Man kan undra var kaxigheten hos vissa centralamerikanska presidenter har kommit från de senaste veckorna när de utmanat den amerikanska regeringen med att öppna för en regional debatt om legalisering av narkotika. Ett intressant svar kommer från Cato Institute:
For once, thanks to DR-CAFTA, Central American countries no longer face trade sanctions if they upset Washington. Having a free trade agreement with the United States removed the uncertainty of depending on unilateral trade concessions from Washington that were constantly up for renewal or modification. […]
Men det finns förstås bilaterala avtal kvar som kan förklara varför vissa viker sig när Janet Napolitano, minister Homeland security, kommer på besök.
It’s the Temporary Protected Status program (TPS), which grants certain migratory benefits to citizens of designated countries “that temporarily prevent [them] from returning safely, or in certain circumstances, where the country is unable to handle the return of its nationals adequately.” […]
Approximately 212,000 Salvadorans benefit from the TPS. Coincidentally, it’s up to the Homeland Security Department to extend the TPS. It did so for citizens of El Salvador last January 10, but the benefits are set to expire on September 9, 2013 — unless there’s another renewal.
The TPS also benefits nationals from Honduras and Nicaragua and they are set to expire next year. Let’s not expect much enthusiasm about Guatemala’s proposal coming from Tegucigalpa and Managua.