Religious leaders voice doubts about CAFTA treaty

Published: 2005-07-22

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- As the House of Representatives was preparing to vote on the proposed Central American Free Trade Agreement, religious voices were casting doubts about who would really benefit if the treaty were implemented. At a July 21 prayer breakfast organized by the Interfaith Working Group on Trade and Investment, clergy from both the United States and Central American nations that would be included in the treaty voiced strong reservations about the treaty and its intended effects. U.S.-born Auxiliary Bishop David A. Zywiec of Bluefields, Nicaragua, said that when Central America's bishops discussed CAFTA last November, they asked themselves, "How does this help human development? How does this help human dignity? How does this help people get time off for vacation? How does this help people help the children and their schools?" "These are some of the human values" that should be present in a treaty, but are currently lacking in CAFTA, Bishop Zywiec said.

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