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Which political leaders are in favor of free trade agreement and which ones are against it?

Koby Stockport

Hey!

Regarding your question about political leaders and their stance on free trade agreement, there are some who are in favor and others who are against it. Let me give you some examples.

Starting with those who are in favor of free trade, we have the current President of the United States of America, Joe Biden. During his electoral campaign, he promised to return to multilateralism and embrace free trade agreements such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). Additionally, he considers trade as a tool to promote human rights and raise labor standards.

On the other hand, there are some world leaders who oppose free trade, such as the former President of the United States, Donald Trump. He withdrew the United States from the TPP and renegotiated NAFTA to create the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). Trump's protectionist policies sought to achieve what he considered a fairer trade for the United States, imposing tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from countries such as China and Canada. According to him, these tariffs aimed to protect American jobs and promote domestic production.

In Latin America, we have different leaders who have different opinions regarding free trade agreements. For instance, the President of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, supports trade but with a developmental approach. For him, fair trade should not only benefit the private sector but also be an instrument for promoting social and economic development. That is why he renegotiated the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) to create the USMCA, aiming to protect the Mexican workforce and safeguard the country's sovereignty.

In contrast, the former President of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, has shown skepticism towards free trade agreements, especially with China. He believes that foreign trade should benefit Brazil while protecting national sovereignty and the country’s strategic sectors. Bolsonaro is prone to trade restrictions and considers imports as a threat to national production.

In Europe, the European Union (EU) has established several free trade agreements with different countries or blocs worldwide. However, these agreements do not have unanimous support among EU members, and some leaders have criticized them. For example, the French President, Emmanuel Macron, has warned against the negative effects of globalization and free trade. He has called for strengthening European protectionism and sovereignty while supporting a new approach to trade that promotes sustainable growth and social justice.

In summary, the position of political leaders on free trade agreements varies according to their ideological and economic approaches. While some are in favor of free trade as a tool for promoting economic growth and development, others defend protectionist policies as a way to preserve national sovereignty and protect domestic production.