CAFTA Smoke in Costa Rica

The sight of smoke billowing from the streets was just another sign that not everyone in Costa Rica is happy about CAFTA, the Central American Free Trade Agreement with the United States. Tico Times reports a group of students near the University of Costa Rica (UCR) in San Pedro, east of San José, burned tires to express their opposition to legislation that would implement CAFTA. They joined in a protest staged by unions of the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE). Though union leaders had summoned 5,000 workers to walk out, only about 400 participated in the strike. Doesn’t sound very impressive does it?

Those in opposition to CAFTA believe the agreement will undermine workers rights, drive countless family farmers off their land, and expose communities throughout Central America and the U.S. to privatization of essential public services like water, electricity, health care and education.

Those for CAFTA think the agreement is designed to eliminate tariffs and trade barriers and expand regional opportunities for the workers, manufacturers, consumers, farmers, ranchers and service providers of all the countries. CAFTA will eliminate tariffs on U.S. exports of consumer and industrial products. A lot of CAFTA imports already enter the United States duty free; CAFTA will provide reciprocal access for U.S. products and services.

Whether you are for or against this agreement, we are bound to read more about it as Legislators work to implement the spirit of the agreement.

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