Caracas, August 26, 2024. — A preparatory meeting of the ALBA-TCP Social Movements Council was held this Monday in Caracas, Venezuela.

The Alliance’s Executive Secretary, Jorge Arreaza, noted that this council is beginning to strengthen its foundations, with the goal of creating an action agenda to be presented to the presidents and governments of the ALBA member states.

It is expected that on December 14, in Havana, Cuba, during the summit to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Bolivarian Alliance and the 30th anniversary of the first meeting between Hugo Chávez and Fidel Castro, the Social Movements Council will be formally established, Arreaza detailed.

“More than just a structure, what is important (about the Social Movements Council) is the method and how social movements are empowered through their connection with ALBA, how you find in ALBA, in the ALBA membership and in the ALBA Social Movements Council, a platform to advance the movements themselves, their causes, and their capacities,” emphasized the Executive Secretary.

“We need to build the virtuous formula because it’s not about just going out today and saying we’ve created the Social Movements Council. No, this will be a longer process”, he added.
Jorge Arreaza detailed that the social movements of the Alliance are being called to engage in discussion and debate for feedback.

The structure must be useful, functional, and directly rooted in the causes and territories.
“We need to think and talk about major issues, as well as articulate actions that express pain and protest against the genocide in Palestine or any other situation in other countries,” he concluded.

Driving the revolutionary spirit

On the other hand, Carlos Ron, president of the Simón Bolívar Institute, emphasized: ‘ALBA calls us to that truly revolutionary spirit, where we can combine something that only happens in a space with a political conviction and a vision like that of ALBA, which is that combination of political will on the part of governments to act and transformation through popular organization.’

Ron called on the social movements of the multilateral organization to organize and share experiences, as well as to promote Bolivarian and revolutionary education and knowledge.

The members from over 27 countries who attended this meeting proposed holding anti-fascist meetings and strengthening exchanges of public policies.

Caracas, August 26, 2024 – The Ambassador of the Republic of Honduras accredited to the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Scarleth Romero, affirmed this Monday at 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) that her country will always defend the processes unique to each nation.

“I am grateful for the special invitation today to the great homeland of Bolívar and Morazán. Today, I am granted the opportunity to be here as the ambassador and representative of the people and government of Honduras in front of the people and government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and on this occasion at this extraordinary summit of Heads of State and Government of ALBA. We reaffirm our commitment to always strengthen the bonds of brotherhood and solidarity with the worthy and heroic brotherly peoples,” the diplomat expressed.

Present at the Miraflores Palace in Caracas, where the summit was held via videoconference, Romero recalled that Honduras, like the Alliance, defends the principles and practices of International Law, as well as human solidarity, respect for the self-determination of peoples, non-intervention, and the strengthening of peace and universal democracy.

“We will not be tired of repeating and infinitely thanking the support of the brotherly member countries of ALBA, who, in the darkest moments when imperialist forces united to overthrow and shatter our Constitution in Honduras, brave men like our dear and always remembered friend and comrade Hugo Chávez Frías defended democracy at all costs, demanded an end to the plundering and killings, and firmly promoted the restoration of the rule of law in our country,” she recalled.

She added: “Now we are here again as observers and guests of ALBA, an association of countries we care about. We can only make it clear that from the Republic of Honduras, we advocate for and will always defend the self-determination of peoples, which is necessary to advance in the construction of democracies.”

Romero stated that Honduras knows and recognizes the democratic processes that the Venezuelan people have carried out in recent years, “a country that has had, if I am not mistaken, President Maduro, more than 30 elections in less than 25 years, including the electoral process of July 28.”

On behalf of the Government of Honduras, Romero congratulated the constitutionally elected President, Nicolás Maduro, “to whom we wish the greatest success in continuing to build and lead the ongoing processes of change in favor of each and every Venezuelan”.

Caracas, August 26, 2024. – The President of the Republic of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel, denounced the ongoing smear campaign against the government of President Nicolás Maduro, which, in his opinion, disguises coup attempts and seeks to invalidate the electoral results.

“At this moment, once again, our conscience and solidarity call upon us, because I believe we share this idea and we are aware of the great danger facing the unifying project represented by this Alliance,” the Cuban president stated during the 11th ALBA-TCP Extraordinary Summit.

Díaz-Canel criticized opposition sectors that have challenged the electoral results through violent and extremist positions.

He stated that these attempts at destabilization, supported by foreign interference, aim to undermine the legitimacy of the Venezuelan government and the country’s sovereignty.

The Cuban president highlighted the decision of Venezuela’s Supreme Tribunal of Justice (TSJ in Spanish), which appraised Maduro’s victory in the July 28 elections.

“The will of the majority must be respected. The Venezuelan people voted with full awareness in favor of dignity, sovereignty, and peace,” he emphasized.

Finally, Díaz-Canel reaffirmed the region’s commitment to solidarity and unity. He recalled the proclamation of Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace adopted in 2014 in Havana, and warned that no imperial force or entity funded by its hegemony will be able to reverse progress in social justice and emancipation.

“It is not the first time they have tried to stop political processes contrary to their interests, but today, more than ever, we must defend our sovereignty and our rights,” he concluded.