|
April 14, 2012 - No. 15 Stand as One Against the United States of North American Monopolies! High-Level Meetings of North American Leaders Reveal Push to Extend U.S. Homeland Security   Stand
as
One
Against
the
United
States
of
North
American
Monopolies! Stand as One Against the United States of North American Monopolies! High-Level Meetings of North American Leaders Reveal Push to Extend U.S. Homeland SecurityRecently, political and military leaders of Canada, the United States and Mexico met to push forward the military and economic integration of North America, as well as to extend U.S. Homeland Security to all of Central America. From March 26-27, heads of the militaries of Canada, the U.S. and Mexico met for the inaugural Trilateral Meeting of North American Defence Ministers and on April 2, U.S. President Barack Obama hosted Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Mexican President Felipe Calderon in Washington, DC for the sixth North American Leaders' Summit.
The Leaders' Summit went further and revealed attempts to link the security agencies of Central America under the Central American Integration System (SICA) with "North American" -- likely U.S. Northern Command -- security agencies. According to a news release from the Canadian government, the new SICA-North America Dialogue will "bolster security in Central America; strengthen regional cooperation and efforts against transnational criminal organizations, seek to avoid duplication of efforts to deliver measurable and effective results; and provide SICA and its international partners with an opportunity to collaborate on regional security projects." Outlining the aim of engulfing various Central American countries, the release states that future topics of discussion will be "on capacity-building initiatives in the region," to advance the objectives of the "Group of Friends of Central America process in which Canada, the United States and Mexico are actively engaged." The Friends of Central America process brings together "donor countries" and institutions to coordinate the use of loans and other financial measures to "strengthen security in Central America." The Leaders' Summit also revealed how the executives of the three countries are working together to put in place new continental arrangements in various sectors of the economy and with respect to border controls, public health, foreign affairs and foreign trade. The two high-level meetings were also an attempt by U.S. imperialism to bring together its "allies" in advance of the upcoming Summit of the Americas in which the U.S. domination of Latin American political affairs, in particular as it is expressed in its hostile policy towards Cuba, is being openly challenged. Both meetings are part and parcel of the new arrangements to establish a United States of the North American Monopolies in which defending U.S. "homeland security" is the mandatory new raison d'état for all countries forced under its umbrella. Already the U.S. military/security apparatus directs the affairs of the Canadian and Mexican governments as concerns practically all matters of public concern as well as all military and paramilitary bodies. The meetings revealed that the Obama administration is negotiating with both Canada and Mexico to place the two countries securely under U.S. imperialism's control. For its part, the Harper government has delivered Canada lock, stock and barrel to the private interests of the monopolies and is vying to make sure they have a stronger position within the U.S. imperialist striving for world domination. The government is now the avowed spokesperson of the monopolies to threaten competitors and push for supremacy. These same interests are now gearing up to use the military might of U.S. imperialism against those states or groups of states that resist imperialist dictate internationally, beginning with Latin America and the Caribbean. The threat inherent in the so-called partnership between Canada, the U.S. and Mexico, though couched in the highest ideals, is clear in the final declaration of the Leaders' Summit: "North American cooperation enhances our ability to face global challenges, compete in the international economy, and achieve greater prosperity. We reaffirm our commitment to further develop our thriving political and economic partnership with a consistent and strategic long-term vision, as progress on our common agenda directly benefits the peoples of our region." These arrangements are being put in place as the peoples and governments of the Americas are building up their own alternatives to economic and political subjugation, annexation and imperialist war. The most recent expression of this was the demonstration in Alma, Quebec in which the working class expressed its demands for a bright future for the peoples and opposition to monopoly right. First Trilateral Meeting of North American Defence MinistersFrom March 26-27, Minister of Defence Peter MacKay hosted the inaugural Trilateral Meeting of North American Defence Ministers in Ottawa. Joining MacKay was Leon E. Panetta, Secretary of Defense (U.S.); General Guillermo Galván Galván, Secretary of National Defence (Mexico); and Admiral Mariano Francisco Saynez Mendoza, Secretary of the Navy (Mexico).
