Cancún, Mexico: Protesters tear down sections of wire barricades at the World Trade Organization (WTO) meeting in Cancún, Mexico. Moments earlier a South Korean farmer, Lee Kyoung Hae, 56 years old and father of two, committed suicide by plunging a knife into his heart while atop of one of the wire barricades. His action represented the plight of many farmers across the world who are unable to make a living due to WTO-promoted trade rules.
The talks were overshadowed by this act and the slogan, “The WTO Kills Farmers,” and eventually collapsed. The failure of the Cancún talks was viewed as a victory for developing countries including Brazil, India, China, South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt and other nations.
