Andean FTA may produce the Ruin of Colombia and Others

Peasant Impoverishment. Environment Destruction. Immigration




As it stands today ( August 31 of 2005 ) the Andean FTA is a leonine contract. It is said that it will be signed in October of 2005.

American Cereals enter Colombia with subsidies of US $100 per ton and free of duties from the First Day.

There is no reciprocity and Colombian Agriculture is stopped by the USA with long periods of custom taxes and all types of fitosanitary Whims, Fancies and Caprices.

I never saw a more unjust contract in all my life. Colombia gave everything, the U. S. absolutely nothing.

This will produce the ruin of millions of peasants. They will become beggars in the streets or destroy the Tropical Jungle, the Amazonian Basin, the lungs of the Earth.

Finally there would be a lot of Emigration in a country that is noted for having sent away millions of its habitants.

And U. S. Foreign Policy will be completely discredited and disgraced. Because Colombia has been "the best ally in Latin America".

Vicente Duque

what I understand, the worst thing about the trade agreements, (NAFTA, CAFTA) has been the fallout for small Latin American farmers who cannot compete with U.S. subsidized corporate farming. Why do Latin American leaders sign these agreements, Vicente?

Zoe, thanks for reply !


These people ( the rulers of Colombia and their companions ) are only moved by Personal Gain, Personal Wealth and Greed.

The US took half the territory from Mexico, and the Panama Canal that had been under construction by Colombia with terrible cost and efforts.

"I took Panama" - Teddy Roosvelt

For 500 years the fundamental political philosophy in Latin America has been

INFERIORITY and INFERIORISM

that was taught by the conquerors to their slave indians and blacks.

Those two words describe Latin America better than

CLIENTELISM, PERSONALISM, EGOISM, INDIVIDUALISM, MESIANISM, and others that speak of Abusive Personal Power.

CASTRO and CHAVEZ are two madmen with the poorest utopian answers to the "American Challenge" or the "World Challenge", perhaps the future "Chinese Challenge".

CHAVEZ is squandering 10 Marshall Plans and talking wagonloads of Blather.


The negotiations of the Andean FTA are the most Ridiculous Episodes of Imposition. The clauses talked are totally contrary to Colombia.

This leonine contract will produce the ruin of millions of peasants.

BEGGARS in the Cities. And EMIGRANTS everywhere.

Emigration is TRANSITIVE.

The lowest classes push the higher classes to emigration. They destroy and lower wages.

What will be the future benefit for U. S. Foreign Policy of this massive destruction of Peasantry and the Environment ???

The displaced peasants will burn the Tropical Jungle or the Misty Forests of the Andes.

Thanks again

Vicente Duque

would appreciate more specific information. S.America has elected a variety of "leftist heads of state" in recent years: Lula, Chavez, Kirchner, Vazquez. The U.S has been forced to tolerate Chavez as long as he keeps the oil flowing but I read that Mexico has an election coming up in '06 and the U.S. is pretty worried about Lopez Obrador. These new left leaders ARE resisting the dominance of the West. So what's going on in Colombia? Is there hope for some sort of regional alliance in S.America?

Zoe, Thanks for corresponding with me


Dear Zoe :

First of all, CASTRO and CHAVEZ are very negative leaders for Latin America. Economic Progress is not to be obtained with this type of madmen.

I see Economic Progress only within a Framework of Free Enterprise, Private Initiative, Private Property, Democracy, Freedom of Speech and the Press, etc ....

Chavez may squander 10 Marshall Plans in Populism, Demagoguery and Blather.

About Leftist Leaders in Latin America, I have many doubts, Because this subcontinent has always been harmed by Populism and Demagoguery associated with the Left.

Now you see the LULA Government in a quagmire of corruption.

My country Colombia has been the closest ally of the USA in Latin America during the last years, and that has been REALPOLITIK and SURVIVAL POLITICS.

It was difficult to think of another option but tight alliance.

However the USA wants Colombia to sign an abusive and leonine contract. This is useless and very harmful for us. Many people have misgivings about the US intentions in economic matters.

Is Domination a good thing ??? ..... I don't think so.

Should Colombia become a Puerto Rico ??? ...... I don't think so .... Puerto Rico is a different case. A touristic Island. The Character of the People can be different. The Colombians being more rebellious. Colombia is richer in Biodiversity and Scenery. More Complex in History and Conflicts, etc ..

I would be very happy if this Free Trade Agreement with the USA is delayed until better conditions are obtained for Colombia and the Andean Countries.

Some of the provisions on Intellectual Property and Patents are quite humilliating and nothing but an absurd domination. Like patenting inside the USA the animales and plants of South America, and their uses and properties.

I don't mind ANTIHISPANISM and SUPER NATIONALISM inside the USA if this helps to stop the ANDEAN FTA that wants to harm my country.

I never thought that the day would arrive in which I would be happy with the poor speech and ideas of TV Demagogues inside the USA, but now they are allies in the cause of defeating the Impoverishment of Latin America.

By having a negative vote in the U. S. House of Representatives we both would be better.

Probably the biggest harm is done to millions of Andean peasants that will find survival more and more difficult against American Corporate Agriculture and the big U. S. Subsidies to American cereals.

Expect a lot of Deforestation and Emigration.


Vicente Duque

I think we are the largest importer of product from Columbia. (We being the US)

The product has been described as Bolivian Marching Powder.

Frank, Thanks for Posting and for your concept

The white powder called COCAINE has produced thousands of deads in Colombia.

Good and Noble policemen, judges, good peasants, etc ..... have been killed because of the greed of the narcos or mafiosos.

Of course many people may have died in the USA because of Cocaine, Morphine and other bad addiction drugs. Many other Americans become Zombies because of drugs.

The best possibility to solve this problem is cooperation, collaboration and drug treatment of the drug abusers. Psychoanalysis may help a little in special cases of intelligent drug abusers but it will never be enough to solve the problem of addiction.

The devastation and deforestation produced in Colombia is horrible. The ENVIRONMENT is destroyed to produce coca or poppies.

More is achieved by cooperation and collaboration than by confrontation. There are some advances in the "War on Drugs".

Unfortunately the Andean FTA will produce more deforestation and more narco drugs.

By impoverishing the peasants and destroying their life with American Cereals heavily subsidized.

The peasant that loses his farm will have no other option but to be recruited by narcos for more deforestation of the Amazon and the Andes. The objective will be the production of narcotics.

The narcos and paramilitary will buy the farms of the displaced and evicted peasants. And dedicate them to big extensive unproductive ranching.

And don't forget that the ruin of Colombia will produce a pressure to emigrate. And that pressure is transitive among social classes. One class impoverishes the next upper class.

Every IMMIGRANT was an Emigrant before saying good-by to his land.

Vicente Duque