Relaciones internacionales.indb - HOMINES

ALINE FRAMBES-BUXEDA
final agreement in 1992. 22 The United States Congress ratified this North
American Free Trade Agreement on Nov. 18, 1993, after much opposition
by social and labor groups in that nation. We want to add our point of view
to the criticism and uneasiness that have been materializing in light of the
terrible repercussions that Mexico’s integration to the United States and
Canada will eventually have for the rest of Latin America. 23 We consider
it prejudicial that Mexico form part of the North American Free Trade
Zone, especially at this time when the United States suffers an enormous
deficit in its balance of payments and is looking above all to increase the
markets for its exports.
“Subordinate and dependent integration” cannot be beneficial in the
long term with a country like the United States where there are growing
economic problems and a crisis in its economic world hegemony in
relation to Europe and Japan. During the last few years, the economy of
the United States has survived thanks to the combination of a “military
Keynesianism,” drug traffic, financial speculation, as well as the growth
of the trade deficit. (“Además, en el caso de Mexico y otros países latinoamericanos,
los socios de dicho convenio también están agobiados por la
deuda externa que limita su capacidad de negociar y dificulta una perspectiva
a largo plazo”). In addition, in the case of Mexico and other Latin
American countries, the members of said agreement also are suffering from
an external debt which limits their capacity to negotiate and impedes any
long-term perspective. 24
Many analysts think, and much evidence has appeared in following
years, that this North American Free Trade Agreement will eventually
also be detrimental to Canada; it will erode its national sovereignty, it will
weaken the scarce national industry and will possibly contribute to territorial
fragmentation. 25 The problem facing Canada and Mexico is the result
of the economic asymmetry and inequality in the agreements between
the participating countries. The rules of the game will be too uneven.
This greatly distinguishes the North American Free Trade Zone from the
22
Sánchez, Emilio, “Negocian la creación de una potencia económica,” El Nuevo
Día, San Juan, Puerto Rico, June 1, 1990, p. 32.
23
a) El Nuevo Día, “México busca penetrar la Cuenca del Pacífico,” San Juan,
Puerto Rico, June 16, 1990, p. 36.
b) Mari Bras, Juan, “La Geopolítica y la Anexión,” El Mundo, San Juan, Puerto
Rico, Monday, June 18, 1990, p. 29.
c) Op. Cit., Miller, Morris, January-February 1990, pp. 24-34.
24
Op Cit., Miller, Morris, 1990, p. 32.
25
a) Ibid, p. 31.
b) Washington Post, Tuesday, June 26, 1990. (See article on the independence
and secession of Quebec).
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