Cuba, leaders urge to integrate Latin America and the Caribbean as a single nation

teleSUR English

*ALBA’s foundation changes the history of Latin America and the Caribbean *The 4th Summit of the Americas has worthwhile memories *The ALBA Summit overshadows the FTAA *ALBA’s programs benefit millions of Latin Americans and Caribbean’s

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00:00The Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of our America People's Trade Treaty, a by-product

00:04of the political will and the integrationist vocation of commanders Fidel Castro and Hugo

00:08Chavez, turns 20 years old on December 14th.

00:12In these current times, when renewing the flag is more necessary than ever, it is paramount

00:17to know the origins.

00:18Telesur proposes its protagonist tells us the story.

00:22On December 13, 1994, Hugo Chavez arrived in Cuba for the first time.

00:30I think that the Alba began with that embrace.

00:34Since that day of that embrace, my humble life was sealed forever by the side of the

00:39giant that is Fidel.

00:42Next morning, at the Simón Bolívar House Museum, Fidel Castro sits in the front row

00:46to listen to Chavez's keynote address on the emancipated project of the Liberator,

00:51adding how it could be realized in the new times.

00:54Later, in the Great Hall of the University of Havana, Chavez attached importance to integrating

00:59Latin America and the Caribbean as a single nation.

01:02The century that is coming for us is a century of hope.

01:06It is our century.

01:07It is a century of the resurrection, of the Bolivarian dream, of Martí's dream, of the

01:14Latin American dream.

01:16Ten years later, on December 14, 2004, the two commanders founded ALBA, the Bolivarian

01:24Alliance for the Peoples of America, an integrationist, historical and unprecedented organization

01:30which changes the history of Latin America and the Caribbean.

01:35An integration mechanism grounded in new principles of solidarity, reciprocity, respect for asymmetries

01:42and differences in our economies and societies, respect for the sovereignty of our peoples

01:47and a full integration of Bolivar and Martí styles.

01:53The scenario was difficult by that time.

01:55In 2005, Mar del Plata was under the world spotlight.

01:59The memories of the historical Fourth Summit of the Americas live on many.

02:03There, Chavez spoke loud and clear.

02:06Free trade won't sort out our problems of employment, poverty or misery.

02:12Those who still believe that story forget about it.

02:15The conclusion of the summit was the rejection of the bloc of South American countries belonging

02:20to the FTAA, the free trade area of the Americas boosted by the United States.

02:32Concurrently, Chavez overshadowed the FTAA by charismatically hosting the counter-summit

02:38that is the third Albatizipi edition, generating a positive buzz among the 40,000 participants.

02:51Since here, in Mar del Plata, it is the tomb of the FTAA.

03:00The tomb of the FTAA.

03:08Let's say it, let's say it, FTAA, get stuffed.

03:23FTAA, get stuffed.

03:3120 years later, millions of Latin Americans and Caribbeans have benefited from Alba's

03:36programs.

03:37Venezuela, Bolivia and Nicaragua have been declared illiteracy-free territories, a miracle

03:42mission has restored sight to millions of people free of charge, and thousands of youngsters

03:47in Latin America, the Caribbean and Africa have been trained as doctors.

03:54Many presidents have passed by here in Venezuela, but there have never been such commitments

03:59to other countries.

04:00Fortunately, Chavez's side-by-side Fidel Castro made it happen.

04:04Chavez was able to provide free eye surgeries for us with eye diseases, no government had

04:08done such good action before in Venezuela.

04:17And in my community, there is a lot of poverty, reality surpasses my expectations what I thought

04:22before arriving, I learned not only to be a doctor, but also to be a poet, to be cultured,

04:28I feel that I am different from what I was since I came here, the Cuban teaching doctrine

04:32is very deep, very humanistic, which is what is missing in our Latin American countries.

04:41We are really grateful to the president of Cuba, Fidel Castro, so on behalf of all the

04:47people of Olentepec, I would like to thank you for all that you have helped us out, and

04:53we hope that you will continue providing your help for us to be able to survive.

04:58Today, the right-wing is trying to revive the neoliberal agenda, the challenge is not

05:02easy, Chavez and Fidel warned us of it.

05:06Our independence is now or never, and Arba is that independence.

05:17In Cuba, we say homeland or death.

05:19Here I dare to say Latin America united and justice or death, but there will be no death,

05:25we will be ever onward to victory.

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