Word: chileans
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...safety of one-quarter of all U.S. consumer products, in addition to regulating the $400 billion food, pharmaceutical and medical-devices industries. But throughout the 1980s the FDA has been traumatized by budget and staff reductions, fusses over testing of drugs to combat AIDS, second- guessing over poisoned Chilean grapes, corrupt employees and controversies over the nutritional claims adorning food packages...
...government and the opposition both claimed victory, but democracy was the real winner last week as Chileans voted overwhelmingly to institute 54 reforms to the 1980 constitution. A lopsided majority of 85.7% of the voters approved the measures, which clear the way for an elected government. Among them: legalization of nonviolent Marxist parties, ratification of all international human-rights laws signed by the Chilean government, and a simplified process of enacting future reforms. Only 8.2% of the voters rejected the reforms, while a mere 6.3% abstained...
...Chileans still have their history to worry about. Fernando Matthei, the moderate commander in chief of the air force, hinted that a coup was possible if the opposition candidate ever makes good on his pledge to repeal the 1978 amnesty for crimes committed by the Chilean armed forces from 1973 to 1978. But after the opposition suggested that such a decision would be left to the "elected authorities," Matthei seemed mollified. Now many are hoping the exchange sets off a constructive dialogue between the armed forces and the opposition to defuse the issue before a new government is elected next...
...thing for affluent Americans to settle temporarily for three food groups instead of four, but what about Chile? Not much thought was given to the thousands of out-of-work Chileans whose families will have nothing at all to eat because two among millions of grapes were tainted. Fruit is Chile's second largest export after copper, making up about 10% of total export earnings, and the U.S. is Chile's main market. Two Chilean officials came to Washington on Wednesday to beg Secretary of State James Baker to reconsider the ban. In Chile hundreds of workers demonstrated. Trucks loaded...
Privately, State Department authorities acknowledged that the FDA may have overreacted -- all Chilean fruit on hand was ordered destroyed -- but insisted it would have been irresponsible to have acted otherwise. Government inspectors claim there is no quick way to test for liquid-cyanide poisoning in fruit. But by week's end the FDA was taking an approach similar to the airlines', allowing new imports of grapes and other small fruits but warning consumers to look carefully for holes, mushiness, discoloration or a burnt- almond smell. Safe rather than sorry had given way to FDA Commissioner Young's statement...