Costa Rica 'backs US trade deal'

[eppur_se_muova]

Source: BBC (Breaking News)

Early referendum results show a majority of voters in Costa Rica support a proposed free trade agreement with the United States.

Initial results say 52% voted for the treaty that would give Costa Rica greater access to the US market.

Opponents of the deal fear increased competition could ruin the country's successful economy and put the welfare system at risk.

Five other Central American countries have already ratified similar deals.

Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7033114.stm

---

Is Diebold counting the vote?

[Pastiche423]

1. Crap

[cal04]

2. my thoughts too, Diebold

With pre-referendum polls showing Costa Rica poised to be the first country to reject the U.S.-Central American free trade agreement, U.S. officials and Costa Rica's president appealed for voters to back the deal.

[Progressive Friend]

40. Exactly, this is just another rigged election

That is the only way that the US can keep the left from winning in Central America.

[babylonsister]

3. That changed from a few hours ago; your Diebold question might just apply:

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gprLG9_pgiIldXQpXfxXSU7vycUw

Costa Rica wraps up vote on free trade with US

5 hours ago

SAN JOSE (AFP) — Hundreds of thousands of Costa Ricans voted Sunday on whether to accept or reject a free-trade agreement with the United States, that would open local markets to US products but also boost Costa Rican exports to the United States.

Public opinion surveys, taken before polls closed at 6:00 pm (2400 GMT), indicated the measure was headed for defeat. Early official returns were not expected until 20:30 pm (0230 GMT Monday).

The Central American Free Trade Agreement, which also includes Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic, will not be re-negotiated if Costa Rica rejects the measure, US officials said.

Costa Rica, population four million, is the only country to hold a referendum on the deal. The other countries have already ratified the agreement.

Widespread opposition to the agreement over the past three years forced President Oscar Arias to call a plebiscite on the measure.

The latest opinion polls showed 55 percent support for a "no" against 43 percent that support the measure.

more...

[eppur_se_muova]

4. No kidding; that looks highly suspicious. Are internat'l election monitors in place?

And if not ... will the outcome be accepted?

[Acadia Blue]

29. Filthy corporations are taking over the entire world. Globalization

has come to mean global corporatism. Yea,,,we can all be poor and ruled by a bunch of ultra rich MBAs who live in Switzerland and the rest of us, excepting their enforcer police, live in squalor.

[seafan]

5. Funny how the latest Costa Rican polling indicated 55% "NO" vs 43% in support of CAFTA.....

The latest opinion polls showed 55 percent support for a "no" against 43 percent that support the measure.

Have the Bush threats *worked*??

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica, Oct 7 (Reuters) - Costa Ricans looked likely to support a free trade deal with the United States in a referendum on Sunday, results showed after ballots from nearly 74 percent of polling stations were counted.

Almost 52 percent of voters backed the Central American Free Trade Agreement, or CAFTA, while 48 percent voted against it, according to the official results.

If confirmed, a 'yes' vote would be a boost for Washington's standing in Latin America, which has suffered in recent years after leftist leaders took power in countries like Brazil and Venezuela.

Hmmmmm. 52-48. That rings a bell somehow.

[GETPLANING]

6. BULLSHIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have been in Panama and Costa Rica for the last two months and I did not meet ONE PERSON who supported CAFTA. NOT ONE. I have many friends in Panama in every level from policemen in Panama City to coffee growers in the mountains to real estate developers in Chiquiri Province and NO ONE wants to see Starbucks and Walmart move into Central America. And many of these people are Americans or Europeans. The only people in Central America who want CAFTA are the investment banks. No one else. This is pure propaganda, paid for by the investor class. Period.

[Toucano]

7. "And many of these people are Americans or Europeans."

Do Americans and Europeans vote in Costa Rican referendums?

[arcos]

20. A lot of people were coerced by their employers to vote YES...

Especially poor people that work at manufacturing plants and the agriculture sector.

