Press Releases
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Bush Administration Drops the Ball on Trade and Human Rights: Lifts GSP Review and Declares Guatemalan Labor Leaders Fair Game
June 6, 2001

Date: June 6, 2001
Contact: Carrie Ferrence, NISGUA: 202-518-7638

(Washington, DC): The Bush Administration had had an opportunity to influence the outcome of the two most significant cases of human rights abuse in Guatemala in recent history, but dropped the ball. The office of the U.S. Trade Representative reversed a previous Clinton Administration policy and granted GSP benefits to Guatemala.

After 5 labor organizers were kidnapped and forced into internal exile for planning a legal strike, the Clinton Administration put Guatemala under review for Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) benefits in 2000. “Under review” means that the U.S. Government reserves the right to withdraw trade benefits for the country unless certain human rights standards are met. The review, conducted by the U.S. Trade Representative, was the first which had been initiated by the U.S. Trade Representative without nudging from human rights organizations, sending a strong signal that Guatemala’s human rights record was particularly bad, and that this would not be tolerated.

On Friday, June 1, the Bush Administration decided to reverse this progressive policy, even in the face of escalating threats to human rights workers, and the murder of a U.S. nun.

“Most human rights and trade observers will agree, GSP review and suspension is one of the most effective foreign relation tools for ensuring human rights protection. None of the Clinton Administration benchmarks were met. Still, the Bush Administration acted in what can only be characterized as a blatant disregard for the acceleration of human rights offenses in Guatemala,” said Marianne Mollmann, Executive Director of the Network in Solidarity with the People of Guatemala (NISGUA).

In related news, a verdict is expected in the trial regarding the 1998 assassination of Bishop Juan Gerardi as early as today, June 6th.

Bishop Juan Gerardi was assassinated in April 1998 only days after he released an in-depth human rights report on the atrocities committed during the country’s 36-year civil war. The report found the military responsible for the vast majority of human rights abuses during the war. Threats, attacks and harassment to witnesses, judges and lawyers have been so abundant as to force many to resign from their positions or leave the country. Some witnesses or potential witnesses have died mysteriously or “disappeared”.

This trial of the alleged assassins was conducted during Guatemala’s GSP review. During this time, Barbara Ford, an American nun, was also murdered, and the Guatemalan government fired the head of the Presidential human rights office for having too strong an opinion on human rights. None of this convinced the Bush Administration that Guatemala really does not deserve to be rewarded additional trade benefits. So as to drive this point through, a legal case on charges of genocide was just yesterday launched in the Guatemalan courts against the former dictator of Guatemala, now President of the Guatemalan Congress, Efrain Rios Montt.

“The new Bush policy is clear: “Bishops, nuns, human rights workers and union organizers can all be sacrificed for trade,” said Marianne Mollmann, NISGUA.

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