Thank you for your question.
Actually, despite the fact the gross domestic product has increased in the last few years, according to UN figures Panama is the country with the second-worst distribution of wealth in Latin America. Only Brazil trails us. There is a huge difference between Brazil and Panama in size and population. The fact is that Brazil is an industrialized country, unlike Panama, which is an economy based on providing services.
According to those same figures from the UN, 20% of the population consumes more than 65% of GDP, while another 20% of the population consumes less than 3% of GDP. I say this only to illustrate how unequal it is. In fact, we cannot assume that an increase in GDP alone improves the lives of people. Panama has a poverty rate of between 30% and 40%. I don't know what the exact figure is, but it's between those two rates, so I don't think an FTA in itself will improve Panamanians' lives, especially if we do not have regard for environmental and social safeguards, as I mentioned earlier.
Thank you very much.