DOCSLIB.ORG

Andean Trade Preference Act: Impact on U.S. Industries and Consumers, Thirteenth Report 2007

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Andean Trade Preference Act: Impact on U.S. Industries and Consumers, Thirteenth Report 2007 United States International Trade Commission Andean Trade Preference Act: Impact on U.S. Industries and Consumers and on Drug Crop Eradication and Crop Substitution, 2007 Thirteenth Report Investigation No. 332-352 USITC Publication 4037 September 2008 U.S. International Trade Commission COMMISSIONERS Shara L. Aranoff, Chairman Daniel R. Pearson, Vice Chairman Deanna Tanner Okun Charlotte R. Lane Irving A. Williamson Dean A. Pinkert Robert A. Rogowsky Director of Operations Robert B. Koopman Director of Economics Address all communications to Secretary to the Commission United States International Trade Commission Washington, DC 20436 U.S. International Trade Commission Washington, DC 20436 www.usitc.gov Andean Trade Preference Act: Impact on U.S. Industries and Consumers and on Drug Crop Eradication and Crop Substitution, 2007 Thirteenth Report Investigation No. 332-352 Publication 4037 September 2008 This report was prepared principally by the Office of Economics Project Leaders Nannette Christ and James Stamps Office of Economics Nick Grossman, Joanne Guth, Walker Pollard, and Edward C. Wilson Office of Industries Joanna Bonarriva, Tim McCarty, and Laura Rodriguez Primary Reviewer John Fry Administrative Support Terri Anderson and Patricia M. Thomas Office of Publishing Under the direction of Arona Butcher, Chief, Country and Regional Analysis Division NOTE TO THE READER Shortly after the Commission delivered this report to the Congress and to the President on September 30, 2008, Congress passed and the President signed legislation that extends the President’s authority to provide preferential treatment under the Andean Trade Preference Act (ATPA) by 1 year, through December 31, 2009, subject to certain country-specific exceptions for Bolivia and Ecuador. The legislation, which was contained in H.R. 7222, “To Extend the Andean Trade Preference Act, and for Other Purposes,” passed the Senate and House in final form on October 2 and 3 , 2008, respectively, and was signed into law by the President on October 16, 2008. The legislation amended section 208 of ATPA (19 U.S.C. 3206). PREFACE The submission of this study to Congress continues a series of reports by the U.S. International Trade Commission (“the Commission” or “USITC”) on the impact of the Andean Trade Preference Act (ATPA) on U.S. industries and consumers. The current study fulfills the Commission’s reporting requirement for calendar year 2007 and represents the 13th in the series. ATPA, enacted on December 4, 1991, authorized the President to proclaim duty-free treatment for eligible articles from Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. ATPA has been amended and the authority to provide preferential treatment has been extended several times, most recently by the Trade Preference Extension Act of 2008. The authority to provide preferential treatment is scheduled to expire on December 31, 2008. Section 206 of ATPA requires the Commission to assess the economic impact of the Act “on United States industries and consumers, and in conjunction with other agencies, the effectiveness of this Act in promoting drug-related crop eradication and crop substitution efforts of beneficiary countries.” The Commission is required to submit its report to Congress biennially by September 30 of the year following the period covered in each report. i TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Preface .......................................................................... i List of frequently used abbreviations and acronyms .................................... vii Executive summary .............................................................. ix Chapter 1. Introduction .......................................................... 1-1 Overview of ATPA-related legislation.............................................. 1-1 Summary of the ATPA program .................................................. 1-4 Beneficiaries................................................................ 1-4 Eligible articles.............................................................. 1-5 Qualifying rules............................................................. 1-6 Annual reviews .............................................................. 1-7 ATPA and GSP ............................................................. 1-9 Analytical approach ............................................................ 1-10 Organization of the report........................................................ 1-12 Data sources .................................................................. 1-13 Chapter 2. U.S. trade with the Andean region ........................................ 