Cafta is being questioned in Washington

US officials are studying Cafta to decide on whether to block preferential access to the United States for Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic and El Salvador, but not the other members of the pact, reports the Miami-based The New Herald.

"We are very concerned by the advance in Nicaragua of authoritarian rule and the questionable ties of the Dominican Republic and El Salvador," one official told the Herald.

The "questionable ties" are an apparent reference to the decision by both countries to cut links with Taiwan and establish diplomatic relations with China.