US President George W. Bush put into effect a free trade agreement with Peru on Friday, despite concerns raised by Democrats and labor groups about whether Peru had fulfilled all of its labor obligations. “Today's proclamation marks an important milestone in our relationship with Peru, one of our strongest allies in Latin America,” US Trade Representative Susan Schwab said in a statement after Bush issued the order. The action makes Peru the 17th free trade partner of the United States and the 14th country added to that list since Bush took office eight years ago. Two-way trade between the United States and Peru is about $9.4 billion annually.
