Success! We Made it in!

I actually made it into the Convention Center yesterday afternoon, the first time anyone from our group has seen the "inside" of the WTO meeting here in Cancun. We were re-directed three times by the police, and finally found the right door.

There has been a lot of noise coming from the Convention Center for the past few days, and we've all been wondering what is going on in there. Another Greenpeace media-type and myself thought we would try our luck in gaining entry to the Convention Center, and after walking around the building a few times and being told we were in the wrong place, finally: SUCCESS!

How can you describe the Convention Center? Shiny. White. Imposing. There is still a lot of construction going on, and we were able to see where all of the journalists would be sitting and working and reporting to all corners of the world all of the unfair trade decisions being made during the WTO meeting.

Since we don't work for major oil companies, we are only allowed on the first floor, and there were metal barricades blocking us from all of the areas where the deals will be made. It's a real shame.

There was virtually no one inside: maybe all of the delegates were on the beach sipping margaritas, or maybe they were being led in circles around the Convention Center. We spoke with a few people who were there, and we got invited to our first press conference that was going on at a hotel across the street. Unfortunately, we had to decline. After collecting WTO documents and fact sheets that are heaped on tables waiting to be read and dissected, we walked around for a little while, and, not surprisingly, the place is covered with WTO logos. I'm not sure why the WTO is doing self-promotion on the inside, it seems to me that some external PR work would be much more sensible, and greatly needed... after some serious reforms, of course.

I'm here with Greenpeace from our office in the USA, and it's quite frustrating to know that my government is here to advance its own agenda and to repress the rights of other countries and communities to demand fair trade policies. It's important to let people know that many people in the USA stand united against the WTO, against unfair globalization, and in favor of sustainability and putting people's rights over corporate profit. It's also important to let people know that should they come to Cancun, be sure to bring sunblock. The sun here is almost as oppressive as the WTO trade rules.

Steve Smith is a Media Officer with Greenpeace USA. He likes sunsets, long walks on the beach, and is a Scorpio.