Several thousand Costa Ricans took to the streets on Monday to demonstrate against a free trade deal with the U.S. and several Central American states. The protestors worry that the free trade deal would lead to disadvantages for small businesses as well as rapid privatization of state-run industries. Costa Rica is the only country which has signed but not ratified the Central American Free Trade Agreement though a plurality of Costa Ricans support ratification according to a poll published by local newspaper
al Día.
Links- New York Newsday, CNN, al Día
Image- Washington Post
If I was in Costa Rica, I would have done the same thing. The West's version of free-trade is anything but.
ReplyDeleteFree trade can work so as long as it has a strong social component to it. It's an idea that Chilean president Michelle Bachelet is behind and it's something advantageous to both workers and employers. (They have to compromise mind you, but it sure beats the pablum being fed during by the "washington Consenus"
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