The forces and passions concentrated in Our America seem to unleash every time they meet. And it happened once again on Wednesday, December 14, in Havana, when the representatives of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America-People's Trade Agreement (ALBA-TCP) raised their voices during the commemoration of the 18th anniversary of the integration mechanism at the Sixth Extraordinary Session of the National Assembly of People's Power, in its Ninth Legislature.
Army General Raúl Castro, revolutionary leader and inspirer, together with Fidel and the entire Cuban historical generation, of the emancipatory movements of the region in the last decades, was present at the emotional moment, which closed days of intense parliamentary debates on the Cuban reality and its most strategic challenges.
The First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and President of the Republic, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, and the heads of state of Venezuela, Bolivia and Nicaragua, Nicolás Maduro, Luis Arce and Daniel Ortega co-chaired the session.
The Prime Ministers of Dominica, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada, Roosevelt Skerrit, Ralph Gonsalves and Dickon Mitchell, respectively, and Everly Chet Greene, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Antigua and Barbuda, and Wayne Girard, Minister of Finance of St. Lucia, also arrived on the island for the occasion, which included a Summit of the organization.
"It is an honor for the National Assembly to commemorate, in an extraordinary session, the 18th anniversary of the creation of ALBA, a joint declaration between Fidel and Chávez, which started years of cooperation and political agreement, with concrete results for the social development of the peoples in the areas of health and education, among others," said the President of the Parliament, Esteban Lazo Hernández, before giving way to the speeches of the leaders present.
NICOLÁS MADURO: ALBA-TCP WILL REMAIN A LEADING FORCE
ALBA-TCP, after 18 years of existence, is moving forward with great strength and will continue to be a moral, ideological and political vanguard organization, assured Nicolás Maduro Moros, President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
Here in ALBA, we are determined to continue in the forefront of the struggle for equality, for the full happiness of our peoples; and our union must be based on liberating, revolutionary principles that take into account the rights and needs of our people, and the solutions to those needs, he ratified.
He recalled the moment when, on December 14, 2004, Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro and Commander of the Bolivarian Revolution Hugo Chávez Frías took the step to constitute what was initially an alternative to the FTAA and neoliberalism.
"It was the first decade of this century and a wave of revolutionary, progressive and authentic changes was rising in our continent; and Cuba and Venezuela united our two revolutions, our two peoples and our capacities to tell Latin America and the Caribbean: we must march together, we must build and unite all the forces of a heroic continent, which has fought so many battles for centuries for its independence and definitive emancipation," he recalled.
He also pointed out that the date chosen to found that audacious idea was precisely the tenth anniversary of the first meeting between Fidel and Chavez, on December 14, 1994, in Havana.
Regarding the trajectory of the mechanism, which was later expanded and consolidated, he commented that it has been marked by different points of encounters, boosts and new boosts, which have built a very valuable epic to show the world the tactical capabilities of our revolutions.
The Venezuelan President also stressed the need for the integration mechanism, which was born as an anti-neoliberal and anti-capitalist space, to resume the momentum of the great projects that came to impact the lives of the founding peoples and of millions of men and women from the most humble corners of Latin America and the Caribbean.
Maduros also warned about the constant conspiracies, aggressions and internal and external campaigns against the countries of the Alliance. On this topic, he denounced the recent internal plan to destabilize Bolivia with violence, highlighting the wisdom, intelligence, firmness and political capacity of the Government presided by Luis Arce Catacora, who was able to defeat the conspiracy of the extreme right.
He also greeted the recent electoral victory of the Prime Minister of Dominica, Roosevelt Skerrit, in the elections where he was reelected for the fifth time, despite the sabotage, internal threats and violence unleashed to boycott the electoral process.
He denounced the campaigns against Nicaragua and praised the permanent victory of President Daniel Ortega and the Sandinista National Liberation Front; and recalled the constant aggressions against Cuba, a nation he described as always firm, ready, in resistance, setting an example in the midst of difficulties.
LUIS ARCE: LET US CONTINUE BUILDING, FROM THE PEOPLE'S POWER, THAT BETTER WORLD DEMANDED BY FIDEL
President of Bolivia Luis Arce greeted, on behalf of his people and Government, the brave children of Martí and Fidel who were represented in the Assembly and who crossed mountain ranges, rivers, valleys, high plateaus and the entire Bolivian Amazon; either with a doctor's white coat or with a literacy booklet under his arm.
