ALBA-TCP Reaffirms Its Principles and Purposes 20 Years After Its Foundation
Leaders of ALBA-TCP member countries in Caracas, Venezuela, Dec. 15, 2024. X/ @EmbaVEEgipto
December 15, 2024 Hour: 8:28 am
The alliance maintains its commitment to building a better world for all Latin American peoples.
On Saturday, the member countries of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America – Peoples’ Trade Treaty (ALBA-TCP) concluded a special meeting on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the founding of this regional integration mechanism.
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At the end of the event, they issued a declaration ratifying the founding characteristics of this counter-hegemonic alliance. The following is their joint declaration:
“The Heads of State and Government of the member countries of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America, have met today in Caracas, to commemorate a very special anniversary of the birth of ALBA.
Thirty years ago, two great visionaries of our continent gave each other that sincere hug, full of admiration and mutual respect that set the course of this story of brotherhood and solidarity that, today, celebrates twenty years.
It has been twenty years walking together, raising our flag of unity, going through moments of difficulties and moments of victories, with our similarities and differences, but always together, supporting each other and strengthening ourselves as allies and today, we want to reaffirm before our Peoples the commitment that we cherish with those historical and indelible ties of brotherhood.
Every time challenges have arisen testing our Alliance, we have become stronger and more united, and it is in this way that we have grown, together.
We have learned that solidarity is not just a will, but a decision that is made every day, to be there for each other, to support each other through good times and bad times, never giving up.
Looking back, we remember with admiration the day of the creation of ALBA, when the founding leaders committed themselves to the world to build a better destiny for our people.
That simple declaration of intentions was by then an audacity that challenged the existing world order: the open occupation of Iraq began after the invasion of the previous year, the Palestinian President Yasser Arafat died after poisoning, the color revolutions started as a tactic to impose pro-Western governments, the kidnapping and overthrow of Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide by the U.S. army was carried out.
In contrast to this infernal panorama, ALBA became a breath of fresh air for the hope of the people, since it proposed a relation between countries, based on the essential principles of solidarity, cooperation, complementarity, social justice, and considering a strategic north: unity with respect for diversity.
This formula has literally saved lives in our region, has raised awareness of the need and convenience of cultivating peace, and, in some way, has taken care of bringing greater happiness to our people.
Under the Bolivarian principle of the Balance of the Universe, ALBA has paved the way for the emergence of other alternative and sovereign alliances, which today successfully challenge the established order in different areas.
As a consequence, our Alliance has also managed to make itself heard beyond its lands and today is recognized internationally as a firm and dignified voice that is respected.
We also reaffirm our will to safeguard the insurgent and libertarian legacy of Simón Bolívar, José Martí, Túpac Katari and Augusto Sandino; the bravery of Joseph Chatoyer, Maurice Bishop and Marcus Garvey and the audacity of Alexandre Pétion, Manuela Sáenz, Francisco Morazán, Antonio José de Sucre and Bartolina Sisa, among other heroes and heroines, who feed the sacred fire that forges us.
Twenty years after this giants’ step, we pay tribute to the founding leaders, Hugo Chávez Frías and Fidel Castro Ruz, who adopted on December 14, 2004, in Havana, Cuba, the vision of the future enshrined in the founding documents of ALBA, that have allowed us to walk united to the present, encouraged by the ancestral force that led our people to be free and that encourages us to continue integrated into this Alliance for Life.
Today, we want to ratify before our peoples the counterhegemonic, democratic, anti-imperialist and anti-fascist nature of our Alliance and renew our commitment to help and protect each other, to continue building together a future of shared goals under the founding principles of complementarity, cooperation, social justice, the defense of our sovereignty and solidarity.
“Simón Bolívar has said it, we must be united as one, one single nation, one single people, with one single purpose, but it is necessary to be brave, determined, because the daily pressures are immense and we cannot yield to the pressures of those who refuse to see us united, and we, from the Caribbean, will not yield to the pressures of those who want to separate us.”
teleSUR/ JF Source: ALBA-TCP