2-1 Introduction ................................................................... 2-1 Trade overview.............................................................. 2-1 U.S. imports from the Andean countries ............................................. 2-2 Duty treatment.............................................................. 2-5 Imports under ATPA ......................................................... 2-5 Product composition and leading import categories ............................... 2-8 Imports under ATPA by country .............................................. 2-11 Ecuador............................................................... 2-12 Colombia ............................................................. 2-15 Peru.................................................................. 2-16 Bolivia ............................................................... 2-16 U.S. exports to the Andean countries ............................................... 2-17 Chapter 3. Economic impact of ATPA on the United States and probable future effects ..... 3-1 Impact of ATPA on the United States in 2007 ........................................ 3-1 Products that benefited exclusively from ATPA in 2007 .............................. 3-2 Welfare and displacement effects of ATPA on U.S. industries and consumers in 2007 ...... 3-4 Items analyzed............................................................ 3-6 Estimated effects on consumers and producers................................... 3-7 Effects on U.S. consumers................................................ 3-7 Effects on U.S. producers................................................. 3-11 iii TABLE OF CONTENTS–Continued Page Chapter 3. Economic impact of ATPA on the United States and probable future effects—Continued Highlights of U.S. industries most affected by ATPA ................................ 3-11 Fresh or chilled asparagus ................................................... 3-11 Fresh-cut flowers.......................................................... 3-14 Fresh-cut roses......................................................... 3-17 Fresh-cut chrysanthemums................................................ 3-18 Probable future effects of ATPA................................................... 3-18 Foreign direct investment in the Andean countries .................................. 3-21 Bolivia .................................................................... 3-22 Textile and apparel sector ................................................... 3-24 Colombia .................................................................. 3-25 Textile and apparel sector ................................................... 3-27 Ecuador ................................................................... 3-30 Textile and apparel sector ................................................... 3-32 Peru. .................................................................... 3-33 Textile and apparel sector ................................................... 3-34 Chapter 4. Impact of ATPA on drug-related crop eradication and crop substitution in 2007 .4-1 Overview..................................................................... 4-1 Role of ATPA in counternarcotics efforts ............................................ 4-2 Regional cultivation and eradication trends during 2007 ................................ 4-3 Country profiles on eradication and alternative development during 2007 .................. 4-7 Bolivia .................................................................... 4-7 Alternative development.................................................... 4-9 Colombia .................................................................. 4-11 Alternative development.................................................... 4-11 Ecuador ................................................................... 4-12 Alternative development.................................................... 4-13 Peru ..................................................................... 4-15 Alternative development.................................................... 4-16 Chapter 5. Positions of interested parties ............................................ 5-1 Impact of ATPA: Overview of hearing and written submissions .......................... 5-1 ATPA has had a minimal effect on the overall U.S. economy, but mixed effects on specific U.S. sectors ..................................................... 5-1 ATPA has had a positive effect on beneficiary countries ............................. 5-3 ATPA has had a positive effect on drug crop eradication and crop substitution ............ 5-5 Uncertainties regarding ATPA extension and implementation of U.S. bilateral FTAs with Colombia and Peru have adversely affected investment and trade................ 5-6 Summaries of positions of interested parties.......................................... 5-7 Government of Bolivia.......................................................
