Fidel Castro Sends Message of Support to Peoples Summit
SANTIAGO DE CHILE, November 10. — A surprise call from Cuban President Fidel Castro sounded a high note at the conclusion the Peoples Summit for Friendship and Integration, which ended on Saturday in Santiago de Chile with the presence of presidents Hugo Chavez from Venezuela, Evo Morales from Bolivia, Nicaraguan head of state Daniel Ortega and Cuban vice-president Carlos Lage Dávila.
After talking with President Castro, Chavez said to a passionate crowd that the Cuban president recalled the Chilean fighters who died fighting against dictator Anastasio Somoza in Nicaragua during the Sandinista Revolution in 1979 led by today’s president of Nicaragua, Daniel Ortega, reported the DPA news agency.
“Fidel pays tribute to all those heroic internationalists, and to all the Chilean fighters who died fighting against tyranny. All those who died are together in the memory and glory of the people,” said Chavez at the end of this side meeting.
The Venezuelan president paid tribute to the Chilean “mapuches” and to the indigenous peoples of the continent for resisting for 500 years in the defence of their rights, as he denounced the fact that more than 90 percent of the indigenous peoples were decimated by the conquest, something the Europeans should not feel uncomfortable about when that sad reality is discussed – something attributable to their ancestors.
Chávez recalled that Bolivian President Evo Morales, with the support of his indigenous peoples, won the last presidential elections fairly, despite the conspiracy of the oligarchy and of imperialism. the Venezuelan leader noted that those forces of opposition continue to fight against Evo Morales and his government by using violence and sabotage, and by not recognizing the Constituent Assembly of that country, similar to what they have also done against Cuba, Venezuela and other democratic countries of the region.
In the case of Venezuela, Chavez said, Washington has tried to destabilize the Bolivarian Revolution through media terrorism, the planning of an assassination, and other methods.
Amid cheers for Cuba, Vice-president Carlos Lage slammed the US blockade, tightened by the Bush administration, which ordered fines against US companies and banks for doing business with Havana.
Lage said Washington has increased pressure on businesses and governments so as to isolate Cuba, but “the world answered in the United Nations by condemning the US blockade, where 184 countries voted against the imperialist blockade.”
Bolivian President, Evo Morales also greeted with Fidel Castro, whom he described as “the father of the Revolution” and highlighted the solidarity of Cuba. “It happens that the country with the worst blockade in history is the most supportive country of the world. Cuba sends troops of doctors to save lives, while the US sends troops to kill,” said Morales.
Nicaragua President, Daniel Ortega, who was also cheered and applauded, repeated his proposal to create an Organization of Latin American and Caribbean States.
Venezuela has the right to defend itself
A sharp exchange took place between presidents Hugo Chavez and Jose Luis Rodríguez Zapatero during the so-called retreat of the 17th Ibero-American Summit, in which presidents discussed several topics in depth relating to social cohesion, which were later included in the Declaration of Santiago.
During remarks by President Hugo Chavez —who slammed the support for the 2002 coup in Venezuela by former Spanish president Jose Maria Aznar, who Chavez called a “fascist”— he was interrupted by Rodríguez Zapatero, who demanded respect for the former president.
The exchange became so heated that King Juan Carlos of Spain left the room upset, though it was not possible to hear all the statements of President Chavez from the press room.
Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega then asked to be given the floor and ceded some of his time to Chavez to allow him to continue, before expressing his support for the Venezuelan president. Cuban Vice President Carlos Lage also took the floor before the Summit’s final session came to its end. He said that the argument validates the Ibero-American Summit because it shows the contradictions and times that are being lived in Latin America.
“We have gone through more than 20 years of economic domination by multinationals and the Washington Consensus, and now we have a region with more than 200 million poor and 79 million destitute people, a region that asked for changes, and where changes are taking place,” Lage said.
He noted, “People feel that that time is about to be over, and no one can deny that there are contradictions between the need for those changes and the hegemonic policies” “of a single power” – referring to the United States.
The head of the Cuban delegation said Venezuela and its president have the right to defend themselves because former Spanish President Aznar, who has also spoken against Cuba, has repeatedly attacked Venezuela’s dignity.
“From my point of view, we should not interpret Venezuela’s right to defend itself as an attack on the King or the current Spanish government or the Spanish people,” the Cuban vice president said.
During the closing ceremony, Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, hostess of the Summit, was questioned by journalists and replied that head of states can express themselves in different styles, but at the same time agree on important issues facing the region.
Santiago Declaration
On Saturday, the 22 Ibero-American heads of state and government approved the Santiago de Chile Declaration and a 53-points plan of action, as well as ten communiqués, reported PL.
The Santiago Declaration includes several points aimed at fostering citizen’s protection systems in fields such as social security, healthcare, education, and employment.
Among the special communiqués, the Summit approved one that demands the end of the US blockade against Cuba, and another supporting the struggle against terrorism and condemning the impunity afforded by the United States to terrorist Luis Posada Carriles.
Among the activities carried out by the Cuban delegation on the last day of the regional meeting was the interview held between Cuban Vice President Carlos Lage and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula Da Silva, where they spoke about bilateral relations. This meeting was also attended by Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Pérez Roque.
Later, the head of the Cuban delegation met with Mexican Foreign Minister Patricia Espinosa to also speak about the ties that unite the two countries.
The 18th Ibero-American Summit will take place on October 2008 in San Salvador, and will be devoted to analyzing the situation of youth in the region.
