At the trade ministers' meeting to negotiate the terms of a trade agreement for the western hemisphere, known as the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA), a senior Brazilian official emphasized that Brazil would be unable to agree to a deal unless the "protectionist" U.S. sugar program is substantially reformed. "Free and open trade contributes to the economic growth of both developing and developed nations," says Pedro de Camargo Neto, Secretary of Production and Trade of the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture. "But current U.S. trade policies, particularly in agriculture, will need to be changed for an equitable agreement to be achieved." He went on to state that U.S. sugar program's "unfair trade barriers" are a major impediment to achieving a trade agreement that works for all nations of the hemisphere. "Brazil is the world's leading sugar producer, yet we are able to export only a tiny fraction to the United States," he says. "Surely we cannot be expected to sign a trade agreement that would continue to prevent sugar exports to the U.S." Brazil's recent elections--which elevated Marxism to new heights--underscores Brazilians' concerns about "unfair" U.S. trade practices, particularly for agricultural products.