Caracas, March 20, 2025. – The second session of the event “ALBA Has a Woman’s Name” opened this Thursday at Pdvsa La Estancia in Caracas, Venezuela, focusing on current challenges to gender equality.

Speaker Gisela Jiménez, a member of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), highlighted the crucial role of women in the Bolivarian nation amid adversities such as the blockade and coercive measures imposed by the United States.

She emphasized that the women’s movement in Venezuela is democratic and advocates for a grassroots feminism that includes everyone. “We must see ourselves as equals (…). We need laws that mandate political parity, and this must be enforced (…),” she stated, while calling for the unity of women across Latin America and the Caribbean to fight against fascism and misogyny and establish the Women’s Chapter of the Anti-Fascist International.

Mental Health

Meanwhile, Isis Ochoa, president of the Foundation for the Growth and Development of the Population (Fundacredesa), addressed gender-based violence and policies on care and mental health.

Ochoa warned that the patriarchal system is inherently violent and negatively impacts women’s mental health, especially within a capitalist framework that “makes us recipients of violence (…). We must approach mental health through a systemic lens.”

She noted that the care economy is an emerging topic in the Global South, highlighting the need to redefine gender roles in household responsibilities.

According to Ochoa, women must recognize their emotions, identify their feelings, and become literate in mental health issues to drive a collective struggle capable of transforming the system’s violent outlook.

Feminist Action and Workplace Equality

Isbemar Jiménez, Deputy Minister for Communicational Management at Mippci, stressed that women’s mobilization in today’s geopolitical landscape is a priority. “Women’s role is not decorative. Historically, we had two roles: wielding arms and controlling information,” she stated.

The deputy minister called for the creation of a liberating narrative to support the feminist struggle in Venezuela and the region. “We must recognize and continue our historical fight.”

Finally, Maigualida Vargas, president of the Nevado Mission, asserted that economic emancipation allows women to reach their full potential. In this regard, she defended workplace equality and female leadership throughout the region.

Caracas, March 20, 2025. – “ALBA Has a Woman’s Name”, an event held this Thursday at Pdvsa La Estancia in Caracas, Venezuela, provided a platform to strengthen women’s unity as the very core of humanity.

“The goal of women is to liberate the working class, but to achieve that, the system must change, and women are the fundamental force for transforming what capitalism has established,” stated Jorge Arreaza, Executive Secretary of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America – Peoples’ Trade Treaty (ALBA-TCP), as he inaugurated the event.

Arreaza emphasized that gender equality has always been a fundamental principle for the Alliance. He noted that, at present, key global decisions are being made by men such as Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and Marco Rubio. “It is men who have decided on something as atrocious as the abduction of Venezuelans in El Salvador,” he said.

He firmly stated, “I am certain that if women governed this world, something like that (deportations without respect for human rights) would never have happened, nor would the bombing of Gaza. To me, women surpass men in humanity, particularly in their defense of life and family; they are unique.”

Women: A cross-cutting theme in ALBA

Germania Fernández, ALBA’s Director General for Communicational Management, underscored the Alliance’s commitment to strengthening women’s participation. “We consider the issue of women to be cross-cutting, and we want to reinforce it through this event. Women have always played a crucial role in all struggles, but there is still work to be done. We must weave networks to build processes of change. The spirit of unity in ALBA is sustained by the spirit of unity among women. Our unity is essential to achieving change—women’s struggles are inspiring.”

Fernández noted that the regional bloc would work to strengthen ties with Venezuela’s Ministry of Women and Gender Equality, as well as with institutions in ALBA member countries.

The role of women in today’s politics

The first presentation, led by Venezuela’s Minister of Women and Gender Equality, Jhoana Carrillo, highlighted women’s long-standing role in global struggles.

She recalled that in Venezuela, women began to be recognized as active leaders with the arrival of President Hugo Chávez. “He knew that women had to be empowered and placed at the forefront,” she added.