[cal04]

8. Voters OK trade treaty : Eugenio Trejos would not recognize results

But Eugenio Trejos, the leader of the pact's opposition, said he would not recognize the results and vowed to wait for a manual recount scheduled to begin Tuesday.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071008/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/costa_rica_us_free_trade_10


The result was a surprise because treaty supporters were in the minority in the latest public opinion polls.

http://www.amcostarica.com/

[leftist_not_liberal]

9. .

Babel Fish Translation Help

In English:
Official notice # the 1 Signal of the Heart - Problems of the public to be transferred to vote in several points of the country, South Zone (Running) and Hatillo - Corner of Tibás to 3 of the dawn anomalies occurred: firings hit the walls in the premises of the patriotic movement of NO. The caps took shelter of the bullets and it reported the Supreme Court of Elections. Also they papered with offensive messages and stationery store of If. - Federico De Faria General prosecutor of Tibás and Vicealcalde said that in He sights on not allowed the count of the problems before initiating the voting. - Also they report us that guides of IF in the different meetings from voting they offend the people of not saying to them that they look for work, call to them vague in an evident provocation to bother and to generate violence. - Other still more serious anomalies have been denounced in the west of the capital in two tables of Escazú, concretely of the Beautiful School Horizon, denounced Virginia Salazar that in meeting 396 and 397 of known Beautiful the school Horizon two you lead communitarian did not appear enrolled in the register that has the members of table, but if they appear in the pagina of the Supreme Court of elections. And the delegate of the court said that absolutely nothing can be done. - the problem is that this situation also occurred in Lagunilla de Heredia therefore reported Francisco Branches that it and 8 communal leaders more of NO, do not appear either in the register. - In Talamanca our correspondent of the Signal of the Moral Heart Michael said to us that it did not appear the Register in the school of Sepecue. That is serious because the people do not know themselves who can vote and still to mid-morning they were hoping to emit his vote. - and as we already know has been no a propaganda truce, those of IF they continue distributing flying, propaganda when coming out of the churches and cults, according to informed Grettel to us Montero - Jesus Vásquez de Alajuelita says that they did not receive around 50 credentials of the general prosecutors and table, corresponding to the following centers: San Felipe, Abraham Licoln, The Pines. They put the denunciation before the TSE signed by 13 people. - In Quesada city 30 credentials that did not arrive. In Cariari de Guápiles they only received 14 of the 76 solicitd. - the Roosevelts Opened to tables of voting in the school late, San Pedro. - School of Three Rivers, in table N. 27 88 a hidden boy with cellular, volume photos and did not annul their vote to him. In addition they are distributing propaganda of If within the school. - In Jiménez de Pococí, Marlene Vargas denounced that exdiputada of the PLN, Virginia Aguiluz is distributing photocopies of a supposed cover of the New Newspaper of Nicaragüa with declarations of Daniel Ortega. - Korea Youngest child, Observer the International of El Salvador, informed into 7 cases in the School Abraham Licoln de Alajuelita, that the people arrived at the electoral enclosure and had signed by them as if they had already emitted the vote. They put the denunciation before the TSE, but they have doubts if proceeding occurred them. - It denounces from: company PANDUIT (component of equipment) is raising ready of workers and it is threatened to them sanctions if they do not vote by if. Cristian informed Bolivar, Public prosecutor in the Simón school Bolivar of Greece.
http://concostarica.blogspot.com/2007/10/seal-del-corazn-comunicado-de-denuncias.html



I wonder what Mark Penn was up to this weekend?

Opposition Gains Strength as Pro-CAFTA Forces Caught in Manipulation Scheme

Laura Carlsen | October 2, 2007

Americas Program, Center for International Policy (CIP)
americas.irc-online.org

An internal memo leaked to the press shows the lengths to which the Costa Rican government and pro-business forces will go to secure ratification of the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA).

The memo recommends, among other things, inventing labor leaders to serve as pro-CAFTA figureheads, launching a publicity blitz (Costa Rican press reports that the proponents have already spent $500 million dollars on publicity compared to anti-CAFTA expenditures of $30 million), and conducting a smear campaign against the opposition.