"That generosity, that solidarity, that sacrifice, that revolutionary internationalism, I want to let you know, brother and sister deputies, that they will live forever in the heart of the Bolivian people," he said.
He reiterated the unconditional support of the Plurinational State of Bolivia to the Cuban people and government in all their struggles and in all their achievements, "which we feel as our own."
With the triumph of the Cuban Revolution,” he added, “a new period in the history of the struggles of the peoples of our America for their emancipation began, highlighting that this year meant a complex scenario for Cuba, particularly the intensification of the criminal blockade that has been in place since the 1960s, the natural disasters and the terrible accident at the oil storage facility for super tankers in Matanzas.
Our great Homeland is also facing difficult times: foreign interference, political instability and disrespect for the will of the majorities continue to be the main threats to the region, Arce pointed out.
He explained that, from the Plurinational State of Bolivia, they see with concern how all kinds of tricks are being written, either to disregard the mandate of the elections or to undermine popular governments, and reiterated his support to Cristina Fernandez.
"The governments of Argentina, Colombia, Mexico and the Plurinational State of Bolivia have jointly expressed our deep concern about these events, making, at the same time, a call to all the actors involved to prioritize the will of the citizens, respect human rights and the judicial protection of President Pedro Castillo, in strict compliance with international conventions," he said.
He stressed that Bolivian democracy, which was recovered thanks to the united struggle of the Bolivian people in 2020, continues to be at risk, as there are groups that do not respect the vote of the people and permanently seek to achieve with violence what they did not achieve at the ballot box.
In the face of these threats on the region, we know that we always count on Cuba, as we also know that Cuba counts on us to face the multiple aggressions that are brewing against it from the bowels of imperialism, he stressed.
"Let us continue building from the people's power that better world that Fidel demanded in 2003, convinced not only that it is possible, but that it is more necessary than ever," he concluded.
DANIEL ORTEGA: TODAY'S AMERICA IS STILL UNDER IMPERIALIST THREAT, JUST LIKE IN PAST CENTURIES
The President of Nicaragua, Daniel Ortega, recalled in his speech that America today is still under imperialist threat, as it was in past centuries, when the United States tried to bend the will of peoples such as the Cuban and Nicaraguan.
He stated that the nature of the empire has not disappeared, the manifestations continue to be the same since its creation, trying to intervene with sovereign governments.
He also referred to the unprecedented thing that happens every year in the United Nations: "How many times has it been voted against the blockade, but nothing happens," he asked and concluded by saying that "the aggressions against Cuba are intensifying."
He commented on the need to refound the UN under the principle of multipolarity. "It is time to create a new world. This knot must be broken, imperialism must be decapitated."
He stressed that the heroic people of Cuba are not alone, but accompanied by all the peoples of the Americas.
RALPH GONSALVES: "THE CARIBBEAN IS NOT ALONE, HISTORY IS ON OUR SIDE".
The Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Ralph Gonsalves, recalled in his speech that ALBA-TCP was founded under the principles of solidarity, social justice, collaboration and economic complementarity in the interest of the development of the peoples.
As part of his speech, he identified two types of regional integration in Latin America and the Caribbean: one against our nations, which puts profits first as decided by the empire, and the other that "focuses on the peoples and is based on international solidarity, social justice, general collaboration and economic complementarity."
In the first, global hegemony is manifested through the web of capitalist and monopoly collaboration, the Washington consensus and international regulations put forward by capitalism instead of labor.
Meanwhile, ALBA-TCP arises as part of the second to "serve the peoples, not the big capital; to bring justice and equality to all and not to carry out injustice, inequality and war," he added.
Gonsalves stressed that the alliance does not seek to replace other forms of regional integration shaped by the desire of our peoples to have a better life, instead, it complements all those organizations and encourages other integration efforts, such as the Association of Caribbean States, the Caribbean Community, the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States.
In spite of the nefarious and unjust efforts of imperialism and hegemonic powers to undermine ALBA-TCP, it has survived, grown stronger and moved forward, he pointed out.
He acknowledged the strengths and possibilities of the Alliance. However, there are also limitations; hence the duty of all Member States is to promote its strength and reduce its weaknesses.
