Nai Eiras News Today

On April 12, the United States and Peru concluded negotiations forthe United States-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement, a major advancein economic and security relations between the U.S. and LatinAmerica's fifth most populous country. Peru's legislature hasalready approved the deal, and it now awaits action in the U.S.Congress. Economically, this free trade agreement (FTA) with Peruwill benefit producers in both countries with greater market accessand consumers with less expensive products...

The surest way to promote sustainable environmental policies aroundthe world is to increase economic growth and the standard of livingin poor countries. Those truly concerned with protecting theenvironment should support a trade promotion authority thateffectively advances free trade.

BG1521ES: Time to Change U.S. Strategy for the Andean Region

An attempt to provide an answer to that question and to look atwhat can be done so that Latin countries can grow and prosper asthey hope to do.

By his visit to Mexico and first official trip to Central and SouthAmerica, President Bush can show that Latin America is once again aU.S. priority. He will have the opportunity to cement cooperationon common goals: bolstering hemispheric security, free trade, anddemocracy.

President Bush, at the Summit of the Americas in Quebec, will havea unique opportunity to promote economic liberalization throughoutthe hemisphere by presenting the opportunity for countries thathave already liberalized their economies to sign a free tradeagreement with the United States, beginning with Chile.

Unless the Administration addresses the "absence of capitalism"that afflicts economies around the world by taking this approach,economic crises will become more frequent and more severe.

To help Argentina recover, the Bush Administration should hold backaid to Argentina and refrain from giving its support for additionalIMF funding until the Argentine government presents a crediblepro-growth plan.

The Bush Administration should be concerned about the potentialchaos in the Andean region and take immediate action to adjust itspolicies to address the many problems facing the region before theydeteriorate further.

With U.S. influence in Latin America on the wane and China andVenezuela ascendant, a trade agreement makes sense.