The US business community is gearing up for a fight on passing free trade agreements.

‘We have to make sure that we as a business community win the debate,’ Christman [of the US Chamber of Commerce] said, adding, ‘It is by no means clear that we will win.’

From the Miami Herald [via bilaterals.org]

A Dominican Republic news site is blaming Texaco-Chevron for the US dragging its heels on bringing the country into the DR-CAFTA fold. [Link]

At least one site is mentioning that a Mercosur-US FTA is more likely than moves towards the Free Trade Area of the Americas. [Link].

The Hill.com has some thoughts on the Sugar lobby and their future in the US Congress.

American Crystal is one of several groups representing the U.S. sugar industry that stepped up their political activity in the wake of the fight over CAFTA. The cooperative spent a record sum — more than $1 million — on political contributions to House and Senate campaigns in the 2005-2006 election cycle, according to the PoliticalMoneyLine website. This is almost twice what the company spent during the 2002 cycle and $250,000 more than the total for 2004.

DR-CAFTA was seen as a defeat by the sugar lobby because it allowed for an increase (though small) of sugar imports. [Link].

Investment ratings firm Fitch Ratings has given El Salvador a ‘BB+’ Rating in part because of its participation in DR-CAFTA. [Link]. Wikipedia for Fitch Ratings here.

US Vice-President Dick Cheney predicts a tough fight for an extension of the Trade Promotion Authority, a law that allows for the fast tracking of free trade agreements by the President. House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) predicts that the fight will involve labour and environmental standards.[Link].

Development bank the Central American Bank for Economic Integration has predicted GDP growth in Central America up by over 5% for 2007 in part because of DR-CAFTA related projects. [Link].