Guatemala: Street Clashes Over Free Trade
by Associated Press Thursday March 10, 2005 at 06:10 PM
http://thunderbay.indymedia.org/news/2005/03/19053.php
Shrugging off rowdy protests in the streets, Guatemala's Congress voted overwhelmingly on Thursday to ratify a Central American free trade agreement with the United States.
Guatemala Votes to Ratify Free Trade Pact
Thu Mar 10, 5:00 PM ET
By SERGIO DE LEON, Associated Press Writer
GUATEMALA CITY - Shrugging off rowdy protests in the streets, Guatemala's Congress voted overwhelmingly on Thursday to ratify a Central American free trade agreement with the United States.
The 126-12 vote had been delayed by days of street protests that had kept lawmakers from reaching their chambers for some sessions.
El Salvador and Honduras had earlier approved the agreement, which is still pending before the U.S. Congress.
Hundreds of police ringed the area around the legislature in downtown Guatemala City, with water cannons and truncheons to hold back 600 union members, farmers and students who were demanding a national referendum on the deal, which they said would hurt the nation's poor.
The protests finally subsided on Thursday after police warned that they would arrest and prosecute the leaders of the demonstrations for causing a public disturbance.
The office of the government human rights prosecutor said that police clubs broke the leg of at least one protester on Thursday.
At least six people were injured during protests on Tuesday, when police used tear gas as well as water cannon to keep demonstrators from crossing their lines.
The United States signed the free-trade agreement, known as CAFTA, last May with Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. The Dominican Republic signed later.
President Bush has said the accord would open new markets for U.S. goods and services while encouraging economic and democratic reforms in Central America.
However some business and labor groups in the United States have opposed it, fearing competition from low-wage Central American countries. Opponents here fear that they could lose out to cheaper imported goods and powerful foreign rivals.
Protesters block Guatemala free-trade vote
Associated Press
Posted on Tue, Mar. 08, 2005
GUATEMALA CITY - Hundreds of protesters blocked lawmakers from voting on a free-trade agreement between Central America and the United States on Tuesday and authorities said they were prepared to send troops if the demonstrations continued.
Col. Wilfred Estrada, a spokesman for the army, said he was ordered to ready 500 soldiers and military police who would be deployed if a new round of protests erupted Wednesday or Thursday. No one was hurt or arrested Tuesday.
"There aren't enough lawmakers for quorum and when some who want to enter the building get close, they aren't allowed to," said Mariano Rayo, a congressman who got to the legislature early but then was prevented from leaving.
Demonstrators eventually dispersed, allowing the session to begin Tuesday night. Lawmakers passed a resolution pledging to compensate those who could be hurt by the agreement, known as CAFTA.
Protesters are demanding that the agreement be put to a public referendum - something Guatemalan President Oscar Berger has ruled out.
President Bush has said the accord would open new markets for U.S. goods and services while encouraging economic and democratic reforms in Central America, but he didn't have the votes in Congress in 2004. It was unclear whether he would have the support this year.
