Association Agreement between EU and Central America enters into effect after ratification by El Salvador
Real World Radio 16-7-2013
Association Agreement Between EU and Central America Enters into Effect after Ratification by El Salvador
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With the recent ratification by the Salvadorean members of the House of Representatives, the Association Agreement between Central America and the European Union (EU) will enter into effect on August 1st. The agreement has been strongly rejected by social organizations.
The Movement of Victims and People Affected by Climate Change and Megaprojects (MOVIAC) rejects the Association Agreements because they increase poverty and migration. Besides, they open the doors for transnational corporations to exploit natural resources in the region.
The negotiations of the Association Agreement began in 2007, based on three principles, like similar EU-promoted treaties, including political, cooperation and trade issues.
The Association Agreement is another FTA, even worse than the one signed between Central America and the US, which benefits big corporations at the expense of natural resources and small-scale Salvadorean companies that are unable to compete with big international business groups.
One of the main threats to El Salvador is the building of touristic projects, since the
European companies focus their development in building touristic complexes along the coast, thus largely affecting local resources.
Real World Radio’s correspondent in El Salvador, Josefina Ramirez, collected the opinions of members of MOVIAC about the ratification of the association agreement.
No future
Rina Navarrete described the agreement as economic “genocide” for the Salvadorian and Central American communities. “They are like vampires, trying to suck our blood”, said Rina.
José Santos Guevara, of the Association of United Communities of Bajo Lempa, who has resisted mining and touristic projects, said the US influenced in the passing of the Association Agreement, which will seriously damage the peasant and native communities.
Finally, Mercedes Monge identifies the Association Agreement as a Project to plunder natural resources. “The big corporations will reap the profits. This is a project that increases plundering and will bring about more poverty”.
Produced by: Josefina Ramírez (CESTA-FoE) for Real World Radio