Alliance for Responsible Trade

   1. Indefinite reelection triumphs with 54.36% of the votes in Venezuela
   2. Grave humanitarian crisis en indigenous communities in Colombia, and resistance to megaprojects in Honduras and Mexico
   3. Latin American Rural Women’s’ Conference in Uruguay
   4. Social movements put renegotiation of Canada Free Trade Agreement on agenda of Obama’s visit to Canada
   5. Guatemalan Judicial System approves turning over of military documentation in genocide cases
   6. Scandal in Spain for “payment” imposed on police for detention of immigrants
   7. Director of YPFB detained for corruption
   8. "War Lost" declares the Latin American Commission on Drugs and Democracy
   9. Report on the Activities of Social Organizations in the parallel Round to the FTAs with Colombia and Peru

1. Indefinite Reelection triumphs with 54.36% of the votes in Venezuela

Venezuelans approved the proposal to modify the presidential term limits put forth by the government of Hugo Chavez by popular vote.  Once the amendment is applied, the President and the rest of the elected civil servants will be able to run for office indefinitely. Representatives of various Latin American countries have congratulated President Hugo Chavez, who has indicated that this is a new phase for the Bolivarian revolution, which will continue until 2019.

-Article: http://www.prensa-latina.cu/article.asp?ID=%7BC0C0FE21-B7F4-446C-BB49-6BA0E0C89A60%7D)
-International Repercussions: http://www.granma.cu/espanol/2009/febrero/mar17/repercision.html
-Report of the National Electoral Council: http://www.agenciapulsar.org/audios_pls/14462_1.mp3

2. Grave humanitarian crisis en indigenous communities in Colombia, and resistance to megaprojects in Honduras and Mexico

Since February 4th, the situation of the indigenous Colombian Awá community has come into the public eye around the continent due to the assassination of 8 community members.  This crime as well as the disappearance of at least 10 more community members in Telembí has been attributed to the FARC guerrillas.  According to the denouncements of the Awá community, the threat against their survival also comes from state forces and is related to oil palm and rubber megaprojects, cultivation of coca for illicit purposes, as well as the mining resources in the region and infrastructure projects connected to transnational interests.

In Mexico, indigenous communities are facing the threat of a wind energy megaproject in Itsmo de Tehantepec, which includes the multinationals Unión FENOSA, Gamesa, Endesa, Acciona, Eoliatec, Preneal, Iberdrola, the German company Siemens, the US companies General Electric and Enron, and French Energy.  

In Honduras, diverse indigenous, afrodescendant, and farmworker social organizations signed the declaration of Purutukwa against different megaprojects that are being undertaken in ancestral territories without the consent of the indigenous communities.

-Pueblo Awá: http://www.etniasdecolombia.org/actualidadetnica/detalle.asp?cid=7476
-Analysis: http://www.nasaacin.org/noticias.htm?x=9550
-Mexico Megaproject:
-Article: http://www.jornada.unam.mx/2009/02/15/index.php?section=economia&article=020n1eco
-Take Action: http://www.salvalaselva.org/protestaktion.php?nametest=1&id=354&vname=&name=&email=guscastro@otrosmundoschiapas.org&emailpruef=&strasse=&hausnr=&plz=&ort=&staat=MX#adressfeld
-Honduras. Declaration of Purutukwa: http://www.ecoportal.net/layout/set/print/content/view/full/84249/(printversion)/1

3. Latin American Rural Women’s Conference in Uruguay

The meeting of the Network of Rural Women of Latin America and the Caribbean (RedLAC) took place last week in San José, Uruguay.  In the meeting, women from around the continent evaluated their work and laid out new projects.  “For rural women land is life, production,” said the Brazilian Vanete Almeida, institutional and executive coordinator for the RedLAC.

 Nota con audio: http://mail.google.com/mail/?hl=es&shva=1#search/label%3Abolet%C3%ADn-asc+Mujeres+rurales+Uruguay/11f7f9d185cf8454

4. Social Movements Put Renegotiation of FTA with Canada on Agenda of Obama’s Visit to Canada

This week Barack Obama will carry out his first official visit to Canada amidst great expectations as it complies with his electoral promise to revise NAFTA, which has had devastating effects for the majority of the Mexican population, particularly in agriculture.

