DR-CAFTA: ELCA Policy Base

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), a faith community of 4.9 million members, opposes DR-CAFTA. When our faith community speaks to issues in the public square, it does so through its Social Statements. In 1999, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America spoke on economic life in a Statement entitled Sufficient, Sustainable Livlihood for All. In that Statement, our faith community asserts that “government is intended to serve God’s purposes by limiting or countering narrow economic interests and promoting the common good”. In the view of the ELCA, DR-CAFTA seriously violates that basic moral principle because it does not serve the common good, neither for Americans nor for the peoples of Central America.

At its very first Churchwide Assembly gathering, in 1989, the ELCA passed a resolution on Central America which stated, in part: “Whereas, the nations of Central America continue to suffer from the plagues of war, poverty, hunger and oppression; and…whereas, the church is called and sent to bear witness [by]…advocating dignity and justice for all people”. This mandate has not expired.

Our partners in Lutheran World Relief (LWR) who work closely with the people and faith communities in Central America have long expressed their opposition to DR-CAFTA. LWR recently stated: “We have evaluated DR-CAFTA and have determined that it will not advance human rights, contribute to sustainable development, or the reduction of poverty in Central America. Rather, DR-CAFTA will increase the vulnerability of these nations by making them victims of a trade agreement that will discriminate against those who are economically poor and vulnerable, which will jeopardize the future of workers and further stifle the growth of democracy”.

Whereas NAFTA was studied and debated over a period of seven years, DR-CAFTA was rushed through and signed in just one year. Many people in Central America, including our companion churhces, did not feel that their views were ever engaged on a matter of such potential impact upon their lives and fortunes.

DR-CAFTA: Background Information

DR-CAFTA comes almost 10 years after the ratification of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) between the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

DR-CAFTA raises concerns among different constituencies - business, labor, agriculture, Republicans, and Democrats. If there are trade issues that need to be addressed, it is certain that passing DR-CAFTA is not the answer.

Many churches in Central American, including Lutheran companion churches, have spoken out against DR-CAFTA.

As a community of faith, members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America do not look only to narrow national interest. We are also concerned for our sisters and brothers in the faith who are our neighbors in other countries. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is a full communion partner with many churches in Central America. The leadership of these Churches have pleaded us to intervene with the U.S. government to withdraw this terribly flawed treaty for the sake of the poor who would be so grievously harmed by DR-CAFTA in its present form.