The memo also recommends threatening local government officials with a cut-off of funds and an end to future political aspirations: "... any mayor who doesn't win his canton will not get a penny from the government in the next 3 years."

The memo was written by Vice President Kevin Casas to President Oscar Arias. The resulting public outrage forced Casas to resign in an attempt at damage control.
http://americas.irc-online.org/am/4604

[eppur_se_muova]

10. That's over $100 per citizen, even more per registered voter!

Population of Costa Rica is supposedly about 4.2 million.

[arcos]

15. Those are NOT US dollars...

We would never ever be able to gather $30 million for the campaign.... we spent like $200,000 the most, while they spent well over $3 million.

[eppur_se_muova]

16. Oh, OK. What's average annual salary, in CR$? nt

[arcos]

19. That's a good question...

And it really depends on who you ask... for some reason, the CIA factbook says it's US$12000, but it is actually more lower... something like US$5000. And that's the per capita GDP, average salary is actually much lower.

[eppur_se_muova]

53. So they spent a week's salary, minimum, per citizen...

to promote CAFTA. I would have thought bribes would be cheaper.

[tom_paine]

11. Looks like Amerikan-style "elections" are creeping southward

endangering the recent gains in democarcy's progress in many nations, undoubtedly.

Trust nothing involving the Bushies, as you would trust nothing involving the Nazis, for they are the same people seperated by three-quarters of a century.

Click on the link in my signature to see how science has determined this and come as close to proving it as you can prove something psychological.

[xxqqqzme]

12. WOW - what a stunning reversal from the

poll numbers. I am shocked at this reversal.


NOT!

[redqueen]

13. There's really no hope, is there.

[arcos]

25. No... not much at least... :( nt

[Robbien]

14. Funny. Most of these suspicious elections are won by the right by 52%

Wonder if they had that same mysterious delay in count where all of a sudden the vote count reverses from populist to conservative when the results are published.

[IndianaGreen]

17. Since we can't trust electoral results because of the way votes are counted, or discounted

Armed struggled is the only solution to bring about change. Don't forget that the ruling class will be the first to resort to violence in order to keep itself in power.

[Bacchus39]

18. yeah, what good are elections?

n/t

[EFerrari]

33. The question should be :What good are staged elections? n/t

[Bacchus39]

41. if there is only one predetermined outcome, then it is staged. I agree

n/t

[ProudDad]

21. It was so refreshing to visit C.R.

and not have one senses assaulted with fast food chains, wal-mart and strip malls...

I'm going to miss the old Costa Rica...

And I'm certain the process was fair and balanced :sarcasm:

That's why a policy that enriches the top 1% is soooo popular... :sarcasm:

[EFerrari]

22. I flat out don't believe this. n/t

[arcos]

24. We would have won without Bush interference and the media bias...

After the poll where we were leading came out on Wednesday, an all out media assault started, then the USTR sent her letter and they went crazy.

We lost the election in two days, basically, and thanks to the Bush administration.

[EFerrari]

30. I apologize for my Bush mafia infested government.

:(

[arcos]

36. Don't worry...

We know it is not your fault :hug:

[Odin2005]

23. No Diebold. The US isn't the only country with a foolish electorate.

Just because we don't like the results of the referendum doesn't mean there was any electoral mischief involved.

[redqueen]

26. Didja notice the part about the polling?

What, you think all those people just changed their minds overnight?

'thefuck...

[arcos]

27. They did because of the scare tactics...

Just as they changed their mind basically overnight to vote NO, the Costa Rican government, the Bush administration, big media and corporations made a last minute scaremongering campaign, ten times worse than the scaremongering they did during the last few months.

A lot of people were not 100% sure of their vote, and fear won them over.

There were lots of dirty tricks, a fraudulent campaign, but we're pretty sure the vote was not tampered with.

[redqueen]

28. "Pretty sure" huh?

Well, that settles it, then!