Social organizations in Canada are preparing an work plan with this in mind, while analysts are evaluating the “Buy American” policy, facing the FTA.

 -Common frontiers Analysis:

México and Canada: Trading on our future
Rick Arnold – Coordinator of Common Fontiers, a multi-sectoral network of Canadian organizations that work on trade policy issues.  Canadian chapter of the Hemispheric Social Alliance. www.commonfrontiers.ca
Mexico and Canada: Trading on our Future

By Rick Arnold, Common Frontiers

This is an English translation from the original Spanish of an article which originally appeared in the Feb 13, 2009 edition of Mexico's La Jornado del Campo.

When most people compare Mexico with Canada they often focus on the differences (languages, climate, colonial histories, form of government, level of industrial development etc.). While these differences are significant, they can mask areas of common concern. The most obvious tie that binds our two countries is that of living beside the United States of America. Our common neighbour is a global colossus that has historically wielded enormous economic influence and backed it up with military might.

As part of its world view the US has long considered the Americas to be its own ‘back yard’. Despite that fact, during much of the 1900’s both Mexico and Canada did dare (on occasion) to ‘speak truth to power’. For example both countries maintained ties with the Cuban revolution in the face of enormous pressure from Washington to stop all contact. The nationalization of Petroleos Mexicanos under Cardenas was a courageous act taken in the face of threats from the US oil giants and US government representatives. In Canada the introduction of innovations such as socialized medicine, and marketing boards for agricultural producers, resulted from struggles that were won despite the ‘anti-communist’ mind set prevalent at that time in Washington.

However, the implementation of NAFTA (North American Free trade Agreement) on January 1st, 1994 changed things. It has since served to bind both Mexico and Canada ever closer to the requirements of the US marketplace, and it turned both our governments into uncritical mouthpieces for the neo-liberal agenda. Both countries have become extremely dependent on exporting to the U.S. - surpassing 80% (of all exports) in each case. NAFTA proponents who lauded this growth as a barometer of success, now temper their remarks as a tanking US economy takes down its overly-dependent neighbours.

The removal of tariffs on the importation of corn into Mexico combined with the maintenance of illegal US agricultural subsidies have combined to drive some 2 million small farmers off the land. While this dramatic story has received some coverage in the North American media, a similar double-whammy that hit corn producers in Canada has gone virtually unreported. Pleas for help from Canadian corn growers went unheeded in Ottawa until suddenly on January 8, 2007 (with a minority government fearing a federal election) the Canadian government launched a WTO challenge against the US corn subsidy programs. Though this WTO action acknowledges the pain being felt by Canadian growers, relief in the form of a final ruling is not expected any time soon.

Over the past two decades Canadian farm families have suffered under “free trade”. For example, even though Canadian agricultural exports tripled from $11 billion to $33 billion between 1988 and 2007, net farm income fell by more than half. In that same time period Canadian farm debt more than doubled from $22.5 billion to $54 billion. Retail food prices climbed as farm prices fell. In this context, both Canadian farmers and consumers have been losers under NAFTA.

Prior to the implementation of NAFTA, Canadians and Mexicans alike were promised a golden era with jobs aplenty. Instead, in the last 6 years, Canada has lost 450,000 manufacturing jobs. That’s more than 150 good jobs disappearing every day. And it’s getting worse. The job loss is hitting many different industries all over the country: auto, food processing, forestry products, textiles, metals, furniture etc. Too many of the new jobs being created today are low-paying, insecure jobs with fewer benefits, particularly for women. Clearly, in both countries, the gap between the incomes of the most vulnerable and those of the wealthy has grown wider over the past 15 years of NAFTA.

