Can CAFTA overcome government corruption, drug trade and child labor in Guatemala or elsewhere in Central America?
Salomon Cohen, Guatemala’s Ambassador for Commercial Affairs: Yes, we have a lot of work to do. These are issues we need to address together. You have to help us. If we can get a very good commercial deal, we can use it as an instrument for transparency and reform. Not all is bad. Help us identify the good people down there and help them do their jobs. The United States can be a good trading partner by working together to solve these problems. Regina Vargo, U.S.: A free trade agreement sets the rules of trade. It creates a more even basis to deal with us. The deal we did with Chile required the government to make it a crime to bribe a public official or take a bribe. It set up customs regimes so there’s a lot less corruption at borders. It established investor rules and more independent tribunals for disputes. It required business disclosure and open hearings that allow us to file amicus briefs. There are also opportunities to address labor and environmental problems. Without such agre
