CAFTA

Central American government and business leaders said it would make no sense for Trump and the U.S. to axe the Central America Free Trade Agreement, known as CAFTA.

The consensus among Costa Rican government officials: Donald Trump could certainly effect Costa Rica's economy, but the jury's out until he announces his policies.

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders has called for “reversing” the Dominican Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement, which many local leaders see as critical to Costa Rica’s economy. Others would love to see it go.

Former Costa Rica foreign trade minister Anabel González says eventual membership in the controversial Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) mega trade pact would benefit Costa Rica, just as DR-CAFTA has.

Vermont senator and surging Democratic Party presidential candidate Bernie Sanders is no stranger to Costa Rica, having come here in 2007 to lend his voice to a campaign against the Central American-U.S. Free Trade Agreement, CAFTA-DR.

The Trans-Pacific Partnership being negotiated between the United States and 11 other Pacific Rim nations has been characterized as the most progressive trade agreement in our history, with the strongest labor and environment provisions ever. But what is the benchmark?

WASHINGTON, D.C. – If someone asked you to excite your friends and colleagues about the potential of TPA and what it could do for TPP – and ultimately TTIP – the request might sound like an alphabet-soup of gibberish.

Overall, the CAFTA-DR agreement as brought Costa Rica economic success. However, with lagging unemployment and almost 20 percent of the country’s GDP generated from exports and investment with the United States, Costa Rica’s economic foundation could tumble quickly.

According to Costa Rica's former trade minister, Alberto Trejos, Cuba, whose halting reforms have failed to energize the island’s stagnant, centralized economy, may have a thing or two to learn from Costa Rica – which over the last 30 years has made strides in slashing poverty, promoting trade and luring foreign direct investment.

The Costa Rican Investment Promotion Agency (CINDE) on Tuesday announced South Korean company SAE-A Spinning will open a cotton yarn manufacturing plant in the province of Cartago with an investment of $50 million.