Peru's Congress ratifies U.S. free-trade deal

[Judi Lynn]

UPDATE 2-Peru's Congress ratifies U.S. free-trade deal
Wed Jun 28, 2006 3:43pm ET
(Updates with protests, U.S. reaction)

By Marco Aquino

LIMA, Peru, June 28 (Reuters) - Peru's Congress ratified a free-trade deal with the United States on Wednesday after a brief protest from newly elected opposition lawmakers, clearing the way for its approval by the president and U.S. lawmakers.

Congress voted 79-14 for the accord, which was backed by businesses who say it will be a huge boost to Peru's export-driven economy and opposed by farmers who fear that U.S. imports will ruin their livelihoods. Six lawmakers abstained.


Thousands of demonstrators protested against the deal in Lima on Wednesday, shouting, "Down with the United States!"

Stephen Norton of the U.S. Trade Representative's office welcomed the ratification and said it would create more jobs in Peru, "opening a market of 28 million consumers to U.S. manufacturers, farmers, ranchers, and service providers."
(snip/...)

http://today.reuters.com/investing/financeArticle.aspx?type=bondsNews&storyID=2006-06-28T194353Z_01_N28347634_RTRIDST_0_TRADE-PERU-USA-UPDATE-2.XML

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UPDATED: 11:37, June 29, 2006
Peruvian protesters march against ratification of free trade agreement with US

About 2,000 demonstrators marched through the streets of Peru's capital on Wednesday to protest against the Peruvian parliament's ratification of a free trade agreement with the United States.

Earlier, in a 15-hour marathon session, Peru's Congress voted 79 to 14, with six abstaining to pass the deal, know as the Peru-U.S. Trade Promotion Agreement.

Demonstrators in the protest, organized by the National Anti-Free Trade Agreement Coordination Team and the National Agricultural Federation, marched to the American ambassador's residence and then to the Congress, waving flags and shouting slogans.

The demonstration passed off peacefully, but it had caused major traffic problems in Lima.
(snip/...)

http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200606/29/eng20060629_278443.html

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Posted on Wed, Jun. 28, 2006email thisprint this
FREE TRADE
Not all in Peru are sold on U.S. tradeA Peru-U.S. free-trade accord offers export growth, but Peruvian farmers fear their livelihoods will be ruined.
BY MARY POWERS
Special to The Miami Herald

LIMA - The cotton apparel business owned by Patricia Telge's family got its start in the 1970s and was still working out of rented space in 1990, with nine employees.

In 2003, one year after the U.S. Andean Trade Preferences and Drug Enforcement Act took effect, the Telges' sales soared to $6.5 million, from $3.7 million in 2002, with 80 percent of the total going to the U.S. market.

But now ATPDEA, which grants special breaks to exports from Andean nations in return for drug-control programs, is set to expire Dec. 31. And while the Peruvian government has signed a free-trade accord with Washington, both legislatures must approve the accord.

Peruvian legislators are expected to start debating the free-trade accord today and vote on it as early as Thursday, amid support from some who see it as locking in advantages for some of the country's exports, and criticism from others who say it will hammer other local industries with cheap U.S. imports.
(snip/...)

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/14918520.htm

[robcon]

1. Terrific news.

The march towards free trade continues.

[Vidar]

2. The American version of "free trade" always has some pretty

insidious strings. The EU version I support.

[Judi Lynn]

3. Kick!

:kick: :kick: :kick:

[The2ndWheel]

4. "a brief protest"

Sounds like the last few decades around the globe. Not a bad title for a book even.

Damn, to be a corporation. You don't even have to kill anyone to get your way. I mean, you can, it's like an added bonus, that 3rd day of a 3 day weekend. A chemical here, a toxic spill there, maybe a murder, but nobody cares. All the better if whatever you kill isn't human, because, well, we're freakin' human. It's not like you'd do any time. Just sign a few lines on a contract, and bang, it's your world baby.