The White House has stepped up efforts to gain approval for the U.S.-Colombia trade deal. But the Bush administration could face a battle in Congress. 

As the keynote speaker at AS/COA's annual Latin American Cities Conference in Mexico City, President Felipe Calderón addressed Mexico's economic advantages as well as trade, education, and energy.

In a recent op-ed, Republican Representative Roy Blunt advocates that the U.S. Congress must pass the Colombian Trade Promotion Act to ratify support for both our closest ally in the region and domestic exporters as well.

The North American Free Trade Agreement as been battered lately with sharp criticisms and calls has been made to withdrawal from it. In an op-ed, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos M. Gutierrez argues that this would be a disaster, hurting the U.S. economy, its workers, and its communities.

It may soon be time to pronounce last rites on the current path of U.S. trade policy in the Americas. With the presidential election season well underway, it is a good time to step back and consider where to go from here, writes COA's Eric Farnsworth in the latest issue of Poder magazine.

Signed into law at the end of February, the Andean Trade Preferences Agreement will be extended for 10 months. The real goal, however, is permanent and reciprocal trade agreements.