Guatemalans Say US Free
Trade Costly
One year after CAFTA-DR
took effect in
Guatemala, the
Guatemalan Social
Organizations Collective
(COS) presented evidence
on Wednesday that its
alleged benefits are
deceptive and false.
COS analyst Carlos
Barreda explained to
Prensa Latina that the
29 percent increase of
traditional exports
claimed by Assistant
Economy Minister Sigrido
Lee for CAFTA, is really
due to the revaluation
of coffee and sugar on
the world market, and
the true increase is 5.6
percent.
However, even this small
increase does not impact
the national economy
since the profits are
concentrated in a very
few transnational
monopolies, Barreda
said.
On the negative side and
contrary to what was
promised when the
agreement came into
effect, the cost of
living increased last
year particularly for
basic products like
corn, beans, chicken and
bread.
CAFTA has not changed
either Guatemala's
constant increase of
poverty and extreme
poverty or the
accumulation of wealth
by a small business
group, Barreda assured.
A real economic increase
that will provide jobs
and raise the standard
of living for the
majority is not achieved
with CAFTA but with
improvement in
education, health,
infrastructure and
security, said the COS
leader. |
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