Resistência

In Brussels, progressive politicians and activists perform act of solidarity with Latin America

 

June 16th, 2016

“A necessary and urgent meeting, in struggle for our common cause.” Thus the ambassador of Venezuela in Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg, Claudia Caldera, defined the act performed on the evening of Wednesday (15) in Brussels in solidarity with the peoples of Latin America.

 

The event organized by the European United Left/Nordic Green Left European Parliamentary Group (GUE / NGL) of the European Parliament, together with the organization International Action for Liberation (Intal) and the solidarity movement to Cuba.

The MPs João Pimenta Lopes, from the Portuguese Communist Party, and Xabier Ziluaga, of Podemos (We Can) of Spain, both of them members of the GUE/NGL; Gisela Duarte Sanchez, from Cuba; Rene Orellana, the Minister of Planning and Development of Bolivia and José Reinaldo Carvalho, the Secretary of Politics and International Relations of the Communist Party of Brazil,  spoke in event.  Norma Estenoz, Cuban ambassador to Belgium was present as well.

In the audience of more than a hundred people, the combative militancy of Belgian and Latin American political and social movement residents in Belgium, including Brazilians constituted the group “For democracy and against the coup in Brazil.”

Claudia Caldera, Venezuelan ambassador, made the historical narrative of the Bolivarian Revolution, under the leadership of Commander Hugo Chavez. Since then, “Venezuela has decided to adopt a different model of development and distribution of wealth, decided to empower its people, so those who oppose this revolution not forgive us.”

Listing the achievements of the Venezuelan people, she emphasized the eradication of illiteracy and extreme poverty, the new democratic Constitution of the country, international solidarity, the Latin American and Caribbean integration, with the contribution that the Venezuela of Chavez gave to the training bodies as UNASUR, CELAC, Patrocaribe and Alba.

The diplomat recalled the coup attempts and the times when the opposition fomented crises and instability, as in 2002, 2007, 2012, 2013 and now. She opined that in the current crisis, the opposition adopts new form of coup action – the economic war, the attempt of the demoralization of country’s leadership, spreading the myth that Venezuela is experiencing a humanitarian crisis whose only solution lies in foreign intervention.

About national dialogue between the government and the opposition and between Venezuela and the United States announced by the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry and by own President Nicolas Maduro, Ambassador Claudia Caldera considered a necessary step to stop the crisis and restore stability to the country. Moreover “The opposition does not want dialogue because their agenda is to destabilize the country”, she pointed out.

She concluded with a message of hope and fight, recalling the words of Hugo Chavez in his last statement: “Unity, struggle, battle and victory.”

Gisela Duarte Sanchez, the Cuban, in turn, thanked the international solidarity with Cuba, highlighted the achievements of the Cuban Revolution and the struggle against the blockade is current.  She recalled that this year, on August 13^th, the 90^th anniversary of the historic leader, Fidel Castro, the “undefeated commander” takes place. It is a joy to the Cuban people and their friends around the world.

The Bolivian Minister of Planning and Development welcomed the “solidarity and revolutionary spirit committed to the peoples,” which characterized the activity. “The beautiful ideals with which we are building a new world are seen as a barrier to the plans those oppose it,” said Rene Orellana, explaining the counteroffensive of imperialism and local oligarchies in progress in Latin America, which sets up a “neoliberal reorganization” and that is in the root of coups and interventions.

Referring to the referendum campaign on the possibility of President Evo Morales be a candidate for president of Bolivia again, Orellana said there was “a plot to discredit President Evo, a perverse and dirty weft”.

The Bolivian minister defended the integration, which is the essence of “our liberation processes” and considered as major current challenges the strengthening of social movements, economic achievements, and the unity of progressive forces.

The return of neoliberalism in Latin America and the threat of introduction of free trade agreements, which represent a “return to colonial logic” were the main concerns expressed by Xabier Ziluaga, Spanish Member of Podemos (We can). He was also emphatic in expressing solidarity to the peoples of Latin America, with the fundamental purpose of ensuring the sovereignty of peoples and human rights.

“We have witnessed an imperialist offensive that attacks the people of South America and the Caribbean. An aggressive, violent and criminal offensive, which makes use of all possible tools, from the distortion of democracy to coups and military intervention,” said the deputy John Pepper Lopes, from the Portuguese Communist Party.

He listed the actions of destabilizing forces in the region. “The blockade to Cuba; the military coup in Honduras; paramilitary groups in Colombia; illegitimate institutional coups in Paraguay and Brazil; sanctions on Venezuela and interference in that country; support to right and the extreme right across the subcontinent, providing dictatorial regimes, oppressors of their people and submissive to the interests of big monopoly capital, undermining the sovereignty of States. ”

The deputy of the Portuguese Communist Party denounced the factors that currently work in favour of destabilization of progressive governments – the judiciary still influenced by the oligarchy and the power of the media. He criticized the use of issues like inequality and corruption by reactionary and fascist right.

