AMERICA/MEXICO - Peasants mobilise against Free Trade Agreement; Bishops say clauses of exception must be revised and renegotiated

Friday, 1 February 2008

Mexico City (Agenzia Fides) - With the slogan “Sin País no hay maíz” (No country, no maize) tens of thousands of peasants took part yesterday in a demonstration to protest against NAFTA Free Trade Agreement between United States, Canada and Mexico, of which the last stage came into force on 1January 2008 opening borders to import and export of agro-zootechnical products. This means maize, sugar, powdered milk and other products may be bought and sold without restriction between these three countries. The protesters called the government to renegotiate this last stage which puts to Mexico farming and zootechnical sectors in a negative situation.
The Catholic Church in Mexico is aware of the difficulties for peasants. On 14 January the Bishops' Commission for Social Pastoral issued a message "Jesus Christ, life and hope for indigenous peoples and peasants" (see Fides 17/1/2008) which expresses concern for the poorest Mexicans, farmers and indigenous peoples in this changing situation in the country. The Bishops also launched national campaign in support for farmers and peasants.
The Commission for Social Pastoral has just made public a summary of the Message dated 14 January and a series of questions for reflection and suggestions to contribute to the campaign.
Bishop José di Jesús Martínez Zepeda of the diocese of Irapuato, denounced in a statement "a danger of greater impoverishment which will push many peasants either to abandon their crops and move to cities unprepared to receive them, or emigrate to another country, or give in to the temptation to grow illegal crops ". The Bishop says “too little has been done in Mexico to prepare for this moment, but we cannot abandon our brothers and sisters in the fields".
The Bishop supports the request for the NAFTA clauses of exception to be revised and renegotiated. "It is urgent and inevitable to assign more state resources to farming and to ascertain their proper use to increase the profit of farmers ". The Bishop of Irapuato says what is needed in not temporary measures for situations of emergency "but rather a solution to the country's structural problem". He denounces the country's poor education system which is costly and renders little. The country has exploited natural resources and failed to invest enough in education said the Bishop who concluded with a call to all Mexicans to be active citizens "ready for change and to share responsibility to transform the country". (RG) (Agenzia Fides 1/2/2008; righe 34, parole 467)


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