Chapter
Sanitary and Phytosanitary Standards (SPS)
Intellectual Property Rights
Panama’s Labor Conditions
APPENDIX A. CHRONOLOGY OF U.S.-PANAMA FTA
APPENDIX B. PANAMA: SELECTED ECONOMIC INDICATORS
Chapter 3 AGRICULTURE IN PENDING U.S. FREE TRADE AGREEMENTS WITH COLOMBIA, PANAMA AND SOUTH KOREA
KEY AGRICULTURAL ISSUES IN FTAS
Overview of Agricultural Trade
Potential Impact on U.S. Agricultural Exports
Sanitary and Phytosanitary Agreement
Outlook for Congressional Consideration
Overview of Agricultural Trade
Potential Impact on U.S. Agricultural Trade
Korea’s Rules for U.S. Beef Imports
Outlook for Congressional Consideration
Overview of Agricultural Trade
Potential Impact on U.S. Agricultural Trade
Outlook for Congressional Consideration
Chapter 4 MEXICO-U.S. RELATIONS: ISSUES FOR CONGRESS
Drug Trafficking and Heightened Violence and Crime in Mexico4
Economic Crisis and Nascent Recovery17
Foreign Policy Challenges
U.S. Assistance to Mexico
Bilateral Cooperation on Counternarcotics and Security Efforts
Department of Defense Assistance to Mexico
Related Security Cooperation with Mexico
Money Laundering and Bulk Cash Smuggling
Compliance with Human Rights Conditions in the Mérida Initiative
Accountability for Abuses Committed during the “Dirty War” Period
Cooperation in the Aftermath of the 2009 H1N1 “Swine Flu” Outbreak
Functioning of NAFTA Institutions
North American Cooperation on Security and Economic Issues
LEGISLATION IN THE 111TH CONGRESS
Enacted and Considered Legislation
Additional Legislative Initiatives
Chapter 5 URUGUAY: POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC CONDITIONS AND U.S. RELATIONS
POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC SITUATION
Economic and Social Welfare Policy
Prospects for the Mujica Administration
Chapter 6 ARGENTINA’S DEFAULTED SOVEREIGN DEBT: DEALING WITH THE “HOLDOUTS”
BACKGROUND TO THE CURRENT DEBT RESTRUCTURING
The 2001 Financial Crisis
The Debt Restructuring of 2005
U.S. Responses to Argentina’s Debt Repudiation
U.S. Government Responses
ARGENTINA’S DEBT PROFILE AND RATIONALE FOR RESTRUCTURING (AGAIN)
RESTRUCTURING THE HOLDOUT DEBT
THE 2009 PROPOSED EXCHANGE
Chapter 7 COSTA RICA: BACKGROUND AND U.S. RELATIONS
POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC SITUATION
Economic and Social Welfare Policies
Prospects for the Chinchilla Administration
U.S.-COSTA RICAN RELATIONS
Mérida Initiative & Central America Regional Security Initiative (CARSI)51
International Military Education and Training
Chapter 8 VENEZUELA: ISSUES IN THE 111TH CONGRESS
Background: Chávez’s Rise to Power and Rule from 1998-2008
Political Developments in 2009 and 2010
February 15, 2009, Term Limits Referendum
Repression of the Opposition
Continued Threats to Freedom of Expression
Bilateral Relations during the George W. Bush Administration
Obama Administration Policy
U.S. Foreign Aid to Venezuela
Counternarcotics Cooperation
2009 State Department INCSR Report
Venezuela’s Military Purchases
Venezuela’s Activities in Latin America
Colombian Terrorist Groups104
Deepening Relations with Iran
Venezuela’s Extradition Request for Luis Posada Carriles
LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVES IN THE 111TH CONGRESS
Other Introduced Measures
APPENDIX A. LINKS TO U.S. GOVERNMENT REPORTS
APPENDIX B. KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN 2009
Chapter 9 PARAGUAY: POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC CONDITIONS AND U.S. RELATIONS
FROM BISHOP TO PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE
Prospects for the Lugo Administration
RELATIONS WITH THE UNITED STATES
Counternarcotics Cooperation
TRI-BORDER AREA AND TERRORISM
Chapter 10 BRAZIL’S WTO CASE AGAINST THE U.S. COTTON PROGRAM
PHASE I: BACKGROUND ON THE U.S. COTTON SECTOR
Export Credit Guarantee Programs
PHASE II: BRAZIL’S WTO DISPUTE SETTLEMENT CASE AGAINST THE U.S. COTTON PROGRAM
Brazil’s Six Principal Claims against U.S. Cotton Programs
Claim 1: Peace Clause Violation
Claim 2: U.S. Direct Payments Do Not Qualify for Exemption from Reduction Commitments as Decoupled Income Support
Claim 3: The Step 2 Program Functions as an Export Subsidy
Claim 4: U.S. Export Credit Guarantees Function as Export Subsidies
Claim 5: U.S. Subsidies Have Caused “Serious Prejudice”
Claim 6: FSC-ETI Act of 2000 Acts as an Export Subsidy to Upland Cotton
Panel and Appellate Body Recommendations
Prohibited Export Subsidies
Prohibited Import Substitution Subsidy
Implementation of Panel/Appellate Body Recommendations25
Prohibited Subsidies Potential Time Track
Actionable Subsidies Potential Time Track
PHASE III: WTO COMPLIANCE PANEL REVIEW AND RULING
Arbitration Requested, Then Suspended, over Brazil’s Proposed Retaliation Amounts
Brazil Requests WTO Compliance Panel
WTO Compliance Panel Rules against the United States
PHASE IV: WTO ARBITRATION OF BRAZIL’S PROPOSED COUNTERMEASURES
Brazil Requests Resumption of Arbitration
Brazil Alters Its Countermeasure Request
Threshold for Permitting Cross-Retaliation Countermeasures
PHASE V: RETALIATION OR SETTLEMENT?
Brazil Targets Goods and Services for Countermeasures
Negotiations Seek Mutual Settlement
Brazil and United States Sign Memorandum of Understanding
Brazil and United States Reach Framework Agreement
PHASE VI: POTENTIAL POLICY IMPLICATIONS OF WTO PANEL RULING
Bringing GSM-102 into WTO Compliance
Bringing Price-Contingent Programs into WTO Compliance
Direct Payments Classification
Other Cotton-Related Trade Issues
Chapter 11 GANGS IN CENTRAL AMERICA
BACKGROUND ON VIOLENT CRIME IN CENTRAL AMERICA
SCOPE OF THE GANG PROBLEM IN CENTRAL AMERICA
Transnational Gangs in Central America
Factors Exacerbating the Gang Problem in Central America
Poverty and a Lack of Educational and Employment Opportunities
Anti-gang Law Enforcement Efforts
Prisons in Need of Reform
U.S. Deportations to Central America and the Gang Problem
COUNTRY ANTI-GANG EFFORTS
Mano Dura (Heavy-Handed) Anti-Gang Policies
What Have Been the Effects of Mano Dura Policies?
Prospects for Country Prevention and Rehabilitation Efforts
Regional and Multilateral Efforts
Central American Integration System (SICA)
Organization of American States (OAS)
Inter-American Coalition for the Prevention of Violence (IACPV)
Multilateral Development Banks and Donor Agencies
U.S. International Anti-Gang Efforts
Policy Approaches and Concerns
Politics and Economics of South and Central America
( Latin American Political, Economic, and Security Issues )
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