[arcos]

34. Well, there's no evidence at all to the contrary...

We had observers in every corner of the country. We had more observers than they did.

We made plenty of denounces of small irregularities, and there was none about vote tampering. Why do you think that is? Because we don't want to?

Seriously... I put my life on pause for 4 months in order to work in the campaign full time.

Do you really think I would be saying this if I knew the vote were stolen?

[redqueen]

48. No, not if you KNEW... but you don't KNOW, yet you're still saying...

I'm glad y'all have paper ballots. However, that guarantees nothing. (e.g. Mexico)

[arcos]

49. Well, I KNOW... EVERYONE here knows...

Our leaders accepted yesterday that the difference will not change no matter what.

The fraud was a media fraud... they manipulated people with fear. The vote was not tampered with, even though it sometimes seems a few Americans would have preferred the vote tampering. :shrug:

If there were any vote tampering we would be out in the streets by the hundreds of thousands.

[redqueen]

54. No, not preferred... jaded, so we expect it.

Glad to hear you'd be out in the streets, though.

Good luck. :hi:

[EFerrari]

32. What do you vote on, arcos? What system? n/t

[arcos]

35. Paper ballots...

And all votes are ALWAYS recounted, so these are not the final results, but preliminary.

The official vote count will start tomorrow and probably take about a week.

[EFerrari]

39. You're lucky!

Here in CA, the sellout media is attacking our Secretary of State for trying to secure our election systems.

[Odin2005]

42. Nice! Whish we had that here in the States.

[EFerrari]

31. Go find the last clean election we had here

and have smelling salts handy.

[robcon]

37. This is great news for Costa Ricans.

CAFTA is a win-win for all the countries involved.

[roody]

38. You must be joking!

[Robbien]

43. You mean its a win-win for the rich in all countries involved

The rich get complete and unfettered access to all assets of the CAFTA'd country. If the people of the country complain, the courts tell the people to go to hell because CAFTA has given the rich all the rights. If the people try to hold on to their own assets, the rich will sue the pants off of the people and win because CAFTA says no one can interfere with the profits of the rich.

So yes, it is a win/win for the rich in all countries involved. And the rest of the people have been CAFTA'd.

[me b zola]

59. Just as "free trade" is good for the US

The benifit is for the top 1%, the rest of the citizens suffer.

[fasttense]

44. Here is a break down of some of the results and the scandal surrounding the vote.

Region/ No/ Yes/ Total

San Jose/ 284,941/ 304,553/ 589,494

Alajuela/ 151,788/ 145,311/ 297,099

Cartago/ 81,781/ 106,094/ 187,875

Heredia/ 81,113/ 89,183/ 170,296

Guanacaste/ 44,878/ 40,291/ 85,169

Puntarenas/ 55,658/ 54,314/ 109,972

Limon/ 38,790/ 47,401/ 86,191

Total/ 738,949/ 787,147/ 1,526,096

Percent/ 48.42%/ 51.58%/ 100.00%

http://citizen.typepad.com/eyesontrade/2007/10/close-cafta-vot.html

"Among the most serious violations: the "yes" campaign continued to distribute propaganda, organize rallies and placed a great number of TV ads within two days before the referendum, in violation of the Electoral Code (Art. 85(g)), which clearly establishes that "During the two days immediately before and the day of the referendum, it is prohibited to distribute propaganda of any kind related to the issue at hand," a requirement strictly adhered to by the "no" campaign...

Clearly, the national media became channels for the Arias administration and treaty promoters, openly distributing their propaganda; just one instance is the wide broadcast coverage given to U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab's statement, where she categorically denied the possibility of renegotiating the agreement, and also suggested that the country's Caribbean Basin Initiative benefits would be lost, if the Costa Ricans voted 'no' on the referendum.

All of the above violations were allowed to take place, without the TSE (the body responsible for organizing and enforcing the referendum rules) taking any steps to avoid their continuation. Costa Ricans are indignant over this attitude, and sees the tribunal as sharing the blame for the aforementioned abuses."

http://citizen.typepad.com/eyesontrade/2007/10/no-campaign-acc.html

Can the bushes be involved in a vote without breaking voting laws? I don't think so.

