NAFTA Is Starving Mexico

[marmar]

Published on Thursday, October 20, 2011 by Foreign Policy in Focus
NAFTA Is Starving Mexico

by Laura Carlsen


Since the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) became the law of the land, millions of Mexicans have joined the ranks of the hungry. Malnutrition is highest among the country’s farm families, who used to produce enough food to feed the nation.

As the blood-spattered violence of the drug war takes over the headlines, many Mexican men, women, and children confront the slow and silent violence of starvation. The latest reports show that the number of people living in “food poverty” (the inability to purchase the basic food basket) rose from 18 million in 2008 to 20 million by late 2010.

About one-fifth of Mexican children currently suffer from malnutrition. An innovative measurement applied by the National Institute for Nutrition registers a daily count of 728,909 malnourished children under five for October 18, 2011. Government statistics report that 25 percent of the population does not have access to basic food.

Since the 2008 food crisis, there has been a three percent rise in the population without adequate access to food. The number of children with malnutrition is 400,000 kids above the goal for this year. Newborns show the highest indices of malnutrition, indicating that the tragedy begins with maternal health. .............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.commondreams.org/view/2011/10/20-4

[Harmony Blue]

1. Free trade deals

are lose/lose for both countries. Not surprised, and ironically, it is forcing many Mexicans to flee these horrible conditions to come to the U.S.

[Arctic Dave]

2. FTAs will destroy the world.

When you start to create a mono-economic model for entire regions of the earth it is only a matter of time before it crumbles. Whether by natural, man, or innovation that renders it obsolete.

[They_Live]

3. NAFTA

pretty mush screwed up the USA as well.

[Jefferson23]

4. The majority of the reports reflect use to be, use to be better than now, not that it was great but

now the situation is horrendous. NAFTA is a destroyer for most, United States included.

K&R

[lunasun]

5. Many people in US dont get it= NAFTA destroyed their farms

[Hawkowl]

6. A cornerstone of Obama's economic policy

Free Trade is at the core of Obama's economic policy. He is pushing these agreements all across the world.

[xchrom]

7. recommend