Costa Rica Government Wants FTA
Despite the opposition of numerous national organizations, Costa Rican Foreign Trade Minister Marco Ruiz reiterated Friday he is willing to approve the free trade agreement with the US.

Those opposing the deal said the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) or Tratado Libre de Comercio (TLC) as it known locally,  will destroy national sovereignty; privatize health, communications, electricity, water and internet services and further impoverish farmers, as well as small and medium producers.

Nevertheless, Minister Ruiz noted the treaty should be ratified before beginning similar pacts with the European Union.

With that aim and to appease the US, he explained that it will be necessary to pass additional laws, which could be sent to Congress in June, such the strengthening of the Instituto Costarricense Electricidad (ICE) - the state monopoly on telecommunications and electrical energy, the Caja Costarricende de Seguro Social (CCSS) or the Caja as it commonly referred to,  included in the agreement.

New laws are also needed to reinforce the national market in the face of competition is the Instituto Costarricense de Seguros (INS) - the national and only insurance company.

President Oscar Arias is supporter of the free trade deal.

Costa Rica is the only signatory country that has yet to ratify the trade deal. Former president Abel Pacheco sent the agreement to the Legislature last fall after stalling, saying that U.S. President Bush told him to take all the time he needs.

The Legislature sent the trade agreement to a special commission which had been studying the impact of the agreement and listening to both sides of the argument, in favour and against. On May 1 a new Legislature was sworn in.