The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) turns 8 in January 2002. Congress is now considering a hemispheric expansion in the form of the Free Trade Agreement of the Americas. A look back at life since NAFTA.
8,000,000: Number of Mexican families that dropped from the middle class into poverty since NAFTA.
44: Number of tons of hazardous waste dumped in Mexico daily since NAFTA.
400,000: Number of U.S. jobs lost due to plant relocations.
77%: The average pay of a displaced U.S. worker’s next job, compared to prior salary.
19,000,000: Number of children in Latin America working (and receiving no education) since NAFTA.
$203,000,000: Amount the U.S. agricultural trade surplus with Mexico and Canada increased before NAFTA (between 1991 and 1994).
$1.498 billion: Amount the U.S. agricultural trade surplus fell since NAFTA.
From the Fellowship of Reconciliation (www.forusa.org) and Public Citizen (www.citizen.org).
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