As the 14th ALBA Summit continues until March 15 in Caracas, Venezuelan social movements are mobilizing in support of the struggle for unity of those against capitalism and neoliberal policies that exclude and generate poverty.

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Coordinator of the ALBA Social Movements Joao Pedro Stedile said the region faces a "great danger," warning that Latin America and the Caribbean need a "strong alliance," and highlighting the region's "history of unity."

"These are times of crisis, transitions, explicit uncertainty and sustainability of the world capitalist system, times when in some major countries, xenophobic messages are raised — intended to blame the peoples who have paid throughout history — by those minorities who believe they are the owners of planet earth."

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro, who addressed member nations Sunday at the opening of the summit, said that ALBA was born out of a need to realize and defend the ideas of progressive, revolutionary movements in the face of re-colonization attempts by neoliberal, capitalist entities.

"And from these intense, bitter struggles, a flourishing of the rebellious, revolutionary hope of Latin America and the Caribbean, with its own identity, will emerge," said Maduro.

Stedile continued, saying that national and continental articulations must be strengthened, with the goal of resisting neoliberal policies.

"We have been suffering a neoliberal counter-offensive that threatens the achievements we have made as a people in our recent history. Thousands of layoffs, privatizations, million-dollar transfers of capital to the concentrated sectors of economic power are some of the recipes that try again to increase the rates of profits of transnational capital."

He added that a meeting is planned with social movements from five continents, expected to be held between October and November 2017, in Caracas.

"Because in these times of crisis, Venezuela stands as a beacon that illuminates the emancipatory possibilities of humanity. Today and always we pay homage to our eternal commander (Hugo Chavez) because it was he who showed us the way again. We also pay tribute to the Venezuelan people, an example of morality, because before the physical departure of the commander, they have shared their dignity and commitment to all peoples of the world."