Foreign Policy: Latin America Megan, Trevor, Rebecca

Issues Bitter Enemies –Military issues for the last 30 years –Changed to Representative Democracy –Poverty and economic instability (led to problems)

Issues Expanding Free Trade –After NAFTA, agreement between US and Latin America for free trade –Mexico took US jobs –Affecting economy –America making agreements with South American nations Affects farmers

Issues Waging War on Drugs and Organized Crimes –Criminal activity and drugs has been going up for the past 3 decades –Increase in violence –Problem of drugs is mostly in Colombia

Solutions Bitter enemies –International Monetary Fund and World Bank helped Latin America gain economic aid.

Solutions Expanding Free Trade –Central American Free Trade Agreement Helped with trade with Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Dominican Republic. –The North American Free Trade Agreement Lowered barriers to trade among Canada, Mexico, and U.S.

Solutions War on drugs and organized crime –US ( ) has given 3.5 billion dollars in military and police assistance through the DEA to Colombian police. –Merida Initiative 2007 (Initial): $550 million in aid to Mexico Continuing in 2008, Congress approved $400 million in anti-drug funding

Examples The North American Free Trade Agreement. –Canada, Mexico, US International Monetary Fund –Helped fight poverty and raise economy in Latin America countries. Central American Free Trade Agreement –Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Dominican Republic Merida Initiative –Mexico

Role of Government President –Bush proposed many different agreements with Latin American countries to help aid free trade, war against drugs, and their economy. –Helped relations between Latin American countries and US by diplomacy.

Role of Government State Department –Supported the President and helped get his ideas through to Congress and the House. Congress –Passed the proposed agreements, which led to the US assistance in Latin America.

Yes, we agree with what the US is trying to do in aiding the Latin American countries. Just like the US has helped Europe and Iran, they are doing all they can to help the Latin America countries without taking power from their own government. We think it’s good that they not only are helping the economy, but also helping fight the drug war which has led to some of their economic problems. The US helps not only to benefit itself, but to aid the other nations so that they can be successful too.