Load more

Recommended publications
  • 3Rd Plenary Assembly National Congress of Chile Valparaiso, Chile April 1St – 3Rd, 2004
    FIPA/PA/2004/REP/e/vf Original: Spanish Report 3rd Plenary Assembly National Congress of Chile Valparaiso, Chile st rd April 1 – 3 , 2004 Report 3rd Plenary Assembly Vaparaiso, Chile, 1- 3 April 2004 FIPA/PA/2004/REP/e/vf Original: Spanish Contents 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................2 2. Opening Ceremony................................................................................................................2 3. First Session of the Plenary Assembly ..................................................................................3 3.1 Election of the Chair of the 3rd Plenary Meeting ............................................................3 3.2 Report of the FIPA President..........................................................................................3 3.3 Establishment of the Working Groups ............................................................................3 3.4 Other Business ...............................................................................................................4 4. Final Session of the Plenary Assembly .................................................................................4 4.1 Working Group Reports..................................................................................................4 4.1.1 Group of Women Parliamentarians of the Americas ...............................................5 4.1.2 Working Group 1 – The Fight Against Terrorism.....................................................5
    [Show full text]
  • Buen Vivir As an Alternative to Sustainable Development: the Case of Cotacachi, Ecuador
    Buen Vivir as an Alternative to Sustainable Development: The case of Cotacachi, Ecuador by Natasha Chassagne Total words: 97, 589 Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the PhD in Business & Law Centre for Social Impact Swinburne University of Technology May 2019 Abstract Sustainable Development (SD) as a concept was introduced in the 1970s to incorporate environmental considerations into mainstream development practice. SD has arguably failed to achieve its aims of intergenerational sustainability and human wellbeing thus far. This research identifies the Latin American concept of Buen Vivir (BV) as an alternative to the mainstream concept of SD. BV is a plural, biocentric approach to achieving Sustainable Social and Environmental Wellbeing (SSEW). Its plurality refers to a plurality of being, as well as a plurality of knowledge and vision. Yet despite political efforts to operationalise BV, there is a gap in knowledge for a coherent articulation of what BV entails and how it is implemented at the community level. As such it this research aims to find a path for practical implementation. This thesis asks the question: can BV become a practical and viable alternative to sustainable development? Drawing on the literature, this thesis finds that BV is a contested concept with a set of core common principles. It is contextual, with no universal definition. To advance understandings of BV on the ground at the community level, I conducted a short-term ethnographic study in the Cotacachi County, Ecuador. This research found that BV can become a viable alternative to Sustainable Development if certain conditions are met. The most fundamental condition is the transition to a post-extractive economy, as BV is seen as incompatible with extractivism - defined as the extraction of natural resources to satisfy a capitalist market.
    [Show full text]
  • Ecuador: Overcoming Instability?
    ECUADOR: OVERCOMING INSTABILITY? Latin America Report N°22 – 7 August 2007 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...................................................................................................... i I. INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................... 1 II. A HISTORY OF INSTABILITY .................................................................................. 2 A. POLITICS ...............................................................................................................................2 B. THE ECONOMY .....................................................................................................................6 C. RELATIONS WITH PERU AND COLOMBIA .............................................................................12 III. THE CORREA ADMINISTRATION ........................................................................ 14 A. THE 2006 ELECTIONS .........................................................................................................14 B. THE NEW GOVERNMENT’S PEOPLE AND PROGRAM ...............................................................15 C. POLITICAL STRUGGLE AND THE CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY..................................................16 1. Applying shock therapy...........................................................................................17 2. The push for the Constituent Assembly...................................................................19 3. The Constituent Assembly.......................................................................................22
    [Show full text]
  • The Double Bind: the Politics of Racial & Class Inequalities in the Americas
    THE DOUBLE BIND: THE POLITICS OF RACIAL & CLASS INEQUALITIES IN THE AMERICAS Report of the Task Force on Racial and Social Class Inequalities in the Americas Edited by Juliet Hooker and Alvin B. Tillery, Jr. September 2016 American Political Science Association Washington, DC Full report available online at http://www.apsanet.org/inequalities Cover Design: Steven M. Eson Interior Layout: Drew Meadows Copyright ©2016 by the American Political Science Association 1527 New Hampshire Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20036 All rights reserved. ISBN 978-1-878147-41-7 (Executive Summary) ISBN 978-1-878147-42-4 (Full Report) Task Force Members Rodney E. Hero, University of California, Berkeley Juliet Hooker, University of Texas, Austin Alvin B. Tillery, Jr., Northwestern University Melina Altamirano, Duke University Keith Banting, Queen’s University Michael C. Dawson, University of Chicago Megan Ming Francis, University of Washington Paul Frymer, Princeton University Zoltan L. Hajnal, University of California, San Diego Mala Htun, University of New Mexico Vincent Hutchings, University of Michigan Michael Jones-Correa, University of Pennsylvania Jane Junn, University of Southern California Taeku Lee, University of California, Berkeley Mara Loveman, University of California, Berkeley Raúl Madrid, University of Texas at Austin Tianna S. Paschel, University of California, Berkeley Paul Pierson, University of California, Berkeley Joe Soss, University of Minnesota Debra Thompson, Northwestern University Guillermo Trejo, University of Notre Dame Jessica L. Trounstine, University of California, Merced Sophia Jordán Wallace, University of Washington Dorian Warren, Roosevelt Institute Vesla Weaver, Yale University Table of Contents Executive Summary The Double Bind: The Politics of Racial and Class Inequalities in the Americas .