The Venezuelan minister stressed that ALBA should review legal frameworks to better support and emancipate women. She asserted that women’s leadership is not declared; it is built daily.

Furthermore, she revealed that in Venezuela, over 60% of the country’s scientific projects are led by women, and women make up 60% of university students.

Communication, Social Media, and Feminist Activism

Brazilian feminist activist Bianca Pessoa delivered a presentation via videoconference titled “Communication, Social Media, and Feminist Activism”, emphasizing the role of communication in strengthening women’s leadership.

She highlighted that publishing and amplifying grassroots struggles is a collective process, stating, “Women’s communication is rooted in our politics. The women’s struggle is both popular and anti-capitalist. Our communication movement is not just a task for specialists—it must be organic and collective. Feminist communication cannot be limited to the internet.”

Pessoa explained that women’s political struggle involves using social media, “which is controlled by the far right.” She urged careful consideration of how digital platforms are used. “We must focus on the grassroots struggle and define the language we use,” she said.

For Pessoa, digital platforms serve as a tool to showcase women’s power in the streets. She encouraged gathering as much data as possible to spread the feminist struggle and counter capitalist algorithms. “We must ensure that information reaches all women beyond social media and define what and how we communicate,” she concluded.

“ALBA Has a Woman’s Name” is an event held in Venezuela to honor the strength, courage, and essence of every woman who has fought and continues to fight for her dreams, her freedom, and her voice.

Havana, March 19, 2025 – The Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America-Peoples’ Trade Treaty (ALBA-TCP) took part this Wednesday in the 4th Patria International Colloquium, held at the University of Havana, Cuba, with the presentation ‘Political Challenges of Artificial Intelligence for the Global South.’

Henry Contreras, head of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Communication department at ALBA-TCP, highlighted the historical dependence on telecommunications in both Cuba and Venezuela. He referenced the installation of Cuba’s telegraphic platform by England in the last century and the laying and operation of the French cable in Venezuela—both foreign-controlled platforms that demonstrated the potential for exerting political control over a nation.

“The control of platforms promotes political control. These are cases that we must analyze in our countries as part of the Global South. With the ALBA-1 submarine cable—the first to reach Cuba, overcoming the blockade—we achieved connectivity, but today, we face new challenges,” he explained.

He emphasized the need for unity among Latin America and the Caribbean. “We must consolidate ourselves as the Global South to address the challenges posed by modern communication tools.”

Contreras also stressed that beneath artificial intelligence lies data usage, accessibility, and information interconnection. “What underpins AI is data, aiming to advance a new form of knowledge generation,” he explained, urging a reconsideration of AI’s use for the benefit of the people.

He underscored that the challenge for ALBA-TCP and the region is to create a platform for development, training, and communication that enables the unification of alternative strategies, yielding results that cater to the needs of the people.

He also addressed strategies for optimizing content within search engines. “We must be present in search engines, we must produce and categorize our information—not only to reach search engines but now to influence AI-generated datasets.”

AI, he explained, is a reality that must be considered within the region’s struggles. “AI, like technology, is not neutral; it imposes censorship, blocking certain content. This is a political struggle that presents a challenge for future generations,” he added.

Technology and AI must serve the people, fostering societal development and national growth. “Our collective challenge is to move beyond being mere consumers of technology and start creating new platforms,” stated Henry Contreras.

Global South alliances play a crucial role in promoting open-source technologies “that can be adapted to our needs and contexts (…). These must also be accessible to everyone,” he concluded.

This session also featured presentations by Araceli Acosta from Argentina; Javier Toret from Spain; Rob Lucas from the United Kingdom; Artem Chibarov from Russia; and Javier Blanco from Argentina.

Caracas, March 19, 2025 – “The world cannot remain unipolar; it must become multipolar. That is why a new social order is necessary,” stated international analyst Sergio Rodríguez Gelfenstein this Tuesday during the discussion series organized by the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America–Peoples’ Trade Treaty (ALBA-TCP) at the Bolivarian Military Academy of Venezuela.

