CAFTA Educational
Packet
In the past year the United States Trade Representative
has negotiated parallel free trade agreements
with El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua,
and Costa Rica. Cumulatively, they represent
the Central American Free Trade Agreement
(CAFTA).
Our Salvadoran sistering communities
have expressed their fear that “the only
ones in El Salvador who will benefit [from CAFTA]
are the most rich.” We agree with their
analysis. So we pass on their request to you
that you speak out against this free trade agreement
and encourage your representatives to vote against
CAFTA.
Over the past decade El Salvador’s
poor majority has already suffered as a result
of increasing levels of “free trade.”
As tariffs have steadily been lowered, poverty
and inequality have been on the rise. CAFTA
will accelerate this process throughout Central
America.
CAFTA will also stymie Central
American countries’ ability to construct
distinct development strategies. The treaty
limits the governments’ power to protect
the environment, contract local businesses,
and protect basic services, including health
care and communications. It is clear that without
the guidance of an overarching plan for development,
opening the Central American economies to unconstrained
competition will further marginalize the poor
majority, for the benefit of only a few.
For this reason we at the SHARE
Foundation, along with our partners in the Stop
CAFTA Coalition (www.stopcafta.org),
ask you to help us rally support and defeat
this unjust trade agreement so that in its wake
we might promote a more just trade alternative.
In this packet you will find
the resources to further educate yourself and
your community about CAFTA and its possible
impacts. We have also included a “Lobby
Kit” that provides ideas for active participation
in the Stop-CAFTA campaign.
We hope this is helpful.
CONTENTS:
©
|