[Bacchus39]

45. so the US trade representatives's comments should NOT have been broadcast?

and Costaricans should have remained incompletely informed about the vote consequences one way or the other?

[arcos]

50. The problem is that the Democrats' response was NOT broadcasted...

Democrats planned to present a law that made all trade benefits permanent in case CAFTA was rejected. This was promptly ignore by the media, that continued talking about Schwab's comments.

[Bacchus39]

51. I believe Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi wrote the letter saying

that current trade benefits and status would not NECESSARILY be eliminated. While the administration official said that they had no intention of renegotiating favorite nation trade status, or whatever. Conflicting info for the CR voters.

Nevertheless, voters need to be informed and make the decision accordingly. that was my point.

as far as the actual vote, I don't know enough about the ramifications of CAFTA for CR or the USA to have a dog in this fight.

[arcos]

52. That was the first letter...

Then, after Schwab's comments, another letter was written by Sens. Sanders, Dorgan and Brown, asking the Bush administration to admit that Schwab's letter was "nonsense". And yet another was sent by Reps. Rangel and Levin, saying Costa Rica could not be punished.

And if that wasn't enough, Reps. Grijalva and Solís announced their intention to introduce a bill to make all trade benefits permanent.

These last three events, the two letters and the bill, were basically ignored by the Costa Rican media, and it all happened last Friday.

[robcon]

46. I think it was a victory for Costa Rica...

Victory for Costa Rica
The Central American democracy approves free trade with the United States.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007; Page A16

"IN A REGION where politics has too often been characterized by demagoguery, corruption and violence, Costa Rica has long stood out as a shining exception to the rule. Having abolished its army in 1948, the Central American country is set to complete six decades of uninterrupted civilian democratic rule. The latest demonstration of the Costa Rican people's common sense came on Sunday, when the electorate ratified the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA), a tariff-slashing accord between the United States and six small countries to its south.

It was close: About 51.5 percent of the public voted yes, to make Costa Rica the last of the signatories to put the accord into practice. The victory probably would have been wider if not for the release, late in the campaign, of a regrettable internal memo showing that the yes campaign, led by President Oscar Arias, was thinking of trying to expand its margin by stoking voter fears of such free-trade opponents as Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez. The fact remains, though, that the referendum was a defeat for Mr. Chavez and his populist "Bolivarian Alternative" to trade with the United States.

It was also a defeat for certain members of Congress, mostly Democrats, who had publicly leaned against DR-CAFTA ratification -- and now find themselves on the opposite side of the issue from a majority of Costa Ricans. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent who caucuses with the Democrats, and Rep. Michael H. Michaud (D-Maine) paid a supportive visit last month to opponents of DR-CAFTA in San Jose. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.)and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) wrote Costa Rica's ambassador in Washington to say that Costa Rica would not necessarily lose current U.S. trade benefits under the Caribbean Basin Initiative, which expires in September, if the pact were rejected. That prompted the White House to issue a reminder on Saturday that there would be no renegotiation of the deal if it were rejected; U.S. Trade Representative Susan C. Schwab added pointedly that there was also no guarantee that Caribbean Basin Initiative benefits would be extended.

Much has been made of these interventions, but the cross talk probably canceled itself out. More likely, Costa Ricans decided the issue on the merits. One of the biggest benefits will be unparalleled access to the U.S. apparel market. The biggest sweetener for the United States is an end to the existing state monopoly on insurance and telecommunications -- but this benefits Costa Ricans, too, because they will get lower prices and better service in industries that were previously insulated from competition. A 2005 World Bank study found that if DR-CAFTA follows the pattern set by previous trade agreements, it will increase growth by more than half a percentage point per year in Central America, making for nearly half a million fewer Central Americans living in poverty by 2010. Small wonder that Costa Rica spurned the shortsighted counsel of Washington Democrats and voted in its own self-interest."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/08/AR2007100801422.html

[Robbien]

47. Oh yes the growth propaganda. Break down that growth and it is in the pockets

of the rich.

