Twenty Years of NAFTA
- 1/18
Legacy of NAFTA
Marcos Godoy of Mexico City manufactures car dash mats at a maquiladora belonging to the TECMA group in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. TECMA currently has 14 maquiladora plants in Ciudad Juarez. While there is undoubtedly a larger middle class today, Mexico is the only major Latin American country where poverty also has grown in recent years. (AP Photo/Ivan Pierre Aguirre) - 2/18
Legacy of NAFTA
Oscar Lira of Zacatecas, Mexico repairs a receipt printer at a maquiladora belonging to the TECMA group of Ciudad Juarez. With the implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement twenty years ago, many North American and international companies have moved their manufacturing to Mexico at a lower cost, though a majority of Mexicans have seen little benefit in income. While there is undoubtedly a larger middle class today, Mexico is the only major Latin American country where poverty also has grown in recent years. (AP Photo/Ivan Pierre Aguirre) - 3/18
Legacy of NAFTA
People walk past Mexican and American stores in Mexico City. Looking around a Mexico dotted by Starbucks, Wal-Mart and Krispy Kreme outlets, it's hard to remember the country before the North American Free Trade Agreement, which has dramatically expanded consumer choice and trade since it took effect 20 years ago. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte) Yahoo News is better in the app
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- 4/18
Legacy of NAFTA
A family leaves a local Walmart in Mexico City. Looking around a Mexico dotted by Starbucks, Wal-Marts and Krispy Kreme outlets, it's hard to remember the country before the North American Free Trade Agreement, which has dramatically expanded consumer choice and trade since it took effect 20 years ago.(AP Photo/Marco Ugarte) - 5/18
Legacy of NAFTA
A factory worker tries to fix an ATM card reader at a maquiladora belonging to the TECMA group in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. With the implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement twenty years ago, many North American and international companies have moved their manufacturing to Mexico at a lower cost. While there is undoubtedly a larger middle class today, Mexico is the only major Latin American country where poverty also has grown in recent years. (AP Photo/Ivan Pierre Aguirre) - 6/18
Legacy of NAFTA
Vehicles line to cross The Paso del Norte Bridge between El Paso, Texas and Ciudad Juarez towards El Paso. Twenty years ago, the North American Free Trade Agreement went into effect, dramatically changing Mexico in fundamental ways. Before Nafta, Mexico was a closed, state-dominated economy reeling from debt and the underlying problems of Mexican farms _ low productivity on small plots. That had set up a perfect storm of mass unemployment. (AP Photo/Ivan Pierre Aguirre) Yahoo News is better in the app
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- 7/18
Legacy of NAFTA
Plumber Ruben Rodriguez, 67 stands next to his house overlooking the high-rises of the upscale Santa Fe neighborhood in Mexico City. It's hard to remember the country before the North American Free Trade Agreement but a majority of Mexicans have seen little benefit in income. While there is undoubtedly a larger middle class today, Mexico is the only major Latin American country where poverty has grown in recent years. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte) - 8/18
Legacy of NAFTA
A U.S. truck drives on an overpass in Mexico City. It is hard to remember the country before the North American Free Trade Agreement, which went into effect on Jan. 1, 1994. The three North American countries are pushing to become even more economically integrated.(AP Photo/Marco Ugarte) - 9/18
Legacy of NAFTA
·People shop at a local Costco in Mexico City. It's hard to remember the country before the North American Free Trade Agreement which went into effect 20 years ago on Jan. 1. Now, At supermarkets, shoppers are now familiar with everything from cranberries to chai to smoked polish sausages that few had tasted before the treaty tore down trade barriers and tariffs between Mexico, Canada and the United States. (AP Photo/Dario Lopez-Mills) Yahoo News is better in the app
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- 10/18
Legacy of NAFTA
Workers at one of maquiladoras of the TECMA group prepare to raise the U.S. flag along with the Mexican and TECMA flags in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. TECMA currently has 14 maquiladora plants in Ciudad Juarez. With the implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement twenty years ago, many North American and international companies have moved their manufacturing to Mexico at a lower cost and while a majority of Mexicans have seen little benefit in income. While there is undoubtedly a larger middle class today, Mexico is the only major Latin American country where poverty also has grown in recent years. (AP Photo/Ivan Pierre Aguirre) - 11/18