Regarding trade in goods and services, he stated that it is necessary to strengthen the links between air and maritime transportation and the creation of a sustainable payment system, and to contribute other practical and creative ideas to face these difficult challenges.
He stressed that "imperialism and hegemony may have power and force on their side, but they do not have justice and international law on their side in their constant campaign against revolutionary Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua".
The Prime Minister referred to the unilateral and absurd move to include Cuba on the list of state sponsors of terrorism; and added that the Caribbean nations have strongly defended the right of the Cuban people and government to pursue their own way of organizing their affairs according to their own interests.
ROOSEVELT SKERRIT: IMPERIALISM CANNOT IMPOSE ITS IDEAS ON THE CUBAN PEOPLE
"I want to express to you that the Cuban Revolution can always count on my solidarity and that of my country. We will remain in that same trend, in spite of all the positions of the State of the North, and we will continue to raise our voices to put an end to the unjust blockade imposed on the people of Cuba," said Roosevelt Skerrit, Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Dominica, as part of a touching message.
Skerrit called attention to the clear vision of Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez in creating ALBA. "It is something that had not existed in the world. They created a whole structure of solidarity, using the resources that each of us possess for the good and welfare of humanity, promoting free trade and placing the welfare of the peoples as its core."
He expressed his admiration for Chávez and for the Venezuelan Revolution which has remained firm and permanent in spite of all adversities.
Regarding this meeting, he pointed out that it constitutes "an opportunity to renew our commitments, because those who want to see us as a fragmented group, never sleep, they are always watching, and they are trying to find all ways to divide us. We have to be alert all the time," he remarked.
"Dominica's solidarity remains unwavering and firm with ALBA. We will not give in to the pressures and threats of imperialism, because many of our brothers and sisters have lost their lives to allow us the opportunity to be here today."
He insisted on encouraging future generations to maintain their positions of justice, self-determination and total independence of nations.
He also referred to the Cuban deputies present at the Sixth Extraordinary Session of the National Assembly of People's Power, in its Ninth Legislature, highlighting the important role they play in strengthening the achievements and results of the Cuban Revolution, and in letting the rest of the world that watches them know that they are not alone.
To the Cuban people, he said, "Sometimes people get carried away by outside interests that lead them to participate in anti-government actions, and you should always remember that the only reason imperialism is against you is because you have made the decision to choose what is best for you and for our countries.
"Imperialism cannot impose its ideas on the Cuban people. Let us not allow ourselves to be confused," he declared.
DICKON MITCHELL: FIRM AGAINST THE IMMORAL BLOCKADE
This is the first visit to Cuba by the Prime Minister of Grenada, Dickon Mitchell, who remarked what a great honor this is for him, and the total commitment of his country to the principles of the Alliance.
He stressed that greater cooperation has never been more necessary than now, just after the pandemic and the intensification of armed conflicts, which translate into greater shortages and higher prices.
"Our individual priorities may be different, but we have the struggle for equality, social justice and the struggle for a better quality of life for our peoples in common," he said.
He stressed that his country is indebted to Cuba for its support in the area of health, especially in the fight against the HIV/AIDS pandemic, and he thanked Venezuela for the medical resources which had strengthened Grenada's health system.
Mitchell recalled that for the island countries, the current challenges have climate change as a backdrop, which ravages can wipe out years of work. In this regard, he thanked ALBA-TCP for its differentiated treatment of these nations.
He thanked them for their support to hold developed countries accountable for their responsibility in the climate crisis and compensate for the effects of climate change.
In the sphere of solidarity, he said that it is necessary to stand firm against the immoral blockade maintained by the United States against Cuba. "It is not enough to advocate for its end, we have to seek collective ways of influence to make them lift it, through strategic relations," he suggested.
Mitchell also rejected the inclusion of Cuba in the list of countries that allegedly sponsor terrorism.
The Prime Minister also advocated the necessary strategies to meet regional needs by overcoming the language barrier and preparing for a more diverse future.
He considered that the few air contacts and the costly prices of the existing connections limit exchange within the region. He pointed out that the issue of air transportation needs urgent attention in order to foster trade among member countries, and so that our peoples can also join in the vision of a more united Caribbean and Latin America.