Offsetting that great growth of wealth in the uber-rich are the massive amounts of displaced rural people who have to leave their farms and go live in tin huts in the cities and work in sweatshops of the uber-rich or go begging in the streets.

Middle classes disappear. The poor class grow exponentially. The rich become uber-rich. And more forced immigrants to rich countries. Standard progression of countries who have been CAFTA'd.

[eppur_se_muova]

55. I think CR was seen by some as a plum ripe for the plucking ...

so they brought all the usual forces to bear, found a friendly collaborator, and now wait for the money to roll in.

They could have left one small, harmless country unspoiled, but that is not their way.

[Judi Lynn]

56. Costa Rica’s CAFTA “Si” Vote Called into Question

Costa Rica’s CAFTA “Si” Vote Called into Question
Written by Kari Lydersen
Friday, 12 October 2007

While free trade proponents cheered, opponents called foul in Costa Rica’s 51.5 percent vote Oct. 7 in favor of ratifying the Dominican Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA).

Costa Rica had been the only country remaining to ratify the pact, which has already been implemented in Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador and the Dominican Republic. Members of the Stop CAFTA Coalition and the “No campaign” in Costa Rica say the result is highly surprising given the groundswell of opposition that had built against the agreement, especially after the leaking of an incriminating memo revealing top officials’ plans to tar the “No” campaign as lackeys of Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez and Fidel Castro.
(snip)

A national poll by the firm Unimer, published in the paper La Nacion three days before the vote, found 55 percent support for a “No” vote, and only 43 percent support for “Si.”
(snip)

The No campaign says the Si side got its narrow victory in part because of unfair intervention by the US and campaign rules broken by the government and Si campaign. By law, campaigning was supposed to cease three days before the referendum. But, critics of the election say, pro-CAFTA messages were still run in the mainstream media as “news” the day before the election. CAFTA opponents also say the US intervened unfairly in a sovereign country’s matters with the White House’s threat shortly before the vote that trade preferences in the Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI) would not be renewed if CAFTA was not ratified

More:
http://upsidedownworld.org/main/content/view/939/1/

[Judi Lynn]

57. Protest US intervention in Costa Rican CAFTA Referendum

Protest US intervention in Costa Rican CAFTA Referendum
Written by Cispes.org
Friday, 12 October 2007
Protest US intervention and dirty campaign in Costa Rican CAFTA Referendum

Take action from October 15-20 to demand that the Referendum results NOT be certified by the OAS

On October 7 a historic referendum took place in Costa Rica: nearly 75% of the population came out to vote on whether the country should join the US-Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA). The “Yes” vote appears to have won with 51.5% of the total vote, and yet claims of fraud and irregularities persist.

The last poll before the vote showed the “No” forces well in the lead with over 55% of the vote. However, in the final days of the campaign the US government stepped in to effectively campaign on behalf of the pro-CAFTA side; first, the US Trade Representative declared that Costa Rica could lose its trade preferences should the people vote against CAFTA, then the White House declared that CAFTA would not be renegotiated and urged Costa Ricans to vote “Yes”. These comments were made during the 3 day “blackout period” for campaigning and played a role in shifting the results – as did previous statements by US Ambassador Mark Langdale and the fear-provoking, dirty campaign of the Costa Rican government and right-wing media. In fact, the claims of the White House and the USTR are inaccurate because of Bush’s lame duck status as president and because Congress controls trade preferences. Nevertheless, opponents of CAFTA were unable to counter the false statements.

With the results still pending final authorization, now is the time to take action and demand that the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Costa Rican Supreme Elections Tribunal not certify the election results!

More:
http://upsidedownworld.org/main/content/view/938/68/

[OKthatsIT]

58. EU - NAU Liars...Costa Ricans aren't being heard.

Sound familiar?