Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP): 
Secret Surrender of Sovereignty

By Ralph E. Wall, Senior Administrator

January 2, 2013--At an address to the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) on September 24, Mexican President Felipe Calderón praised his government’s willingness to manipulate trade rules in order to increase Mexico’s international posture, power, and influence.

A big step toward that end was Mexico’s entry into the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations.

A few months ago, Mexico joined the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), negotiations.

This will give Mexican trade the biggest boost since NAFTA came into effect,” Calderón explained.

In June, President Barack Obama and U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Ron Kirk announced that both of America’s NAFTA partners, Canada and Mexico, have been invited to join the secret negotiations aimed at establishing the TPP.

In an announcement published June 18 on the USTR website, Kirk wrote:

We are delighted to invite Mexico, our neighbor and second largest export market, to join the TPP negotiations.

Mexico’s interest in the TPP reflects its recognition that the TPP presents the most promising pathway to boosting trade across the Asia Pacific and to encouraging regional trade integration.

We look forward to continuing consultations with the Congress and domestic stakeholders as we move forward.

Kirk made a similar announcement a day later, publicizing Canada’s invitation to join the super-secret TPP club, and Canadian officials were just as giddy as Calderón.