Costa Rica Having Doubts about CAFTA
May 04, 2005
An article in Tuesday's edition of The Wall Street Journal titled "Costa Rica Balks at Free-Trade Pact" reveals that Costa Rica is beginning to question whether or not it should support CAFTA. Costa Rica is putting off ratifying the treaty do to growing opposition from trade unions, farm groups, and even some business leaders who have reservations about CAFTA's intellectual property clauses. Many Costa Ricans are concerned that the agreement may lead to privatization of the countries state-owned industries and health care system.
Costa Rican president Abel Pacheco may delay the vote in the country's parliament until after February of 2006, both because of his own concerns that the agreement "threatens the poor" and his fear of seeing his presidency fall apart amidst the strikes and protests that would no doubt occur if the agreement were debated. According to Representative James Moran, a Virginia Democrat supporting CAFTA, some moderate Republicans and Democrats may look at Costa Rica's reluctance as a reason to vote against the agreement when it comes up for a vote in the Congress.