Central America is an important
site of transnational processes,
particularly the unfolding of
hegemonic, transnational agenda
of neoliberalism and polyarchy
(Robinson 2000)
Labour issues
• Conditions as bad as in Somoza’s regime
• Workers future’s controlled by
multinationals
• Maquillas (Industrial Assembly factory) the
second source of employment in Nicaragua
Women are most affected by new
labour conditions
• Dismissal
• Sexual Harassment
• Problem exacerbate for women because
of male dominated structures of power
in Nicaragua
Plan Puebla Panama (PPP)
• Eight countries
• 64 million people
• Southern Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, El
Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica
and Panama.
• IDB: Inter-Development Bank, mexican
government and The U.S. Government
Presented as
• The provider of development,
infrastructure and jobs for the
region
• Sustainable development for
these nations
• It will cost 20 billion dollars and
would take 25 years to implement
• Who will pay?
• Infrastructure; highways, ports, power and
gas grids, hydroelectric projects, etc.
• Improvement of quality of life: Promote
tourism , healthcare, and education
• Industrial development:provide low-wage
jobs for the inhabitants (expansion and
construction of Machillas)
• Contamination
• Toxicity
• Erosion of workers’ rights
Three primary outcomes
• To lure local populations of their lands:
push and pull effect
• To permit the exploitation of cheap
labour
• To resolve the problem of migration of
undocumented
• Social problems
Exercise
• Three groups:
• Construct a political candidate for the next
national elections in Nicaragua(September
2006)
• Knowing what we know about Nicaragua,
how would this candidate improve the
political, social and economic situation of
the country?