ALBA Social Movements To Expand Solidarity With Venezuela, Cuba and Haiti
Images of the ideological precursors of ALBA-TCP. Photo: ALBA-TCP
December 13, 2024 Hour: 1:58 pm
Commander Chavez always dreamed of building an integration mechanism where popular movements have a leading role.
On Friday, progressive social movements convened in Caracas to mark the 20th anniversary of the creation of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America–People’s Trade Treaty (ALBA-TCP).
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During the session, the ALBA-TCP Council of Social Movements discussed actions to broaden international solidarity with the peoples of Venezuela, Cuba, and Haiti, according to Manuel Bertoldi, a member of the ALBA Movements Political Coordination.
“We aim to agree on a work agenda for the coming years that will strengthen us in the face of the challenges ahead. This is an urgent task because U.S. imperialism is reinforcing its domination strategy for our continent,” he stated.
“In the ideological realm, this demands that we develop a strategy to strengthen ourselves from the perspectives of sovereignty, economic independence, and social justice,” Bertoldi emphasized, pointing out that ALBA social movements proposed creating permanent work brigades to address issues such as literacy, agroecological production, and reforestation.
“In coordination with governments, we can carry out very impactful work in various regions of the continent,” he added, noting that Latin American grassroots organizations seek to support the resistance efforts of the Cuban and Venezuelan peoples.
“Venezuela, the homeland of Simon Bolivar and Hugo Chavez, is currently the main bastion against imperialism. That is why we are working intensively to prepare for the inauguration of President Nicolas Maduro on January 10,” he said.
In this context, Bertoldi stressed the need to counter the narrative spread by the U.S. and its allies that seek to delegitimize the July presidential elections, insinuating that democracy has eroded in Venezuela. “On the contrary, we know that popular participatory democracy has deepened,” the social activist said.
Within ALBA-TCP, social organizations are making Chavez’s dream come true, namely, to build an integration mechanism where popular movements have a leading role. “He always reminded us of the fundamental importance of the leadership of the people in the process of conceiving integration and continental emancipation,” Bertoldi pointed out.
Addressing the threats posed by U.S. imperialism, such as the expansion of militarism through the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), he underscored the need to strengthen other regional integration mechanisms, like the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), which includes all countries of the Americas except the U.S. and Canada.
teleSUR/ JF Source: teleSUR