Central American unions slam CAFTA as racist

The leaders of the more-than-30 unions that make up the Central American Common Union met on January 18 in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, to establish the next moves in their campaign against the US-Central America Free Trade Agreement. They slammed CAFTA as racist and exclusive, as it favours large US companies and Central American elites. El Salvador, whose right-wing government forced it through parliament at 3.20am on December 21, is the only central American government to ratify it so far. The Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN) claims that CAFTA violates the Salvadoran Constitution as well as the country's sovereignty, and intends to file in the Supreme court to have it overturned as well as to continue to protest against it. According to the coordinator of the Central American Common Union, Luis Lara, Central American countries are planning simultaneous protests against CAFTA.

From Green Left Weekly, February 2, 2005.

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From GLW issue 613