Since the last time this blog was updated, there has been some developments with the status of DR-CAFTA in Costa Rica. Two different avenues to the decision on approving the agreement have arisen: a vote and a review by Costa Rica’s constitutional court.

The legislative and executive branches of Costa Rican government have been unable to reach a decision on ratification, and as a result, it has been decided that the people of Costa Rica will directly vote on the issue in a nationwide referendum to be held in September 2007.  Costa Rican president Oscar Arias Sánchez has been trying to gain approval of DR-CAFTA, which was a part of his presidential platform in the sharply contested 2006 elections.

It also has been reported that Costa Rica’s Constitutional Court has also announced that it will review the constitutionality of the agreement. Their findings are expected in June.

Costa Rica is the only country in the DR-CAFTA agreement which has signed but not ratified the agreement.  The other countries are Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, and the United States.  The agreement was originally negotiated without the Dominican Republic, who was added after the text was finalized and the agreement was renamed DR-CAFTA (or CAFTA-DR).  It has been ratified and has entered into force with all parties save Costa Rica.

Postscript: After a hiatus, this blog will return to regular updates (marking and other projects have taken their toll).