Commission Moves CAFTA to Top Priority

The Legislative Assembly’s Foreign Affairs Commission has made the Central American Free-Trade Agreement with the United States (CAFTA) its top priority and plans to discuss the controversial pact twice a week.

The commission voted last week to move CAFTA from 16th place on its agenda to first place, according to the daily La República. The six legislators from the National Liberation Party (PLN), Libertarian Movement Party and Social Christian Unity Party (PUSC) approved the change, while the three legislators from the anti-CAFTA Citizen Action Party (PAC) voted against it.

Representatives from 32 institutions and social organizations are set to testify before the commission, starting with the Council of Notables that studied the report in 2005 at the request of President Abel Pacheco. Additional audiences may be granted to Executive Branch officials, as well as other experts PAC legislators wants to add to the list, the daily reported.