Protesters in Colombia, Peru Rally Against Free Trade With U.S.

[Judi Lynn]

Protesters in Colombia, Peru Rally Against Free Trade With U.S.

By Javier Baena Associated Press Writer

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) - Thousands of protesters marched through the streets of Colombia on Thursday against a planned free trade agreement with the United States, claiming the deal would only worsen Colombia's unemployment woes.
(snip)

Some 5,000 people marched toward Cartagena's convention center where the talks were being held but were kept well away by police. There were no reports of violence.

An equal number of protesters, including opposition lawmakers, students and government workers, also took to the streets of the capital Bogota.
(snip)

Meanwhile, more than 400 Peruvian cotton growers blocked the Pan American highway south of the capital of Lima with rocks and tree trunks to protest the pact.
(snip/...)

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGBH60VUXDE.html

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Anti-free trade protests held in Colombia

Thursday, September 22, 2005; Posted: 8:40 p.m. EDT (00:40 GMT)

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) -- Thousands marched through the streets of Colombia's capital and another city on Thursday, protesting a planned trade agreement with the United States which they fear would worsen unemployment in Colombia.
(snip)

About as many protesters, including opposition lawmakers, students and government workers, took to the streets of the capital, Bogota, also protesting the planned deal.
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Negotiations for the free trade began in May 2004, but differences over agriculture and intellectual property have delayed the treaty's signing. Andean growers of sugar cane, rice, corn, potatoes and cotton say they won't be able to compete against heavily subsidized U.S. goods.

Rodriguez estimated that in Colombia alone some 250,000 jobs would be lost if a free trade deal is signed, most of them in the agriculture sector. Colombia's jobless rate is currently 12 percent, and 60 percent of the country lives below the poverty line.
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http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/americas/09/22/colombia.protest.ap/

[RethugAssKicker]

1. Normally when these countries deal with the US...

they usually get a raw deal! The US only makes a deal when it favors them.

[Mika]

2. Bush is a uniter.

Busy unitin' the world agin' us.