1.- My vote is against the FTAA and other "free trade" agreements, such as European Union – Mercosur FTA, because they are built on a lie: free trade is a fallacy. There is no good or service freely traded in the present world. Subsidies, government incentives, exchanges among companies of the same transnational corporation, exchanges among transnational groups, and all restrictive competence practices affect prices and distort markets. Free trade agreements mean freedom for corporations and captivity for nations and peoples, especially for those living in the poor Southern hemisphere. 2. My vote is against the FTAA and "free trade" because if it is signed, countries will no longer have the right to define and manage their own development plans. They will be vulnerable to corporate interests and companies and banks´ plans to maximize their benefits and their presence in world markets. Latin American and Caribbean peoples' concerns and rights would be subordinated to that priority. Not even the peoples of the two rich countries of the continent – the United States and Canada – would win with the FTAA! The winners would be huge private corporations whose goals are not linked to national concerns, goals that are determined only by their owners and shareholders. 3. My vote is against the FTAA and "free trade" because if the Brazilian government eventually signs the FTAA or the European Union – Mercosur FTA, it would mean the weakening of the State versus transnationals, and of the Federal Constitution versus corporate interests. It would also mean the end of municipal and state governments' power, as it would build another territoriality, controlled and managed not only from outside the region but, also outside the country. 4. My vote is against the FTAA and "free trade" because municipal elections define the future of our cities, and "free trade" agreements can limit local governments' capacity to define policies and run their own territory. The FTAA would force them to submit government procurement contracts to international bids. That means that employment and infrastructure would decrease in our cities. It also means that they would be forced to open strategic services – education, health, sanitation, security, communication – which should never be given to foreign companies! 5. My vote is against the draining of public budgets to pay financial debts. According to the Fiscal Responsibility Law, local governments are now forced to adjust their budget priorities to paying financial debts first, to the detriment of the payment of social debt of work, housing, health, education, drainage, healthy environment, etc. This law is part of IMF conditions. 6. My vote is against agreements developed under the "free trade" ideology, because they force signatory countries to revise their policies of environmental protection of sovereign defined areas, in the light of transnational groups' interests hidden behind free trade agreements. These agreements (FTAA, CAFTA, European Union – Mercosur, WTO, and bilateral agreements) create legally binding obligations and which do not respect local, state or national legislation. This is already happening in Mexico, after the signing of NAFTA (Mexico, USA, Canada, free trade agreement). Several foreign companies sued governments in an arbitration body of the World Bank and won, receiving millions of dollars in compensation. 7. My vote is against agreements marked by "free trade" ideology because, water and sanitation are essential for health and life quality. Those agreements aim at turning them into another business for transnational corporations. Have you considered that each glass of water or each plate you wash will generate benefits for companies which would send it abroad in foreign currency? 8. My vote is against fiscal adjustment policies, against the priority of financial debts and against "free trade" agreements because they prevent the country from creating and implementing economic development policies with benefits and wealth distribution. Without not only economic but also human and social development policies oriented to overcoming inequalities and injustices, it won't be possible to fight the unemployment that many people in our cities suffer. Today's priority is not people but the market and the so-called "investors". This is evident just by reading the newspapers and watching television. 9. My vote is against the FTAA and financial debts because they facilitate the knowledge created in the country and our national resources being appropriated by huge foreign companies. This is already happening as a result of the unpatriotic patent law. But if the FTAA is signed, Brazil will formally be committed to abandon its sovereignty over biodiversity, traditional knowledge and indigenous production and consumption practices. This would affect local communities and cities even more and it would increase their dependence on imported knowledge and technology. 10. My vote is against free trade agreements and the FTAA because they promote consumerism, individualism and a materialistic society, where the rich became even richer and the poor became even poorer. Finally, what do we want? Do we want to live happily, enjoying human relations based on solidarity, friendship and coexistence? Do we want to preserve and nurture our values and festive customs, in a fair society? Do we want to defend our sovereignty and freedom? Or do we want to be treated as consumers fooled and anesthetized by publicity? The dream of a better society and an effective participatory democracy is built from communities and cities. Let's make that dream come true! Sow these ideas! Life is not a business! Yes to sovereignty and solidarity! No to free trade! My vote is against the FTAA, Free trade and Foreign debt! For further information visit: www.jubileubrasil.org.br