Costa Rica Blocking CAFTA?

    I haven't see this anywhere in the mainstream press: the Financial Times had a piece on Feb, 27th (yeah, sorry, it sat on my desk and I just liberated it from the pile) which reported that the Central American Free Trade Agreement might be headed for tough times in Costa Rica:

The leader of Costa Rica's second largest political party has vowed to obstruct efforts to ratify a 2004 free trade agreement between Central America and the U.S.

Otto Solis, a left-wing presidential candidate for the Citizens' Action party (PAC) said that CAFTA, as the agreement is known, would "bankrupt Costa Rica's agricultural sector" and that fundamental changes to the text would have to occur before the treay could be deemed acceptable.

    So, once again, hope beckons from the South.

Comments

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[Jose Barquero]

Costa Rica is split 50% and 50% favor and against the CAFTA, we call it TLC, we who are against the TLC love our country and we don't want to become another USA dependant country, we think TLC has bad politics on ecological explotation, we love our beautiful beaches, tropical rain forest and volcanos, we believe there's more money in nature than in stuped cities, bulding or else.

[Andy]

I spent nearly six months in Costa Rica, and I must say that I hope it stays as it is. Hopefully, if the tratado ever passes, it won't be as harmful as feared.

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[Violeta Duarte Fonseca]

The TLC or Cafta will be a challenge for the Costa Rican
people small country in Latin-America with a low indice of an unaducated people,the high standard of educacion make
hard for the politician who wants this treaty pass hard due to the questions, they cann't answer to his people.
The opening on Telecomunications, will be a bad impact in this country who most of the income stayed in Costa
Rica due the privaticion in the past of the Institutions such ICE, and others.
The treaty was negotiaded at the back of their citizens and
until today many people doesn't know the consecuences of this treaty if the Rererendum who is taking place October 7, passed.
Costa Rica need treaty but good ones negotiated in good faith where the whole country can participate with it, no
bad treaties that in the future hurt our citizens and bring
more poverty , like the other countries today, such Honduras, Guatemala, and Mexico, who the emmigration to the U. S. A. cann't controled it .
The Farmaceutics, and Big Corporations of the U.S. A. has
been expending a lot of money to pass this treaty.
In the meantime the Costa Rican people who are against this
TLC treaty has been persecuted by the government and entities who are in favor they been call comunists Sindicalist, and others name, for intimidation. They are running adds, and paying people to give false informacion
favorable to the TLC. Arias himself Presidente of Costa Rica has been expending time to talked favorable about the
treaty.
The people against the TLC are working hard to let the country people know what the treaty is all about, and why we
need to go out and vote with a No in the Referendum on October 7.
The Costa Rican Citizen are smart and I'am sure this treaty
they will decide with a No in this bad treaty bad negotiated for our Country.

[Violeta Duarte Fonseca]

As the date of October 7, 2007 we costarricans, owe respect to
to our country, our Institutions, our natural resources, and to our people, as a costarrican woman I pledge respect to my
Costa Rican flag, and I begged to all Costarricenses to go out to vote with a No en el Referendum against the Cafta or TLC.
As I had wrote before this treaty will bring pain and more poverty to our country, all the good things our nation has it
won't be there anymore.The O'clock is running out, citizens of
Costa Rica wake up read the treaty and don't believe what people say look for the information, because is your duty as
a citizen with your vote in this Referendum you have the power to change things.
I'am agree we need treaties, but well negotiaded not this one, for the future of Costa Rica and putting first our patriotism that our interest, We Vote with a No in this treaty we the help of our costarricans citizens.

[Robert Lanod]

Seems like there are more people against TLC (CAFTA), then in favor, at the moment.
Have you been to Mexico lately?? Business is brisk, middle class have better living conditions, incomes have improved for the underclass.

Let’s the ask the citizen people of Mexico, … abolish NAFTA, turn the clock back to the good old days! .............. .. I don’t think so!

Turning down CAFTA will certainly help decrease the population of Costa Rica, as the Nicaraguan Immigrants will be heading home for higher paying better jobs.

Those that do not want to look like an osterich, better take their heads out of the sand.

October 7th is your voice, no matter how you vote

[Violeta Duarte Fonseca]

As we are approaching October 7, with the Referendum TLC or Cafta, I believe the Costa Rican people are more aware now what represent the dangerous with the new treaty TLC or Cafta for our nation.
I'am sure the Costa Ricans will go out and will defeat the Referendum with a No.
For the people who cann't understand what this treaty represent for our country 'Ill please go to Google and find more information.

[Lilly]

You now that if they say No to TLC Costa Rica will be so horrible. Imagine if they said Yes, no more ICE and all those bad things. it would be so much better. Many ticos dont even now what the TLC is and so they just listen to what other people think of it. I think that if cost rica says no, this country would be ruined. because also think of it this way, Costa Rica would be the ONLY country in central america that said no to TLC. We would also no longer be protected from the US. think about it Costa Rica, do you really want to be such a big mess?? of course US is not going to distroy our beautiful country, there not that dumb. make your dicision..

[Dylan]

You NOW it sounds like your not informed about the TLC as well! That ICE would be made from middle class tears in Costa Rica. Please try and look past your own selfish wants,and look at the big picture.

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[Winona Ryder]

As we are approaching October 7, with the Referendum TLC or Cafta, I believe the Costa Rican people are more aware now what represent the dangerous with the new treaty TLC or Cafta for our nation.