.
Mr. Bush praised the economic pact with Costa Rica, the Dominican
Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua as essential
not only to expanding trade among free markets but also in
strengthening democracy and security in the Western Hemisphere.
"Today a part of the world that was once characterized by oppression
and military dictatorship now sees its future in free elections and
free trade," said Mr. Bush, standing with the leaders.
The six countries, since the end of civil wars of the late 1970's and
1980's, have moved closer to the United States, with some sending
troops to Iraq. In promoting the Central American Free Trade Agreement,
or Cafta, the administration is underlining what it sees as its
importance for national security.
Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld told the Central American
leaders at a meeting on Wednesday that he appreciated their military
cooperation. Hasta la posiblidad de seguir involucrándonos en futuras aventuras militares de los Estados Unidos parecerían estar implícitas en el CAFTA.
"Today, the threat to Central American and Caribbean security comes
from an antisocial combination of gangs, drug traffickers, smugglers,
hostage takers, and terrorists," Mr. Rumsfeld said. "It is increasingly
clear that they can be effectively combated and are being combated only
by close cooperation among nations." ¿Se abre la posibilidad de que intervengan en nuestros países?
The visit with the president on Thursday was the high point of a
unusual weeklong lobbying effort by the nations' leaders who traveled
around the United States and to Washington.
At the same time, the World Bank released a report prepared at the
request of the United States and the countries, showing the benefits of
the trade agreement for all signatories but warning that on its own
Cafta "is unlikely to lead to substantial economic development."
El mismo Banco Mundial a solicitud del gobierno de los Estados Unidos elaboró un reporte en el que advierte que el TLC no conduce a un desarrollo económico sustancial
According to the report, Cafta would increase the levels of trade and
should promote greater levels of foreign and domestic investments.
Especially attractive for foreign investors ya lo habíamos advertido, son los inversionistas extranjeros los grandes ganadores, no los ticos! (¿sabrán para quien trabajan los que apoyan el TLC?) would be the changes in
regulations covering trade in services, government procurement and
intellectual property rights in Central American countries and the
Dominican Republic. But to ensure substantial gains in development, the
report said, these countries would have to make major investments in
ports, roads and education. Mientras no tengamos mayor inversión en puertos, caminos y educación, no se aprovechará el TLC
Creating a free trade zone for textiles stretching from North Carolina
through El Salvador is part of the allure of Cafta. Textile exports are
larger now than the region's shipments of traditional products like
coffee and sugar. This week the administration won support for Cafta
from a United States textile trade association but it has failed to
crack the opposition of the sugar industry.
Even with this top-level push, Cafta faces an uphill battle. The
administration does not have the votes to pass the trade pact even
though the agreement was signed a year ago. Siguen sin los votos necesarios para ratificarlo!!!
Democrats say they want the administration to renegotiate the accord to
include labor and environmental provisions, saying that workers need
greater assurances that trade will not undercut them. Others said they
want the administration to come up with a clearer vision of how the
United States can be more competitive. ¿Se puede o no renegociar?
Some Democrats have questioned why the administration is putting such
an emphasis on a trade deal with six small, mostly impoverished
countries when the United States' major trade problems and disputes are
with China, Europe and Japan. ¡Somos insignificantes, sólo somos un patio trasero!
The administration views such talk as protectionism and says Cafta will
increase American exports of manufactured goods and agricultural
products. The agreement would eventually eliminate or cut tariffs on
American exports to the region while making permanent the tariff-free
status of the Cafta countries. ¿quienes serán ganadores? ¿quienes perdedores?
Rob Portman, the new United States trade representative, said this week
that the momentum in Congress was turning in favor of Cafta.
Democrats and some Republicans disagreed. ¿quien dice la verdad?
At a news conference on Thursday, Senator Byron L. Dorgan, Democrat of
North Dakota, described the visit of the Cafta leaders as
"unprecedented and desperate lobbying."
La visita de los presidentes de C.A. se interpretó como una debilidad
Pointing to the nation's record trade deficit, Mr Dorgan said, "Cafta
is where Congress draws the line on America's failed trade policies."
The A.F.L.-C.I.O. sent workers from the Cafta countries on a tour
across the United States mirroring the one undertaken by the
leadership. Using the slogan "Cafta We Don't Hafta," the workers said
the trade deals would push down wages in the region and the United
States. Los trabajadores de Estados Unidos dicen "TLC no tenemos porqué (aprobarlo)" y anticipan que los salarios en la región y en su país tenderán a bajar
de nuevo ¿quienes serán ganadores? ¿quienes perdedores?
Flora Fernández
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