    [Show full text]
  • Curriculum Vitae (October, 2009) CRAIG CARPENTER DOWNER
    Curriculum Vitae (October, 2009) CRAIG CARPENTER DOWNER Email: [email protected]. Born: Reno, NV: 4th Generation Nevadan. Academic Background : Arts Baccalaureate degree in Biology: Plan Ecology, University of California, Berkeley. Honor Roll. 1972. Masters of Science degree, University of Nevada, Reno. 1976. Biology; specialization: wildlife ecology. PhD studies, Dept of Systematics & Ecology, Univ of Kansas, Lawrence. 1979 & 1985. PhD studies, Biology Dept, Univ of Durham, UK. 1988-1993. Academic Visitor: Sch. BioI. Sci., Unv. ColI. N. Wales-Bangor ‘94. Western Nevada College Spr & Fall 2008 Piano “A" Work Experience (partial): 1977-79: Wildlife ecologist, Corporacion Valle de Cauca, Cali, Colombia, as part of Peace Corps. Smithsonian Conservation Progr. Vertebrate species inventory in nature parks & reserves. Ecological assessment of Andean regions. Recommendations for government natural resource policy. Public educational talks/essays. Nature photography. Specimen identification & preservation. Pioneer wrk. Las Hermosas N. N. Park. 1984 & summer, 1985: Supervisor of young adults, Curriculum Coordinator, California Conservation Corps, Pomona, CA Led work crews for variety of conservation projects, including in nature reserves. Designed personal improvement programs for individual corps-members. Taught classes on conservation, ecology, safety, etc. Page 1 Composed safety report. Awarded for excellence. Received extensive training, CRP, fire fighting" leadership, safety, etc. 1987: Managing Editor for InterAction, Global Tomorrow Coalition, Washington, DC. Compiled information from many conservationists/organizations on diverse subjects. Wrote/edited articles. Maintained membership list. 1987-88: Toured Peru with editor of Social Issues Resource Series, Boca Raton, FL. Photographed Amazonian & Andean subjects for use in publications. Wrote an educational book on tropical forests of the world. April & August 1988: 2 trips to scout out endangered mountain tapirs in Northern Peru.
    [Show full text]
  • Election News Briefs: Paraguay, Ecuador, Colombia LADB Staff
    University of New Mexico UNM Digital Repository NotiSur Latin America Digital Beat (LADB) 2-27-1998 Election News Briefs: Paraguay, Ecuador, Colombia LADB Staff Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/notisur Recommended Citation LADB Staff. "Election News Briefs: Paraguay, Ecuador, Colombia." (1998). https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/notisur/12474 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Latin America Digital Beat (LADB) at UNM Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in NotiSur by an authorized administrator of UNM Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. LADB Article Id: 54848 ISSN: 1060-4189 Election News Briefs: Paraguay, Ecuador, Colombia by LADB Staff Category/Department: Region Published: 1998-02-27 May 10 elections in Paraguay still in doubt With little more than two months before Paraguay's May 10 presidential elections, retired Gen. Lino Cesar Oviedo candidate for the governing Partido Colorado (Asociacion Nacional Republicana, ANR) remains in jail. While President Juan Carlos Wasmosy has made ambiguous statements regarding postponing the elections, opposition candidate Domingo Laino of the Alianza Democratica a coalition that includes the Partido Liberal Radical Autentico (PLRA) and the Partido Encuentro Nacional (PEN) is leading efforts to ensure that the elections are held as scheduled. Oviedo has been in jail for more than two months on charges stemming from his 1996 unsuccessful coup attempt (see NotiSur, 02/06/98). His wife, Raquel Marin de Oviedo, and running mate Raul Cubas Grau are carrying out his campaign. "Lino Oviedo will once again triumph," said Raquel de Oviedo to cheering members of the Union Nacional de Colorados Eticos (UNACE), the ANR faction backing Oviedo.
