The US reacts to the possible signing of a free trade agreement between Nicaragua and China

The United States government reacted this Thursday to Nicaragua’s announcement that negotiate a Free Trade Agreement with Chinaa situation that could threaten the economic relationship between Managua and Washington.

In statements to the voice of americaa spokesman for the State Department valued the freedom of the countries to “enter into agreements with each other”, but indicated that “without the mandate that leads to fair and free elections”, the actions of the Sandinista government “do not reflect the will of the people ”.

“The United States does not force countries to choose between the United States and the People’s Republic of China. We know that many countries, including the United States, have vital economic or people-to-people ties with China that they wish to preserve,” the spokesperson said. .

Nicaragua and the United States have maintained a Free Trade Agreement, DR-CAFTA, since 2006, but Washington is considering blocking part of Managua’s imports as measure of pressure on the Ortega governmentas reported by the VOA last week citing various US government sources.

According to the official, Washington offers a commercial relationship that works in the benefit of mutual interests, which is reinforced by the “common commitment to the defense of the international order based on rules, democratic governance and respect for human rights.”

Over the weekend, Ortega criticized those who “have asked the ‘Yankees’ to destroy economic relations with Nicaragua,” without alluding to the internal deliberations that would be taking place in the White House on the future of its trade relationship with Nicaragua. the Central American country.

During the first seven months of the year, Nicaraguan exports registered a year-on-year increase of 17.5%, and the United States led the destination of these, with more than 51.8%, according to official data.

A group of legislators from both political spectrums has demanded for months that the White House review Nicaragua’s participation in DR-CAFTA, based on the Renacer law, enacted in 2021.

‘No signs’ of change

The US government continues to coordinate with its international partners the imposition of sanctions on the Sandinista government due to the “lack of signs” of change, the State Department source deepened.

“The regime has yet to show any signs that it is willing to do so, so we continue to explore additional coordinated multilateral pressure using the diplomatic and economic tools at our disposal. The regime would have to show seriousness in its intention to follow a different direction to have a real discussion about the current measures,” the spokesman said.

White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre told the VOA that to date there are no “new actions to announce”.

He warned, however, that “the regime’s relations with Russia pose risks to the security of the hemisphere.”

Ortega has branded the calls from Washington, as well as its sanctions, as “interventionist” and has refused to enter into a dialogue with his US counterparts until the “interventionism” ceases.

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