Andean Region - US Department of State

Andean Region

Congress Sends Peru Free-Trade Pact to President

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice hails Congress’ passage of a U.S.-Peru free-trade agreement. “Peruvian access to the U.S. market, which had to be renewed by Congress periodically, will become permanent. This permanent access will help build a more efficient and effective economic engine to create growth, jobs and economic opportunities both in Peru and in the United States,” Rice says in a statement. The U.S. Senate December 4 voted 77 to 18 in favor of the free-trade agreement with Peru, clearing the pact for final action by the president. (complete text)

National Referendums Do Not Always Go the Government’s Way

Many analysts are expressing surprise over the rejection of a referendum on a series of constitutional changes that were designed to increase Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez’s authority over his country, his first electoral defeat since assuming power in 1998. The setback to Chavez’s ambitions is not the first time a government has seen its quest for expanded authority defeated via referendum. (complete text)

Microfinance Group Transforms Lives of Latin American Women

Latin America’s poorest women once had few options for bettering their circumstances, but an organization called Pro Mujer has opened up a new world of opportunity by providing small loans and other services. USINFO talks with Lynne Patterson, an American schoolteacher who in 1990 was a cofounder of the organization, about how Pro Mujer is changing local perceptions about women’s abilities and their place in society. (complete text)