During his presentation, he asserted that capitalism is in crisis and that the global issue at stake is the survival of the United States. “It may seem that they enjoy a high standard of living, but that is no longer the case. Things have changed because they imposed the dollar and printed it themselves, but now they lack backing since their economy has been devastated and they no longer have competition.”

The specialist stressed that the situation in the United States is so dire that “they are engaging in talks with [Vladimir] Putin (President of Russia), the world’s leading nuclear power.”

Rodríguez Gelfenstein noted that U.S. President Donald Trump is aware that the country’s economic indicators are in the red and “believes that the war in Ukraine is causing losses, which is why he is now engaging in dialogue with Russia.”

He warned that the crisis in the United States should not be a cause for celebration, as it behaves like a wounded beast, making “its blows target the closest regions, such as Latin America and the Caribbean.”

For the international analyst, it is crucial for the world to understand that multipolarity and unity serve as a shield against U.S. hegemony.

Furthermore, he explained that a number of organizations and alliances in Asia and Europe have shifted the global strategic and geopolitical axis, “changing everything because the United States is not involved—something that has not happened in the last five centuries.”

He affirmed that the axis of global politics is shifting from the Atlantic to the Eurasian East. He added that the alliance between China and Russia poses a threat to the United States, which is why the war in Ukraine is taking place.

He insisted that multipolarity must prevail, along with cooperation among nations to safeguard them from imperialist attacks.

Havana, March 18, 2025.- The conference Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America – Peoples’ Trade Treaty (ALBA-TCP) and Its Communication Strategy took center stage on the second day of the 4th Patria International Colloquium, which is being held at the University of Havana, Cuba, until March 19.

Venezuelan journalist and press coordinator of the regional bloc, Román Montilla, opened his presentation by highlighting the central objective of the Bolivarian Alliance: the unity of Latin America and the Caribbean, based on political cohesion, the safeguarding of independence and identity, and the promotion of solidarity, cooperation, and justice.

In this regard, he emphasized that ALBA-TCP utilizes various digital communication platforms to achieve this goal, as well as to disseminate progress in political and social matters and foster regional unity.

ALBA-TCP leverages social media to spread the truth about the peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as to promote development programs aimed at strengthening the sovereignty of its member nations, such as AgroALBA, a program focused on regional food independence.

During his speech, the journalist underscored that ALBA-TCP’s communication strategy seeks to “counter global media hegemony, challenge distorted narratives in international media, and defeat disinformation campaigns that create confusion,” he explained.

“Among our proposals is the creation of a network of public and community media outlets within ALBA-TCP, as well as the establishment of a fund to support the production and dissemination of high-quality content,” stated Román Montilla, while affirming that the ultimate goal is to strengthen regional identity.

“It is essential to foster a sense of belonging and solidarity among the peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as to share information about the benefits of cooperation across various sectors,” he concluded.

Providing an alternative to major media conglomerates is the essence of the Bolivarian Alliance’s communication strategy, Montilla concluded.

The 4th Patria International Colloquium began this Monday in Havana, Cuba, bringing together communication specialists from various nations. The forum will run until March 19.

Havana, March 18, 2025.- The Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America – Peoples’ Trade Treaty (ALBA-TCP) brought its voices to the 4th Patria International Colloquium, which is taking place from March 17 to 19 in Havana, Cuba.

José Gregorio Montilla, a representative of grassroots communication in Venezuela and a member of the ALBA-TCP communications team, discussed alternative and community media and their alliance to counter the disinformation spread by major capitalist corporations.

“Venezuela is constantly under attack through disinformation campaigns by the dominant media conglomerates (…) They are always trying to control us, but we stand united, forming a point and circle of resistance across the territory,” Montilla emphasized.

He also noted that Venezuela has more than 450 community radio stations, established within popular communities through the initiative of President Hugo Chávez and with the continued support of President Nicolás Maduro.