Both nations have seen their sovereignty challenged by foreign (mostly US based) corporations under provisions contained in NAFTA’s Chapter 11 - a legal back channel which permits foreign investors to detour around local courts and sue the federal government before an international tribunal. These challenges picked up speed in Canada during 2008. In July, a group of 200 US investors, led by an Arizonan businessman, launched a $155 million lawsuit under NAFTA against the Canadian government claiming they faced ‘anti-American’ roadblocks in trying to establish private health clinics in Canada. In August, DOW Chemical announced its intention to challenge legislation in Quebec banning the sale and cosmetic use of pesticides. In December, US Abitibi Bowater threatened a NAFTA Chapter 11 suit even though by closing all its plants in the province of Newfoundland it was violating the terms of the 1905 Newfoundland Charter Lease that required it to provide jobs in order to continue logging on public lands.

During the NAFTA negotiations Canada (but not Mexico) agreed to a ‘proportionality’ provision tied to our oil exports to the US. This provision requires that almost two-thirds of our oil be sent to the US (even in the case of an emergency in Canada). With conventional sources of oil drying up in western Canada, the oil companies have moved to develop a vast area containing tar sands. The processing of this ‘dirty oil’ is turning Canada into a global polluter - a pariah state unwilling to cease contributing to climate change through the mega-release of greenhouse gasses.

With the new US President traveling to Ottawa shortly, hopes have been raised that Barack Obama will live up to his promises to discuss NAFTA renegotiation with the Canadian Prime Minister. Thus far the Canadian government has shown little inclination to re-open NAFTA despite a September 2008 Environics opinion poll that had 61% of Canadians favouring renegotiation. Ultimately it will be the cross-border transformational actions of our respective peoples that can ensure the building of a fair trade model for North America.

For more information on an ongoing tri-national initiative opposing NAFTA please go to www.rmalc.org.mex

 5. Guatemalan judicial system approves turning over of military documentation in genocide cases

This week, the Guatemalan Constitutional Court made the decision to obligate the Guatemalan government to turn over military archives to family members of victims of the internal armed conflict that lasted 36 years in Guatemala.  The decision of the Court rejected the argument of the ex-dictator Efraín Ríos Montt (1982-83), who claimed the archives were opened illegally, that the archives were “secrets and put national security in danger.”  This decision backs diverse human rights and victims’ organizations who demanded that President Álvaro Colom comply with the declassification of these archives as he promised a year ago.

More Information:
http://www.prensalibre.com/pl/2009/febrero/13/295587.html
http://www.univision.com/contentroot/wirefeeds/noticias/7887551.html

6. Scandal in Spain for “quota” imposed on the police for the detention of immigrants

The Federal Police Union, UFP, in Spain denounced the existence of a quota of 35 monthly dententions of illegal immigrants among the ranks of the Police.  The scandal has already caused the Interior Minister, Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba, to appear and place responsibility on the police department of Madrid, Spain.  The scandal has as its context both the Return Initiative approved last year by the European Union that has toughened persecution of immigrants and the “incitement to return voluntarily” programs as a measure against the economic crisis.

More information:
http://www.ociolatino.com/2009/02/a-la-caza-de-inmigrantes.html
http://www.correoperu.com.pe/lima_nota.php?id=83325&ed=14

 7. Director of YPFB detained for corruption

The corruption scandal, brought by Bolivian President Evo Morales against the president of the YPFB oil company, Santos Ramirez, continues with the Attorney General’s office move to detain him.  The former president was responsible for the process of nationalization of this company, who in its new stage adopted the name Yacimientos Petrolíferos Fiscales Bolivianos.

Santos Ramírez was detained last week and is being processed, together with his adviser, Esther Carmona, for his relationship to the corruption scandal that exploded two weeks ago the the assassination in La Paz of a Bolivian business person that had business with the state-owned oil company.  The Bolivian opposition assures that this crime is related to an illegal commission that this businessperson received for the adjudication of a millionaire contract on behalf of YPFB.  “We can’t forgive people who are redirecting economic resources.  Fall whoever may fall, they must be sanctioned,” underscored the Bolivian president upon asking Carlos Villegas, the new president, that the corruption in the state-owned company come to an end.