    [Show full text]
  • Electoral Observation in Ecuador 1998
    Electoral Observations in the Americas Series, No. 17 Electoral Observation in Ecuador 1998 Secretary General César Gaviria Assistant Secretary General Christopher R. Thomas Executive Coordinator, Unit for the Promotion of Democracy Elizabeth M. Spehar This publication is part of a series of UPD publications of the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States. The ideas, thoughts, and opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the OAS or its member states. The opinions expressed are the responsibility of the authors. OEA/Ser.D/XX SG/UPD/II. 17 23 March, 1999 Original: Spanish Electoral Observation in Ecuador 1998 General Secretariat Organization of American States Washington, D.C. 20006 1999 This report was produced under the technical supervision of Edgardo Costa Reis, Chief of Mission and Specialist of the Unit for the Promotion of Democracy (UPD). Design and composition of this publication was done by the Information and Dialogue Section of the UPD, headed by Caroline Murfitt-Eller. Betty Robinson helped with the editorial review of this report and, Meghan Henderson and Esther Rodriguez with its production. Copyright Ó 1999 by OAS. All rights reserved. This publication may be reproduced provided credit is given to the source. Contents Foreword ................................................................................................................................... vii Introduction ................................................................................................................................ix
    [Show full text]
  • Rafael Correa Y Las Elecciones 2006
    José RIVERA COSTALES @tikinauta Master en Comunicación de Ciencia y Tecnología, Diplomado en comunicación de Tecnología, Licenciado en Comunicación social Rafael Correa y las por la Universidad Central del Ecuador, actualmente cursando Maestría en Marketing en la Universidad elecciones 2006 Espíritu Santo de Guayaquil. Investigador, consultor y Inicios del Marketing y Comunicación capacitador en estrategias de comunicación y Marketing digital. Docente de pregrado política digital en Ecuador en las Universidades San Francisco de Quito, Pontificia Universidad Católica y Universidad Politécnica Salesiana, Docente de posgrado en la Universidad Central del Ecuador y Rafael Correa and the Universidad de las Américas UDLA. 2006 elections Correo [email protected] Marketing and digital political communication in Ecuador Recibido: mayo 2014 Aprobado: julio 2014 informe Resumen Este trabajo pretende abordar los cambios producidos en el Marketing Político en Ecuador a partir de la adopción de nuevas herramientas tecnológicas como estrategia de la campaña electoral del año 2006. En este marco abordamos el caso específico del entonces candidato Rafael Correa Delgado, y las estrategias digitales utilizadas en su campaña política, mediante el análisis de uso de los canales utilizados podemos conocer el grado de importancia que le dieron a estas formas de promoción alternativas. Resulta interesante que esa incursión del candidato en espacios digitales cambió radicalmente la forma de hacer política en el Ecuador, y marcó las pautas para lo que sería el ejercicio del poder del presidente y su marcado interés en desarrollar un entorno de Gobierno Digital al servicio del ciudadano. Palabras Clave: Rafael Correa, Elecciones, Marketing, Comunicación política digital, Gobierno digital. Abstract This work aims to deal with the changes that have occurred in the Ecuadorian Political Marketing since the adoption of new technology tools as a strategy concerning the 2006 electoral campaign.
    [Show full text]
  • Ecuador: Overcoming Instability?