“We are a vast structure deployed across the national territory, tirelessly engaging in the communication battle. These communicators are on the frontlines every day, defending the country’s informational sovereignty. Moreover, this structure allows us to reach remote areas,” he stated.

The ALBA-TCP community media representative stressed that their main objective is to defend the truth. “That is what we do—defend the truth every single day,” he affirmed.

The 4th Patria International Colloquium, which began this Monday, March 17, focuses on exploring the transformation of power dynamics in an interconnected world under the premise ‘we are peoples weaving networks.’

This forum, held at the University of Havana, brings together nearly 400 guests from Cuba and 47 countries to analyze the role of digital content and platforms as tools for social mobilization, political participation, and the shaping of power structures.

Havana, March 17, 2025 – The President of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel, participated this Tuesday in the inauguration of the fourth edition of the International Colloquium “Patria” which brings together approximately 400 national and international delegates from 47 countries.

Under the theme «We are peoples weaving networks», the event, held at the University of Havana, will discuss the use of digital content and platforms as tools for social mobilization, political participation, and the shaping of power.

The program includes conferences, theoretical workshops, and exhibition fairs, with this edition dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the multi-state channel Telesur—founded by Fidel Castro and Hugo Chávez—and the 40th anniversary of the Faculty of Communication at the University of Havana.

Sponsored by the Union of Cuban Journalists and with the collaboration of Casa de las Américas and the Hermanos Saíz Association, the Colloquium ‘Patria’ provides communicators, academics, politicians, activists, and interested citizens with a space for reflection on the opportunities and challenges of technopolitics.

This forum has been held since 2022 as part of the Cuban Press Day celebrations and pays tribute to the newspaper Patria, founded in 1892 by National Hero José Martí to disseminate libertarian ideas and unite Cubans around the need for independence from the Spanish metropolis.

Prensa Latina

Caracas, March 13, 2025 – During the premiere of the podcast Nuestras Voces, the Executive Secretary of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America – Peoples’ Trade Treaty (ALBA-TCP), Jorge Arreaza, discussed the Palestinian Cause and the realities faced by this nation.

“Many peoples around the world are fighting for their liberation, but without a doubt, Palestine is the one that requires a thousand voices, a million voices to express its pain, its outrage, and its unwavering will to be free and to exist in its territory and with its status (…).It is Palestine’s voice that must be heard,” asserted Arreaza.

Ahmed Qaraqra, a young Palestinian who serves as the official spokesperson for the Fatah political organization in the Spanish-speaking world and a general and plastic surgeon, spoke about the health crisis in the West Bank, which has been directly impacted by attacks from the Israeli army.

The health crisis

He commented that in the Palestinian territory of the West Bank, there are no hospitals to rely on, no doctors, no anesthesia. “As a doctor, I know the Jenin hospital, and it was completely destroyed. It was a hospital that normally treated up to a million people. There is no respect for doctors, no impunity for healthcare facilities. The Israeli army can enter the operating room whenever they decide, and there are no authorities to stop them.”

During the podcast, Qaraqra also emphasized that the true descendants of the Hebrew people “are us, the Palestinians. We, the indigenous Palestinians, have mixed with various civilizations that have passed through our lands (…). That is why DNA testing is prohibited in Israel—it is banned by law, through a resolution approved by the acting Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.”

The Palestinian doctor rejected the notion of harboring prejudice against an Israeli individual without understanding the broader context. He affirmed that there are men and women in Israel who oppose the war. “There was a great deal of empathy toward the Jewish people who arrived in our land,” he remarked.

Qaraqra also spoke about the Nakba (catastrophe) after being asked about it by the ALBA-TCP Executive Secretary. Regarding this mass killing, he described it as a cruel act: “They would wipe out an entire village and leave behind a single child or young person so they could run to another territory.”

Living through a genocide

Meanwhile, Refaat Alathamna, a Palestinian with Bolivian nationality and an anesthesiologist at the European Hospital of Khan Younis in Gaza, commented via videoconference that the genocide has been devastating for Palestinian lives.