Noticia: http://www.laprensa.com.bo/noticias/17-02-09/index.php
Corporate Social Irresponsibility at YPF in Bolivia: http://www.ecologistasenaccion.org/spip.php?article5651

  8. "War Lost" declares the Latin American Commission on Drugs and Democracy  

The Latin American Commission on Drugs and Democracy, an organization comprised of ex-presidents and personalities from Latin America, verified that thirty years of struggle against the production and trafficking of illegal drugs like cocaine and heroine has failed.  The statement is surprising due to the integration of members of the Commission that once supported the anti-drug policies of the United States, like César Gaviria of Colombia, Ernesto Zedillo of México, and Fernando Henrique Cardoso of Brazil.

News: http://www.eltiempo.com/opinion/forolectores/una-guerra-perdida_4812250-1
Report: http://drogasydemocracia.org/files/2009/02/declaracao_espanhol_site.pdf

9. Informe de Actividades de las Organizaciones Sociales en la Ronda paralela al TLC Colombia  y Perú – UE

Organizaciones sociales realizaron actos paralelos a la negociación del TLC Colombia -  Unión Europea

Mientras se realizaba la primera ronda de negociación del Tratado de libre comercio (TLC) entre la Unión Europea y Colombia, Ecuador y  Perú, un conjunto de organizaciones sociales discutieron sobre las consecuencias de la firma del mismo, organizaron actividades, con el fin de difundir entre la opinión pública las implicaciones de esta negociación y evidenciar el desacuerdo de importantes movimientos sociales con el contenido, cronograma y forma en que se está negociando.

Las organizaciones participantes fueron: Asociación de Cabildos Indígenas del Norte del Cauca, Asociación de Usuarios Campesinos de Cundinamarca, Campaña Comercio con Justicia: mis derechos no se negocian, Confederación General del Trabajo, Central Unitaria de Trabajadores, Federación Colombiana de Educadores, Gran Coalición Democrática, Organización Colombiana de Estudiantes, Plataformas del Techo Común: Alianza de Organizaciones Sociales y Afines, Asamblea Permanente de la Sociedad Civil por la Paz, Coordinación Colombia Europa Estados Unidos, Plataforma Colombiana de Derechos Humanos, Democracia y Desarrollo, Red Colombiana de Acción frente al Libre Comercio, Salvación Agropecuaria, Sinbienestar.

Durante la semana, se realizaron varias actividades. La primera fue el Foro internacional: Los Tratados de Libre Comercio con la Unión Europea: lo que no se ha dicho, donde se abordó la problemática desde el ámbito académico, político y social.

Uno de los expositores fue el académico Germán Umaña, quien sostuvo que el TLC con Europa es igual al TLC con EEUU. Es preocupante que ni siquiera Colombia y Perú negocien juntos  y que solo se está avanzando en el tema comercial. El tema de derechos humanos no está presente en las negociaciones y de firmarse el acuerdo las normativas que rigen las migraciones se endurecerían.

Germán Holguín, de Misión Salud, consideró que en materia de propiedad intelectual este tratado es peor del que se negoció con EEUU y habría un importante impacto en la salud pública, pues se fortalecería el monopolio de la industria farmacéutica multinacional, y reduciría la oferta de medicamentos genéricos, los cuales representan el 67% del mercado nacional y cuestan entre 4 y 35 veces menos que los de las multinacionales.

Así mismo, se concluyó que este proceso entraña el fin de la CAN como proceso de integración, pues en los TLCs bilaterales, los países de la CAN optaron por debilitar el marco legal comunitario.

En cuanto a los aspectos comerciales, se recordó que el intercambio entre las dos regiones es desigual: mientras los países andinos exportan productos primarios como café, carbón, ferroníquel y banano, importan de la UE maquinaria y equipos e industria básica y liviana. Además, las empresas europeas en la región controlan el comercio mayorista, el sistema financiero y los servicios públicos domiciliarios y tienen fuerte influencia en el sector farmacéutico.

Los TLC sientan un precedente geoestratégico para la expansión de la UE, asegurando para sí privilegios en materia de propiedad intelectual, aseveró Luis Jorge Garay.

