[www-features] Proposal (revised): CAFTA Passed in Guatemala Amid Clouds of Tear Gas

[Matt Wasserman]

I've made some changes per the suggestions of John and BHT. Hope this
works for everyone.
Image:
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/rdonlyres/0B43AA5E-DDA9-4B09-B036-F8FEC804CD86/67641/8657A50B02E0491EA0955AB88380B6F5.jpgCENTRAL AMERICA: FREE TRADE/REPRESSION

CAFTA Passed in Guatemala Amid Clouds of Tear Gas

<p>The <a href="http://ftaaimc.org/or/topic/cafta/"> Central American Free
Trade Agreement(CAFTA)</a>, a  precursor to the <a
href="http://ftaaimc.org/or/">Free Trade Area of the Americas(FTAA)</a>
and an extension of the existing North American Free Trade Area, was
passed by the legislature of Guatemala on Thursday, March 10. Massive
anti-CAFTA <a href="http://chiapas.mediosindependientes.org/">protests</a>
in Guatemala City had delayed the vote on the treaty, but CAFTA was
finally passed with <a
href="http://chiapas.mediosindependientes.org/display.php3?article_id=112057">thousands
of police</a> surrounding the Guatemalan congress and tear gas wafting
throughout downtown.</p><p>Guatemala joins <a
href="http://www.stopcafta.org/article.php?list=type&type=9">ElSalvador</a> and Honduras in having approved the treaty, leaving the
legislatures of the United States and Nicaragua yet to pass it. The
Dominican Republic has signed but not yet approved an identical treaty,
while Costa Rica, one of the five "target countries" for CAFTA, <a
href="http://www.colombiasolidarity.org.uk/Solidarity%2012/caftanegotiations.html">refused</a>
to sign it in December. A <a
href="http://ilfb.aghost.net/index.cfm?show=4&id=13824">hearing</a> on
CAFTA, the first step in congressional approval of the pact, will be held
in the U.S. Senate on April 6.</p><p> Hugo Chavez, president of Venezuela, has expressed hopes that the FTAA
is effectively<a
href="http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2004/07/294623.html">dead</a> and has
proposed a <a
href="http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/docs.php?dno=1010">Bolivarian
Alternative for the Americas</a>.</p><p><a href="http://www.stopcafta.org/">Stop CAFTA</a> | <a
href="http://ftaaimc.org/or/">FTAA IMC</a> | <a
href="http://www.citizen.org/trade/index.cfm"> Global Trade Watch</a>                            -Matt