Thread: Nicaraguan Labor Unions: CAFTA Unconstitutional

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Nicaraguan Labor Unions: CAFTA Unconstitutional

Managua, Oct 12 (Prensa Latina) Nicaraguan labor unions will present appeals on the ground of unconstitutionality against the US-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), announced health workers union leader Gustavo Porras.

“We decided to use institutional and judicial mechanisms because in CAFTA´s ratification by the National Assembly, there are at least 12 points of friction with Nicaraguan Constitution,� Porras told Prensa Latina.

The commercial treaty, promoted by the US, was ratified by the Nicaraguan single chamber Parliament last Monday, despite fierce opposition of 38 Sandinista deputies.

“What happened Monday was an institutional mechanism of a bourgeois democracy, in which social movements do not believe, but unfortunately, is the one existing in Nicaragua today,� the leader stressed.

Federation of Health Workers Secretary General said that unions would seek for increasing force correlation to “break up� CAFTA.

Porras also criticized the position of President Enrique Bolaños’ government and companies presenting the agreement as a panacea for the country’s urgent social problems.

The labor union leader added that besides legal resources, unions would keep on demonstrating to alert population against CAFTA risks. The commercial treaty includes the Dominican Republic and Central American nations.

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