Rural Development Expert Critical of Free Trade Proposals
Lorena Martinez, a representative of the Rural Community Development Association of El Salvador, has particular concerns about the effect of the proposed Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) and the FTAA proposal in El Salvador.
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| Lorena Martinez of El Salvador, being interviewed by Oxfam's Natalia Solari. Martinez says that free trade agreements will have serious negative effects on women. By: Chris Hufstader/Oxfam |
Thousands of people concerned about the effect of free trade policies on vulnerable people in Latin America and the Caribbean are in Miami this week. Their goal: to ensure trade negotiators understand the reasons for their opposition to the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) proposal.
One of these activists is Lorena Martinez, a representative of the Rural Community Development Association of El Salvador. She has particular concerns about the effect of the proposed Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) and the FTAA proposal in El Salvador. Oxfam helps fund CRIPDES' work and is working closely with Martinez in Miami.
Poverty is widespread in rural areas of El Salvador. Meanwhile the government has prioritized export manufacturing for its economic growth strategy. This leaves farmers without significant government assistance despite the need for domestic food production. Martinez says this puts significant pressure on rural communities. Many men leave their farms to search for jobs in cities and in the United States, and women become the head of their household. Women are also encouraged to take jobs in maquilas, or factories, which take them away from the homes and farms. The long hours, distance travelled, and lack of time to care for children disrupts family life, and contributes to a variety of social problems.
Martinez says that free trade agreements will have serious negative effects on women. "There is a lot of talk about investment in CAFTA and FTAA negotiations, and they say there will be more maquilas in rural areas. But they only pay the same as a minimum field wage, or about $65 a month," says Martinez. "So more women will have to leave the land and their homes and children to work in factories for low salaries that won't cover their expenses," she says. Martinez also noted that some maquilas are not well managed. For instance, workers have social security deducted from their pay, but when many go to the government office to seek benefits, they are told they are not registered.
The prospect of privatization of government services under free trade agreements is also alarming for Martinez. "Right now the government hospitals charge $12 for a mammogram, and women face transportation costs to reach the hospital too. Rural women already can't afford this state-subsidized fee. [If hospitals are privatized] women will not be able to afford proper health care," she said.
El Salvador is already facing a rural crisis and a free-trade solution is not the answer to El Salvador's problems. If passed, she predicts free trade agreements will bring an increase in poverty and crime, more migration out of rural areas, and an increase in social problems stemming from family disintegration.
Simon Ticehurst, Oxfam's trade expert in Central America, says Oxfam shares Martinez's concerns about free trade in Central America.
"Oxfam is not only challenging the FTAA but also the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), which aims to extend NAFTA's rules through Central America. NAFTA has been a disaster for rural Mexico and would be devastating for Central America, which is largely dependent on agriculture. The livelihoods of millions would be destroyed if they open up this sector to even more competition from US agricultural corporations," said Ticehurst.