The prospect of a free-trade agreement between the United States and the Andean nations of Colombia, Peru and Ecuador hasn’t exactly prompted a groundswell of public approval. When talks for such an accord got underway here in May, thousands of farmers, unionists and environmentalists took to this country’s streets in protest, many of them holding signs saying “Colombia is not for sale.” But a different mood reigned at the trade session, held May 18-19 in the northern port city of Cartagena, as negotiators formally kicked off efforts to liberalize commerce between the Andean Bloc and the United States by early 2005. “As barriers to trade and investment come down in the Andean region, our companies will increase their sales and revenues,” Regina Vargo, chief... [Log in to read more]