Space to coordinate peoples’ integration and strategies towards an ‘Indo-Afro-American Socialism’
by Pablo Vivanco –
Avanzada Bolivariana / ‘Hugo Chavez’ Peoples’ Defense Front
- May 2013, Sao Paolo: Over 150 delegates gathered from across the Americas to unite people’s struggles and social movements against imperialism and for a new world.
From May 16-20, more than 150 representatives from people’s organization and social movements from 22 countries gathered at the Florestan Fernandes National School of the Landless Peasant Movement (MST) in Guararema, São Paulo for the 1 st Assembly of Social Movements towards ALBA (Bolivarian Alliance for Our Americas). Three delegates from Canada were in attendance from the ‘Hugo Chavez’ Peoples Defense Front (FDPHC).
The unprecedented gathering sought to build and unify social movements under the banner of “solidarity, complementarity and cooperation with ALBA, while sharing experiences and resources for “political education and formation, solidarity in practice, experiences in self-managed and cooperative production, mobilization”. The goal of this newly created structure is to “build continental integration of social movements from below and to the left, building the ALBA and solidarity of peoples against the imperialist project.”
ALBA is multi-lateral agreement amongst nations in Latin America and the Caribbean pushed for by recently deceased Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and former Cuban President Fidel Castro. The assembly in São Paulo is pushing forward the vision of ALBA at the level of grassroots people’s struggles.
“We believe, as a political platform, that only through the organized people and mass mobilizations that we can advance the construction of alternative processes to imperialism”, said MST Leader João Pedro Stédile at the inauguration of this Assembly.
Aside from declaring support for the Venezuelan government, the peace talks in Colombia between the government and the Armed Revolutionary Forces of Colombia (FARC), and declaring opposition to the occupation of Haiti, the coups in Honduras and Paraguay, the blockade of Cuba and other imperialist impositions, the Assembly also agreed to:
- Promote unity and regional integration based on solidarity and an alternative and sustainable model of living, where the modes of production and reproduction are in the service of the people;
- Reignite mass struggle and class struggle, on national, regional and continental levels, to halt and dismantle programs and projects of neoliberal capitalism;
- Build effective networks and coordination of peoples media to engage in the battle of ideas and stop the manipulation of information by the corporate media; and
- Deepen processes of political and ideological training to strengthen our organizations and advance the construction of unity for the necessary social transformations.
Participants from Canada, Nery Quintero, Pablo Vivanco and Jose Montilla of the ‘Hugo Chavez’ Peoples’ Defense Front.
Participants from Canada also shared experiences about struggles developing on the other side of the Americas: “[The Assembly] will allows us to learn about the many struggles that aren’t reflected by the mainstream media in Canada or the US”, said Jose Montilla, Vancouver spokesperson for the FDPHC. “This space will also allow us to coordinate campaigns (with other movements in the South) against mass injustices perpetuated by big mining, transnational corporation and those pushing militarization.”
The Assembly, which took on the name of Hugo Chavez as homage to the late Venezuelan President and founder of ALBA, will coordinate through national chapters as well as through committees working on media, political formation and mobilization. In Canada, representatives of the ‘Hugo Chavez’ People Defense Front will be outreaching to social movements and organizations to speak about this proposal and the prospects for greater coordination with movements in the South.
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