Legacy of NAFTA
People shop at a local Costco in Mexico City. It's hard to remember the country before the North American Free Trade Agreement which went into effect 20 years ago on Jan. 1. Now, At supermarkets, shoppers are now familiar with everything from cranberries to chai to smoked polish sausages that few had tasted before the treaty tore down trade barriers and tariffs between Mexico, Canada and the United States. (AP Photo/Dario Lopez-Mills) - 12/18
Legacy of NAFTA
ôPeople with goods from the Unites States in hand cross back into Mexico at The Paso del Norte Bridge between El Paso, Texas and Ciudad Juarez. Twenty years ago, the North American Free Trade Agreement went into effect, at supermarkets, shoppers are now familiar with everything from cranberries to chai and lemons (as opposed to the Mexican lime) that few had tasted before the treaty tore down trade barriers and tariffs between Mexico, Canada and the United States. . (AP Photo/Ivan Pierre Aguirre) Yahoo News is better in the app
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- 13/18
Legacy of NAFTA
Workers manufacture car dash mats at a maquiladora belonging to the TECMA group in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. With the implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement twenty years ago, many North American and international companies have moved their manufacturing to Mexico at a lower cost and while auto, electronics and agriculture sectors in Mexico has grown, a majority of Mexicans have seen little benefit in income. (AP Photo/Ivan Pierre Aguirre) - 14/18
Legacy of NAFTA
American companies such as Applebee's, Burger King and Smartmart line the street in Ciudad Juarez. Looking around a Mexico dotted by American outlets, it's hard to remember the country before the North American Free Trade Agreement, which has dramatically expanded consumer choice and trade since it took effect 20 years ago. (AP Photo/Ivan Pierre Aguirre) - 15/18
Legacy of NAFTA
Crowds of shoppers fill a busy business section of downtown Ciudad Juarez, Mexico.Twenty years ago, the North American Free Trade Agreement went into effect, dramatically changing Mexico in fundamental ways such as the availability of consumer goods and clothing that were trendy among Mexicoâs wealthy are now available to everyone, with more products and choice. (AP Photo/Ivan Pierre Aguirre) Yahoo News is better in the app
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- 16/18
Legacy of NAFTA
'A man with goods from the Unites States crosses back into Mexico at The Paso del Norte Bridge between El Paso, Texas and Ciudad Juarez, Thursday. Twenty years ago, the North American Free Trade Agreement went into effect, dramatically changing Mexico in fundamental ways. At supermarkets, shoppers are now familiar with everything from cranberries to chai and lemons (as opposed to the Mexican lime) that few had tasted before the treaty tore down trade barriers and tariffs between Mexico, Canada and the United States. (AP Photo/Ivan Pierre Aguirre) - 17/18
Legacy of NAFTA
People shop at a local Costco in Mexico City. It's hard to remember the country before the North American Free Trade Agreement which went into effect 20 years ago on Jan. 1. Now, At supermarkets, shoppers are now familiar with everything from cranberries to chai to smoked polish sausages that few had tasted before the treaty tore down trade barriers and tariffs between Mexico, Canada and the United States. (AP Photo/Dario Lopez-Mills) - 18/18
Legacy of NAFTA
Vehicles line to cross The Paso del Norte Bridge between El Paso, Texas and Ciudad Juarez towards El Paso. Twenty years ago, the North American Free Trade Agreement went into effect, dramatically changing Mexico in fundamental ways but the treaty never met many of its sweeping promises to close Mexico's wage gap with the United States, boost job growth, fight poverty and protect the environment. (AP Photo/Ivan Pierre Aguirre)
Looking around a Mexico dotted by Starbucks, Wal-Mart and Krispy Kreme outlets, it's hard to remember the country before the North American Free Trade Agreement, which has dramatically expanded consumer choice and trade since it took effect 20 years ago on Jan. 1.
While it changed the country in some fundamental ways, the treaty never met many of its sweeping promises to close Mexico's wage gap with the United States, boost job growth, fight poverty and protect the environment. Mexico's weak unions and competition from Asia and Central America kept wages down; the tightening of security along the U.S. border closed off Mexico's immigration "escape valve," and environmental provisions in the agreement proved less powerful than those protecting investors.