It’s started. Leftist barbarians in El Salvador are burning tires and hurling explosive devices into the faces of police as their way of resolving their disagreements over the implementation of CAFTA. They are always free to not trade with us if that is their wish but they just can’t leave others alone who choose differently. That’s why they’re creating an atmosphere of terror through their incendiary devices and seeking to ruin the business climate for everyone. That way, they can all sit in the mud together with no free trade and wonder why the hell they are poor.

Agencia EFE has the story here:

Salvador protests turn violent
Eds: updates with clashes.

San Salvador, Feb 28 (EFE).- At least four demonstrators and a police officer were wounded during protests here Tuesday that prompted security forces to fire rubber bullets at demonstrators.

The officer was wounded in the face and another suffered injuries shortly before the clash by a home-made explosive device thrown by protesters, a police spokesperson told EFE.

Members of various social organizations burned tires and set off powerful firecrackers after staging a series of rallies around San Salvador to protest the taking of effect of the CAFTA free trade agreement.

The pact, which joins the United States, Central America and the Dominican Republic, goes into effect Wednesday in El Salvador, while in the rest of the participating countries it will be put into force in the coming weeks.

Organzations taking part in the protests were mostly union and student groups.

Though CAFTA has been ratified by the legislatures of every signatory country except for Costa Rica and formally took effect at the beginning of this year, El Salvador is so far the only nation deemed by U.S. trade authorities to have completed all necessary steps to actually implement the treaty. EFE chm/cd