Salt of the Earth: Summit of the Americas ends with plans for free trade

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May 2001

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Summit of the Americas ends with plans for free trade

Summit of the Americas ends with plans for free trade
They may not have laid out step-by-step plans, but Western Hemisphere leaders left the Summit of the Americas in Quebec pledged to opening their markets, strengthening democracy, and halving the number of people in extreme poverty.

After the three-day meeting beginning April 20, President Bush and 33 other leaders from North and South America and the Caribbean agreed to declare a free-trade zone between their nations by December 2005. They insisted only democracies could participate but declined to name specific penalties for countries that deviate from their democratic systems. Cuba is the only state in the region currently ineligible.

The prospect of expanding free trade drew thousands of demonstrators to Quebec. They argued globalization would hurt workers and the environment. Quebec police officers arrested hundreds of the protesters as demonstrations turned violent throughout the weekend.

The state leaders also committed to cutting in half the number of people living in extreme poverty by 2015 but did not specify how they would do so.

The countries promised to finalize negotiations on the free-trade zone by January of 2005 and agreed to hold the next Summit of the Americas in Argentina. No date was set for the next meeting.

More info:
North American Leaders' Statement From Quebec
Summit of the Americas Information Network
Second Peoples' Summit of the Americas

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