In Guatemala, police fired tear gas and water cannons at hundreds of demonstrators who battled with police in the capital city during protests against a new free-trade agreement with the United States. The demonstrators have successfully delayed the country’s Congress from voting on the pact for the past two days. But the army has threatened to send in 500 troops to stop the mass demonstrations. On Tuesday protesters managed to block some lawmakers from even reaching the Legislative Palace. On Wednesday, the vote was postponed a second time. The trade agreement commonly called CAFTA stands for the Central American Free Trade Agreement. Last May the United States signed the agreement with Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. Opponents of the treaty say it will hurt local farmers and workers and could lead to the privatization of public services.