“It was extremely difficult to be both a doctor and a father. When we were given a one-day warning to evacuate, to find somewhere to go and take my children—I didn’t even know where—to a supposedly safe place, at the same time, I had a hospital shift because there was a crisis, and we had to work twice as hard. There was a shortage of doctors,” he recounted.

Alathamna revealed that hospitals and ambulances were heavily targeted by Israel. “It was very difficult to survive. I had to split myself in two. I have five children. My work was exhausting, I wasn’t paid a salary, everything was blocked. I lost everything—my apartment, my car. I fled with my children with just the clothes on our backs (…). Worst of all, there was nowhere to go.”

Both Palestinian citizens denounced Israel’s disregard for the ceasefire and called for the recognition of the Palestinian state as an independent nation.

Finally, Arreaza stated that Palestine has taught the world the meaning of solidarity, the power of communication, and the strength to resist.

Caracas, March 11, 2025 – As part of the forum organized by the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America–Peoples’ Trade Treaty (ALBA-TCP) in collaboration with the Bolivarian Military Academy of Venezuela, the plan to dismantle Syria was the subject of debate this Tuesday.

Venezuela’s ambassador to that nation, José Gregorio Biomorgi, opened the conference on Syria and its role in the current geopolitical landscape. He began his address by emphasizing that Syria’s geographical location, which connects several countries to the Mediterranean, makes it a strategic territory and a focal point for capitalist and imperialist interests.

“This grants Syria a special status as a bridge between East Asia and the Mediterranean,” the diplomat affirmed, while recalling that since 1997, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) had planned to invade various territories, including Syria.

Furthermore, Biomorgi stated that what has unfolded in Syria is not a civil war, but rather a “terrorist war” sponsored by the United States, which has used “both internal and external means to destroy it.”

The ambassador asserted that the plan against Syria is not new, as the United States has merely reshaped its interventions and continues to finance terrorist groups in the Middle East. Today, a terrorist movement dominates Syria.

Syria’s crisis, he explained, has some of its roots in the country’s refusal to support the invasion of Iraq. “The United States never forgave Syria for not backing the invasion of Iraq and for providing its territory for logistical support,” Biomorgi detailed.

The ongoing crisis in Syria continues to cause suffering both for those still living in the country and for those forced to flee due to the despair sown by imperial forces.

“This is the empire’s strategy—to demoralize, to make young people believe there is no future, so they leave. That is precisely what was applied in Syria—a country that has endured 13 years of war,” the ambassador stated.

Biomorgi urged Venezuelan youth to study history in depth, to thoroughly analyze the case of Syria and other nations invaded by the United States, as the same imperial strategies applied there are also being used against the Bolivarian homeland.

Caracas, February 26, 2025.- In order to strengthen integration and cooperation in various areas of work, the Executive Secretariat of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America – Peoples’ Trade Treaty (ALBA-TCP) and the Executive Secretariat of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding this Wednesday in Caracas.

The document, signed by Executive Secretaries Jorge Arreaza and Elias Mpedi Magosi, respectively, acknowledges the commitments agreed upon in the Africa-South America Summits (ASA Summits) of 2006, 2009, and 2013 to promote solid and effective cooperation between the regions.

Likewise, both regional blocs agree on the importance of enhancing regional integration and economic and social development through the establishment of a mutually cooperative relationship, fostering greater integration within their respective regions.

The objectives of the memorandum are to provide a framework for collaboration between the parties in various programs and activities, as well as to promote close cooperation and consultation on matters of mutual interest.

According to the signed document, the areas of cooperation include social and human development, youth training and leadership, educational exchange programs and scholarships, cultural and sports exchanges, literacy programs using modern technologies, and medical and scientific care programs.

Additionally, they will collaborate on industrialization, peace and security cooperation, natural resource management, tourism promotion, disaster risk management, and communication and information technologies, among other areas.