Caracas, September 12, 2024 – On this Thursday, September 12, marking the centenary of the birth of Amílcar Cabral, liberator of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela held a conference in tribute to the African revolutionary leader. The event was led by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Africa, Yuri Pimentel, with special guests Jorge Arreaza, Executive Secretary of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America-People’s Trade Treaty (ALBA-TCP), and Tomás Gomes Barbosa, Presidential Advisor of Guinea-Bissau.

During the event, held at the Simón Bolívar Hall of the Foreign Ministry in Caracas, Deputy Minister Pimentel highlighted the importance “of Amílcar Cabral’s thought, as a man of ideas and a revolutionary, his internationalist character, the vision of transforming society through education and culture (…) the work of the land, the understanding of the historical reality of his people, and the urgency of having their own development model.”

He highlighted that, on this day, “we wanted to pay this simple tribute to a man who dreamed and fought for the liberation of his people from the chains of colonialism, and whose legacy became a sacred fire for all of Mother Africa for its independence and dignity. We are celebrating the centenary of Amílcar Cabral.”

On the other hand, the ALBA-TCP Executive Secretary described Cabral as “one of the great man of Mother Africa,” and pointed out that “for the Bolivarian Revolution, and in particular, for the Cuban Revolution, for the Sandinista Revolution, even for the Cultural Revolution of Bolivia, the African Independence processes are inputs, they are nutrients for the process of union in Our America.”

“Our Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America preserves in its heritage all the virtues, all the lights, especially those of the martyrs who were ultimately murdered because they feared not only that these countries would be free, but that they would be free and socialist… For us, it is an honor from ALBA-TCP, and we believe that in the emerging multipolar world, which has already been born, facing the risks of an overextended capitalist model that tends to dissolve, the union of Latin America, the Caribbean, and Africa is fundamental for the future,” Arreaza stated.

Who is Amílcar Cabral?

Born in Guinea-Bissau on September 12, 1924, Cabral successfully led for ten years the armed struggle of two peoples (Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde), leading them to military victory against the colonizing army.

This agronomist, writer, politician, and great military strategist defined colonialism as fascist, racist, and responsible for the exploitation, illiteracy, and poverty of his people. He was a man of both thought and action, and his ideas were rooted in revolutionary nationalism, Pan-Africanism, socialism, and anti-imperialism.

Cabral viewed education and culture as tools for the awareness and emancipation of the people. In 1973, after the colonial army was defeated, the African leader was shot dead in Conakry, Guinea, by the PIDE, the secret police of the dictator Salazar, who, like Franco (Spain), ruled Portugal for 35 years through crimes and bloodshed. Amílcar Cabral, after 20 years of popular struggle and enormous sacrifices, paid with his life for the freedom of his people, only months before Independence.

Caracas, September 4, 2024.- During a working meeting in Caracas, ambassadors of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America – People’s Trade Treaty (ALBA-TCP) emphasized the importance of unity and resilience in the face of political and economic challenges in the region. 

The meeting served as a space to reaffirm solidarity among member nations and friendly countries, where some speeches highlighted the urgency of standing firm against political and economic adversities.

Cuban Ambassador, Dagoberto Rodríguez, emphasized the shared responsibility in building a better future for the region. “It is our responsibility as a country and as a people to respond in this difficult time that our region and the world are experiencing,” Rodríguez said.

Additionally, Bolivian Ambassador, Sebastian Michel, called for resilience. ‘We are going to face hard times, dark moments, but united, we will succeed,’ he assured.

The diplomat highlighted that adversity has been a constant in the history of the region’s countries and stressed the need to maintain a positive mindset to overcome present and future challenges.

Similarly, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines’ Ambassador, Gareth Bynoe, recalled the principles of solidarity upon which the Alliance is founded. ‘We must remember the principles on which our alliance is based, especially solidarity,’ Bynoe declared. He also mentioned the economic sanctions imposed on several countries in the region and the critical situation in Palestine.

Palestinian Ambassador, Fadi Alzaben, representing the invited country, addressed the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, describing it as an example of imperial domination projects against various regions of the planet. 

“Israel has turned the Gaza Strip into a cemetery of children, and all of this is the result of the complicit silence of the international community,’ Alzaben denounced The diplomat also highlighted the severity of the situation in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, where violence has led to the deaths of thousands of people and the massive destruction of infrastructure.

Mexican Ambassador, Leopoldo De Gyvés, expressed his country’s commitment to the integration of Latin America and the Caribbean, highlighting President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s stance in favor of peace, sovereignty, and progress.

Regarding the arrival of Claudia Sheinbaum, he emphasized the intention to deepen relations with nations such as Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua, and the importance of working for welfare and justice in a context of imperialist aggressions.

The diplomats also discussed the AgroALBA initiative, a proposal put forward by Venezuelan authorities to boost non-oil exports through greater integration of the public and private sectors of Latin American and Caribbean countries.

Patricia Villegas, president of Telesur, a communication platform serving the people and defending the truth, also participated in the meeting.

Caracas, August 26, 2024 – The 11th Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America-People’s Trade Treaty (ALBA-TCP) began this Monday via online, with the purpose of adopting a position against interference and attacks on Venezuela.

The meeting is also held in solidarity with the Venezuelan government led by the re-elected President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro Moros, and its people.

Prime Ministers of Dominica, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, Saint Lucia, the Ambassador of Saint Kitts and Nevis, as well as the Presidents of Bolivia, Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela were present at this meeting.

Social movements from the Alliance and representatives from various countries, including Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Spain, the United States, France, Italy, and others also accompanied this summit.

At the beginning of the Summit, the Venezuelan Head of State declared that this meeting “allows us to reaffirm the profound nature of our union”.