La senadora Cecilia López aseguró que el TLC con la UE es una negociación política que pretende avalar un modelo que tiene muchos problemas, entre ellos el de violaciones de derechos humanos que aún no han sido aclaradas.

Para ella el aislamiento del gobierno actual del contexto mundial tiene un costo muy alto en términos de lo que se pueda negociar.

El senador Jorge Enrique Robledo también consideró que "si el gobierno (colombiano) logra negociar rápido con la UE, genera un precedente con Estados Unidos que haría que sectores del Congreso estadounidense vean con mejores ojos el TLC". Así, la estrategia del mandatario ha sido "comprar apoyo internacional con concesiones comerciales". Así mismo, reflexionó acerca de la posibilidad de detener los tratados que perjudican a la población, como lo evidencia el estancamiento de la firma del TLC con EE.UU. e invitó a realizar actividades desde las organizaciones sociales para detener el tratado con la UE.

También participaron Paulina Muñoz, representante de Ecuador Decide, quien explicó la situación del gobierno ecuatoriano que ha decidido negociar con la UE, sin incluir los temas de Singapur, y Alejandra Alayza, de la RedGE de Perú, analizó la situación de su país, donde se han firmado siete TLCs y se está empezando a aplicar el firmado con EE.UU.

 En la tarde tuvo lugar un debate entre las organizaciones participantes y al final de la jornada se expidió una declaración en la que se rechazó el doble discurso de la UE, la imposición del modelo liberalizador y las políticas desintegradoras de Colombia y Perú y se propuso la finalización de las negociaciones, el replanteamiento de las políticas comerciales de la UE y los países andinos y el esfuerzo por mantener los procesos de integración en el marco de la CAN.

El miércoles 11 las organizaciones sociales participaron en un informe del jefe de la negociación y expresaron sus preocupaciones sobre el acuerdo y el proceso de negociación.

1. En primer lugar, se llamó la atención sobre la falta de estrategia negociadora y la ausencia de una matriz de intereses, al considerarse el TLC de EE.UU. como el piso de estas negociaciones.

2. Se manifestó preocupación ante la insistencia del gobierno colombiano en defender el libre comercio como política de desarrollo a pesar de la actual crisis global, en la cual tanto las potencias como los países emergentes están reevaluando sus políticas comerciales y adoptando el proteccionismo.

3. Se cuestionó al gobierno nacional porque hasta la fecha no se han realizado estudios de impacto sobre este acuerdo. A pesar de que el jefe negociador informó que sí había estudios de impacto elaborados por el Departamento Nacional de Planeación, las organizaciones sociales no tienen conocimiento de ninguno de ellos y hasta la fecha –si existen- no han sido publicados en su página web.

4. Se expresó preocupación por el desconocimiento frente al endurecimiento de las reglamentaciones migratorias recientemente adoptadas por la Unión Europea, que constituyen un enorme riesgo para las colombianas y colombianos que actualmente viven en ese territorio y aportan su fuerza de trabajo a sus economías.

5. Se llamó la atención sobre la no inclusión del tema de género y la calidad de empleo para las mujeres en el marco de la negociación.

6. Se exigió al gobierno nacional considerar los impactos que el tratado de libre comercio tendrá sobre las minorías étnicas y hacer las consultas previas que define la ley.

7. En el evento, las organizaciones sociales denunciaron la ausencia de espacios efectivos de participación para la sociedad civil y la falta de información previa, en detalle y de calidad que se requiere en este tipo de negociaciones, donde están en juego valiosos intereses nacionales. La información brindada hasta el momento no permite un análisis profundo de lo que se está negociando.

Las organizaciones sociales que siguen el proceso de negociación del acuerdo de libre comercio con la Unión Europea estarán atentas de que el gobierno nacional, cumpla los compromisos adquiridos en este encuentro, en el sentido de presentar a la sociedad colombiana los estudios de impacto, ampliar los espacios de participación y brindar información oportuna y en detalle del proceso de negociación.

Al mismo tiempo, se desarrolló un plantón en las afueras del hotel La Fontana, donde las organizaciones participantes manifestaron sus cuestionamientos al tratado a través de actos simbólicos y entregaron información a la comunidad.