Mr Froman in semi-clandestine visite to Mexico

Handled in the semi-clandestine visit USTR Froman to meet his pair of Mexico in order to “review outstanding issues of the negotiation of the Trans agreement (TPP) and analyze the steps”, said the Economy Ministry Monday July 13. http://www.economia.gob.mx/eventos-noticias/informacion-relevante/11179-boletin15-056

On Friday July 10, The Mexican Action Network on Free Trade RMALC issued a public statement to the officials, legislators, Mass-Media and social networks, denouncing the purposes of the USTR and requiring Mexican officials and legislators a consistent position with the defense of the Constitution and the rights of the people of Mexico.

Below you will find the English version of the statement of RMALC.

NO Way MR. Froman!

The US Trade Representative Michael Froman, arrives Friday July 10 to Mexico City to discuss outstanding issues in the negotiations of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and other issues with his Mexican counterpart, the Secretary of Economy Ildefonso Guajardo.

Unofficially, some of the controversial and hot spots of the trade agenda between Mexico and the US, both in terms of the WTO and Agreement Trans-Pacific Partnership were leaked to specialized publications of Washington (Inside US Trade specifically).

For example, the United States is concerned, according to the publication,  that;

“Mexico is seeking to impose retaliatory measures on $713 million in trade with the U.S. in response to repeated World Trade Organization rulings faulting the U.S. country-of-origin labeling regime for meat as violating trade rules. That request, along with one from Canada, is currently subject to arbitration proceedings at the WTO.”

“On TPP, Mexico has resisted U.S. demands for a broad investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) mechanism. Specifically, Mexico opposes the U.S. push for the ISDS mechanism to apply not only to the obligations within the investment chapter, but also to separate public infrastructure contracts known as “investment agreements.”

“Mexico is also on the defensive when it comes to U.S. demands for strong intellectual property (IP) protections for pharmaceuticals in the TPP. Among those are the U.S. push for 12 years of data exclusivity for so-called biologic drugs. The U.S. brand-name drug industry has charged that Mexico does not provide data protection for biologic drugs.”

After 20 years of NAFTA and WTO, the violations of rules of origin labeling by the US are some of the examples of repeated imperialist behavior and discretionary breach of any standard agreed in treaties or conventions, and disrespect for institutions and norms of international law.

The historical lessons (centennial or recent) that the people of Mexico know too well about the conduct of the US government are sufficient to reject the current intolerable pretensions, pressures and ambitions of US financial and pharmaceutical oligopolies.

We demand to Mexican officials to respond to the USTR Michael Froman in accordance with the constitutional obligation and the basic norms of international law of respect for national sovereignty, the basic interests of the population and full respect for human rights.

We demand that Mexican senators and representatives to pronounce in favor of the defense of the interest of the majority in Mexico and in accordance with their sworn commitment to defend Mexico.

We reject the political and economic pressure from representatives of the interests of the American oligarchy, which are not those of the American people, as has been revealed in the past through the broad campaign against NAFTA and today against the TPP.

Mexican Action Network on Free Trade (RMALC).

Mexico City, July 10 2015

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