    ECUADOR: OVERCOMING INSTABILITY? Latin America Report N°22 – 7 August 2007 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...................................................................................................... i I. INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................... 1 II. A HISTORY OF INSTABILITY .................................................................................. 2 A. POLITICS ...............................................................................................................................2 B. THE ECONOMY .....................................................................................................................6 C. RELATIONS WITH PERU AND COLOMBIA .............................................................................12 III. THE CORREA ADMINISTRATION ........................................................................ 14 A. THE 2006 ELECTIONS .........................................................................................................14 B. THE NEW GOVERNMENT’S PEOPLE AND PROGRAM ...............................................................15 C. POLITICAL STRUGGLE AND THE CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY..................................................16 1. Applying shock therapy...........................................................................................17 2. The push for the Constituent Assembly...................................................................19 3. The Constituent Assembly.......................................................................................22
    [Show full text]
  • Class and Ethnicity in the Canton of Cayambe: the Roots of Ecuador's Modern Indian Movement
    Class and Ethnicity in the Canton of Cayambe: The Roots of Ecuador's Modern Indian Movement by Marc Becker B.A., Bethel College, 1985 M.A., University of Kansas, 1990 Submitted to the Department of History and the Faculty of the Graduate School of the University of Kansas in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Chair) (Committee Members) Date Defended: Abstract Marc Becker, Ph.D. Department of History, 1997 University of Kansas My research examines changes in ideologies of class and ethnicity within rural movements for social change in Ecuador during the twentieth century. It explores how popular organizations engaged class analyses and ethnic identities in order to influence strategies of political mobilization among Indigenous and peasant peoples. Although recently ethnicity has come to dominate Indigenous political discourse, I have discovered that historically the rural masses defended their class interests, especially those related to material concerns such as land, wages, and work, even while embracing an ideology of ethnicity. Through the study of land tenure and political mobilization issues, this project examines the roles of leadership, institutions, economics, and class relations in order to understand the formation of class ideologies and ethnic politics in Ecuador. Although various Indigenous revolts occurred during the colonial period, these were localized and lacked a global vision for social change. In contrast, beginning in the 1920s Indian organizations emerged which understood that immediate and local solutions would not improve their situation, but rather that there must be fundamental structural changes in society. Moving from narrow, local revolts to broad organiza- tional efforts for structural change represented a profound ideological shift which marks the birth of Ecuador's modern Indian movement.
    [Show full text]
  • Creating Partisans: the Organizational Roots of New Parties in Latin America
    Creating Partisans: The Organizational Roots of New Parties in Latin America by Mathias Poertner A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science in the Graduate Division of the University of California, Berkeley Committee in charge: Professor Ruth Berins Collier, Co-chair Professor Thad Dunning, Co-chair Professor Leonardo Arriola Professor Pradeep Chhibber Professor David Collier Professor Edward Miguel Spring 2018 Creating Partisans: The Organizational Roots of New Parties in Latin America Copyright 2018 by Mathias Poertner 1 Abstract Creating Partisans: The Organizational Roots of New Parties in Latin America by Mathias Poertner Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science University of California, Berkeley Professor Ruth Berins Collier, Co-chair Professor Thad Dunning, Co-chair The frequent emergence of new parties is a feature of democracies almost everywhere. While most of these new parties remain ephemeral, some manage to establish stable ties with voters and win substantial electoral support over repeated elections. This divergence raises the question why some new parties are able to take root in society, establish stable ties with voters, and successfully compete in elections over time, while others fail to do so. Despite a vibrant literature on both the stability of party identification and de- alignment away from traditional parties, we do not have a good understanding yet of why some new parties succeed in taking root in society, while others fail to do so. This dissertation attempts to fill this gap. It explores different paths that new parties take to build mass support, i.e. to secure electoral support and build partisan attachments in the electorate, in the context of the recent wave of party formation in Latin America.
    [Show full text]
  • A Political and Economic Dictionary of Latin America
    A POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC DICTIONARY OF LATIN AMERICA A POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC DICTIONARY OF LATIN AMERICA Peter Calvert FIRST EDITION LONDON AND NEW YORK First Edition 2004 Europa Publications 11 New Fetter Lane, London EC4P 4EE, England (A member of the Taylor & Francis Group) This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2005. “To purchase your own copy of this or any of Taylor & Francis or Routledge’s collection of thousands of eBooks please go to http://www.ebookstore.tandf.co.uk/.” © Peter Calvert 2004 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be photocopied, recorded, or otherwise reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means without the prior permission of the copyright owner. ISBN 0-203-40378-9 Master e-book ISBN ISBN 0-203-41027-0 (Adobe e-Reader Format) ISBN 1 85743 211 8 (Print Edition) Development Editor: Cathy Hartley Copy Editor and Proof-reader: Simon Chapman The publishers make no representation, express or implied, with regard to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and cannot accept any legal responsibility for any errors or omissions that may take place. FOREWORD Latin America, in the first decade of the 21st century, remains as exciting, interesting and unpredictable as ever. In 2004 Haiti, the first Latin American country to gain its independence, celebrated its second centenary. But although the structure and organization of government, politics, production, international relations and trade in the region are by now well established, important changes are under way, and the Latin American countries are becoming more important than ever before in world politics as a bridge between the USA and the rest of the world.
    [Show full text]