Friendship Office of the Americas

The Friendship Office of the Americas is a social justice organization that fosters solidarity between the peoples of Nicaragua, Honduras and the United States and pursues polices of peace and friendship.

Costa Rican NO to CAFTA Campaign finds a way to Fund the Revolution while Building a Base

By Jessica Walker Beaumont, Alliance for Responsible TradeOctober 6, 2007 – the eve before the first ever referendum on a trade agreement As the US-Peru Free Trade Agreement goes through Congress at a rapid pace with little resistance from the very same Democrats who so adamantly took a stand against the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), I am honored to be in Costa Rica to witness a vivacious grassroots movement likely to stop CAFTA’s ratification in tomorrow’s referendum. read more

The Costa Rican Countryside- intense energy!

            We headed out of the office at 7am, destination San Carlos, a city about 120 kilometers from San Jose. In addition to giving the delegation a splendid tour, the purpose was to take the latest flyers and stickers to offices there and around the province of Alejuela.  By the end of the day we would feel, up close, the energy of popular participation in this David and Goliath struggle.  read more

Report from the CAFTA Delgation –> Costa Rica is Buzzing with Referendum Fever

Costa Rica is buzzing with ‘referendum fever.’ It is lit up almost as if there were a presidential election. Because Costa Rica has relatively strong institutions, one of which is the Electoral Tribunal, it is possible to have some idea of which side of this life or death debate has had the most funding. Of the $58,000,000. which has been spent on the campaign only about $4,000,000. has been spent by the people who oppose the referendum. It is known that the U/S/ Embassy has poured generous quantities of money into the campaign for passing of the referendum.

ART to Observe Costa Rican Referendum on CAFTA

Costa Rica is the only country in Central America that has not ratified CAFTA. On October 7th, an historic National Referendum will decide the fate of CAFTA, which is largely opposed by Costa Rican civil society. ART, in coordination with the Stop CAFTA coalition, has organized a delegation to observe the Referendum process. read more

60 Organizations Ask Congress to Support the Jubilee Act

The following letter is being delivered to Congress today asking them to sign on to support the Jubilee Act, HR 2436. This is just one activity as part of the Cancel Debt Fast. 1 October 2007Dear member of Congress,We the undersigned organizations urge you to support HR 2634, the Jubilee Act for Responsible Lending and Expanded Debt Cancellation of 2007 read more

Take Action: Call Your Member of Congress and tell them "No to Peru Free Trade Agreement"

The House Ways and Means committee ‘considered’ Peru Free Trade Agreement today, for a full 15 minutes! They then passed it with merely a voice vote. This will make it possible that the full House will vote on this agreement within the next two weeks. We need to raise our voices NOW if we are going to stop this latest effort to expand the failed CAFTA/NAFTA model! The Capitol Switchboard is (202) 224-3121. You can go here to find out who your representative is: http://www.house.gov/writerep/