Pimenta Lopes denounced the interference and meddling “that we know well in the European Parliament, where we combat in an unequal fight.” He said such interference “appeals to economic sanctions and even military intervention.” Ironic, he emphasised, “We well know the improvements of military aggression for the people in Libya, Iraq, Afghanistan or Syria.

Analysing the underlying reasons of the current political phenomena in Latin America, Pepper Lopes was accurate. “Imperialism does not forgive the people of South America and the Caribbean due they have taken in their hands the sovereign decision of the development path to build their future. Imperialism does not forgive those who do not accept remain submissive to their interests and political strategies. It does not forgive those who oppose the assault and neo-colonial plunder of wealth and legacy of the Latin American peoples and will do everything to contain the popular struggles, “he emphasized.

The Portuguese Communist MP concluded by expressing solidarity with the struggle and resistance of the peoples of Latin America: “The Portuguese communists and their Party, the Portuguese Communist Party – PCP, will always be in the struggle by the sovereign right of each people to decide about its future. At every moment, in every space, institutional or in the streets, we are sure that we are prepared for denounce, combat and express all solidarity and cooperation with Latin America and the Caribbean that now, more than ever, is necessary. ”

Representing the Brazilian communists, the journalist José Reinaldo Carvalho, Secretary of Policy and International Relations of the Communist Party of Brazil was one of the speakers in the act in solidarity with the peoples of Latin America. He has expressed the gratitude of the communists and the Brazilian people.

Reinaldo also expressed good wishes in the struggle of the workers and the peoples of Europe “for democracy, justice and social progress, against the brutal offensive that develops to the detriment of the peoples and peace.”

The Brazilian Communist leader also referred to the plans of the imperialist powers in the world, which result in exploitation, militarization and war. “Under the action of these powers, humanity is suffering a new escalation of threats and bellicose interventions, as has occurred in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria and Yemen.”  He denounced the “increasingly aggressive” role of NATO. ”

Like the other speakers, the PCdoB leader highlighted “there is an ongoing counter-offensive by US imperialism and the local ruling classes to reverse the process of progressive change that begun in Latin America and the Caribbean at the end of the last century”. He expressed “full solidarity with Venezuela, under attack and threat of intervention and coup; with Bolivia and the liberation fight of its people and with Cuba in its struggle against the blockade, and congratulated also the Cuban Communist Party by the success of its seventh congress, held last April.”

In a complaint tone, José Reinaldo gave a detailed and accurate explanation on the institutional coup underway in Brazil. He demonstrated the inconsistency of the arguments, disguised as legal under the judicial point of view, which the scammers use to try to justify the impeachment of legitimate President Dilma Rousseff. “A full unconstitutional coup, the reasons for the impeachment are not legal, but political. It is a new form of coup, unlike the military coups of the past, but in essence also an anti-democratic coup,” he said, highlighting the nefarious role played by sectors of the State Prosecution, the Judicial Branch and private monopoly media, in collusion with the right-wing majority in Congress and the vice-president, that during the process proved to be a traitor and usurper.

The Belgian audience, the members of European Parliament, diplomats and activists of social movements attending the event known the analysis of the Brazilian communists about the coup. The neoliberal and conservative opposition never accepted the four consecutive defeats suffered in the presidential elections and that the goal of the coup is “stopping the progressive cycle started in the first election of Lula in 2002 and that has continued with president Dilma Rousseff. Since then, Brazil changed its political and social profile and pursued a foreign policy that contributed to build an independent Latin America and to put the country and region as major players on the international stage in the fight against the hegemony of the great powers. A new political and economic order and the world peace.”

The speech of the representative of the Communist Party of Brazil – PCdoB has also addressed fundamental issues: “The current political crisis is also the expression of the structural contradictions and deep conflicts of Brazilian society, the expression of the historic crossroads of two paths. One can lead the country to assert itself as a democratic, independent and socially just. The other, antagonistic, aims to maintain the privileges of the ruling classes, the dependence on international potentates, the establishment of an anti-democratic political power. ”

Finally, José Reinaldo denounced the interim government “illegitimate, scammer and usurper.”  He highlighted the gratitude for the solidarity and said, “This interim government formed from a coup does not deserve the recognition of peoples nor the governments around the world.” He also informed about “resistance, struggle and unity of the progressive forces and popular movements that grow with the demonstrations against the coup and the formation of the Frente Brasil Popular (Popular Brazil Front).”

 

Translation by Maria Helena De Eugenio for www.resistencia.cc