Costa Rica top court blocks US trade pact approval

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Costa Rica top court blocks US trade pact approval



September 11, 2008 7:37 PM

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica (AP) - Costa Rica's highest court on Thursday overturned an intellectual property law demanded by the U.S. prior to the enactment of the Central American Free Trade Agreement.

The Constitutional Court ruled that lawmakers improperly passed the bill - which included provisions on biodiversity - without consulting Indian groups.

Costa Rica has until Oct. 1 to implement the CAFTA trade pact, which other Central American countries already have enacted.

The nation has already changed other laws to open its economy to more competition. Thursday's ruling dealt with the last remaining piece of such legislation.

The ruling was a victory for free-trade opponents who have tried to block the pact's approval with court appeals.





Read more: http://www.newspress.com/Top/Article/article.jsp?Section=BUSINESS&ID=565366718902698274

[RC]

1. Apparently not all the Courts have been bought off by big business.

[arcos]

2. The Costa Rican top court has...

It was a close vote, 4-3.

Just to give a little background... we have what you could call "lieutenant Supreme Court justices". The Chief Justice retired last February, so one of the lieutenant Justices was called to fill in... he was one of the advisors to the President, and after several controversial 4-3 rulings and several weeks of scandals, he finally resigned, so they called up another one, and now there's and unknown Justice that voted on the "right" side this time.

That means that we still have at least 3 "bought off" Justices, that always side with the right wing, they just need one swing vote to have the rulings they need.

[Judi Lynn]

5. Very cool, even if it's overturned later.Looks like things are headed in the right direction,anyway

I was wondering if you'd check in today and see this thread!

Thought of DU's great C.R. poster the moment I saw this news. Congrats. Hope this decision will remain in place long enough to scare the C.R. right-wingers, really shake them up, at least! :hi:

[arcos]

7. Thank you Judy!

:hi:

To be honest, I don't consider it much of a victory. But just to imagine Mayi Antillón (the former majority leader of the government's party, and key figure in approving CAFTA) receiving the news makes me grin. :D

I do have hope that once Obama gets inaugurated and we get a progressive (or more progressive at least... :shrug:) government here, things will get much better. :)

:hug:

[Nambe]

6. Bet there are more than a few Obama votes coming from CR

We live in Mx and have friends in San Jose.

[arcos]

8. Certainly!

This is Obama country. Most of us cannot vote, but everyone here is always pending of the latest US election news, and everyone is cheering on Obama.

[PuraVidaDreamin]

3. great news

The US is such a bully- I imagine they will do something nasty to CR as payback

[arcos]

4. This doesn't mean CAFTA won't be approved after all..

But at least it is fun to know that CAFTA supporters are having a bad day. :D

Costa Rica will probably get an "extension" and be allowed to participate after all. But it is really amazing how we've fought this agreement for 5 years now, and we are still getting unexpected wins. :)

[fasttense]

9. When the CIA was busy planting those fake polls on how everyone in Costa Rico

just loved CAFTA, they failed to consider how much they loved violating their own Constitution. Maybe they will another fake poll in Costa Rico will take care of that.