Morales Again Says NO to US FTA

Santa Cruz, Bolivia
The Evo Morales administration of Bolivia reiterated Wednesday it would not sign a free trade treaty with the United States, which "would cause more hunger, misery and unemployment in Bolivia," Morales said.

Speaking at the launch of a campaign to provide IDs to nearly two million Bolivians without documents, the president said the US-pushed treaty, as manipulated by Washington, would provide commercial opportunities but deprive Bolivia of markets.

He pointed out that Colombia´s recent signing of an FTA with the US has already deprived Bolivia of that market for soy as it cannot compete with the US-subsidized producers.

Vice President Alvaro Garcia has said in two or three weeks he will go to Washington with Chancellor David Choquehuanca and their Colombian counterparts to discuss the soy issue.

Defending his proposed Peoples Trade Treaty (TCP) as fair trade people to people, the Bolivian president said that this way small agricultural producers and artisans could access international markets and generate jobs, as well as fight poverty.