The meetings established the following initiatives which clearly show the move towards military control over civilian affairs: "Develop a joint trilateral defence threat assessment for North America to deepen our common understanding of the threats and challenges we face. "Explore ways to improve our support to the efforts of civilian public security agencies in countering illicit activities in our respective countries and the hemisphere, such as narcotics trafficking. "Explore how we can collaborate to increase the speed and efficiency with which our armed forces support civilian-led responses to disasters. "Continue to work together to strengthen hemispheric defence forums. "We have agreed to meet on a regular basis in order to build on today's historic meeting and continue our cooperation in addressing shared continental threats." Summary of the Final Declaration of the North American Leaders SummitSummit of the Americas: "The Summit provides an opportunity to leverage the ties that connect the Americas to advance democratic, transparent, accountable governance that promotes inclusive, sustainable, market-based economic growth in the decade ahead. Deepening our shared interests and values will benefit the people of the Americas and bolster positive global engagement by countries from across the region. We pledge to work together to ensure the Summit strengthens a shared commitment to work in equal partnership toward these goals." Security Integration: "We intend to enhance our cooperation with our partners in Central America. In 2012, our governments will launch a consolidated Central America Integration System (SICA)-North America Security Dialogue to deepen regional security coordination and cooperation. We will remain actively engaged in the ongoing SICA-Group of Friends of Central America collaborative process, to align international assistance and programs supporting the implementation of the Central American Regional Security Strategy. We also welcome the recent High Level Hemispheric Meeting on Transnational Organized Crime, and recognize the relevance of closer collaboration and information sharing among all relevant national agencies." Trans-Pacific Partnership: "The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) provides an opportunity to further deepen our trade relationship and create jobs. The United States welcomes Canada's and Mexico's interest in joining the TPP as ambitious partners." Regulatory Reform: "We will continue to reduce transaction costs and improve the existing business environment. We have launched the U.S.-Mexico High-Level Regulatory Cooperation Council and the U.S.-Canada Regulatory Cooperation Council during the past two years, pursuing a shared objective that we commit to complement trilaterally in four sectors: certain vehicle emission standards, railroad safety, the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Workplace Chemicals, and aligning principles of our regulatory approaches to nanomaterials. This is particularly important to small- and medium-sized businesses, which are the engines of growth. By eliminating unnecessary regulatory differences, smaller businesses are better equipped to participate in an integrated North American economy. Success in these efforts opens the way to additional North American regulatory cooperation." Energy Security: "Energy cooperation reduces the cost of doing business and enhances economic competitiveness in North America. We recognize the growing regional and federal cooperation in the area of continental energy, including electricity generation and interconnection and welcome increasing North American energy trade. We commit our governments to work with all stakeholders to deepen such cooperation to enhance our collective energy security, including the safe and efficient exploration and exploitation of resources. We support coordinated efforts to facilitate seamless energy flows on the interconnected grid and to promote trade and investment in clean energy technologies. "Enhanced electricity interconnection in the Americas would advance the goals of the Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas to reduce energy poverty and increase the use of renewable sources of energy. We recognize Mexico's leadership in supporting inter-connections in Central America and reaffirm our support to bring affordable, reliable, and increasingly renewable power to businesses and homes in Central America and the Caribbean while opening wider markets for clean energy and green technology." Nuclear Energy: "To further strengthen nuclear security on the North American continent, we worked together, along with the International Atomic Energy Agency, to convert the fuel in Mexico's research reactor to low enriched uranium and provide new low enriched uranium fuel in exchange for the highly enriched uranium fuel, as pledged during the Washington Nuclear Security Summit in 2010 and announced at the Seoul Nuclear Security Summit in March 2012." Border Control: "We remain committed to achieving this through cooperative approaches. To this end, the United States and Mexico released the Declaration Concerning Twenty-first Century Border Management in May 2010 and the United States and Canada released the Beyond the Border Action Plan: A Shared Vision for Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness in December 2011. We are committed to the mutually-reinforcing goals of these important initiatives and to their full implementation." Intellectual Property Rights (IPR): "We commit to promote sound enforcement practices and an effective legal framework for IPR enforcement in the areas of criminal enforcement, enforcement at the border, civil and administrative actions, and distribution of IPR infringing material on the Internet consistent with the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), which the United States and Canada have recently signed. Mexico will continue to work on a comprehensive reform to its legal system to achieve the high standards pursued under ACTA." Environment: "We also intend to deepen our trilateral cooperation and work with other interested partners to accelerate efforts aimed at reducing emissions of "short-lived climate pollutants," noting the recently launched Climate and Clean Air Coalition to Reduce Short-lived Climate Pollutants in which we are all actively engaged." Pandemics: "At the 2009 North American Leaders' Summit, we committed to build upon our successful coordinated response to the H1N1 pandemic, which stands as a global example of cooperation, to jointly prepare for future animal and pandemic influenza to enhance the health and safety of our citizens. Today we announce the culmination of that effort -- the North American Plan for Animal and Pandemic Influenza (NAPAPI) -- which provides a collaborative and multi-sectoral framework to strengthen our response to future animal and pandemic influenza events in North America and commit to its implementation." Haiti: "We reiterate our commitment to Haiti and call upon Haitian political actors to work together and take concrete steps toward strengthening governance and the rule of law, which are fundamental to increased trade, investment, and long-term development and prosperity. We note the urgency and importance of parliamentary confirmation of a new government, and for that government to confirm the timeline for Senate and local elections. We also encourage Haiti to continue to pursue the development of the Haitian National Police so it can take full responsibility for Haiti's security." Canadian Forces Being Integrated with
|
The inaugural meeting of Defence
Ministers marked a new
step toward the
creation of formal executive level meetings between the military heads
of the
three countries. It also pushed attempts to place U.S. Northern Command
in
control of civilian agencies and promoted "hemispheric defence forums,"
likely
aimed at trying to prevent any collective defence mechanisms of the
countries
of Central and South America from solidifying.
A news release from the government of Canada
following
the trilateral
meeting invokes "transnational crime" and "natural disasters" as
matters of
continental security in order to justify the creation of the new
trilateral
arrangement. "Our countries are committed to working together to
address
challenges in the region. We know that transnational threats require
transnational responses. With this in mind, we have agreed to enhance
our
cooperation to support efforts to counter transnational criminal
organizations
and to respond to natural disasters in the hemisphere."
According to Canada's Minister of
Defence, Peter MacKay,
the
participation of Canada's military in Operation Caribbe is linked to
Canada's
commitment to help "secure" the hemisphere: "The tremendous work that HMCS
St.
John's and her crew have done during
Operation
Caribbe demonstrates Canada's commitments made during the North
American
Leaders Summit, Canada is devoted to contributing more to the security
of the
hemisphere, and countering criminal activities and other threats in the
region."
How assisting the U.S. military to carry out operations in the
Caribbean helps
bring security to anyone is not addressed by MacKay. He goes on to
state that
the operation, like every other anti-social, pro-war initiative the
Harper
government takes, will help keep Canadians safe. "The efforts by our
[Canadian Forces] members to disrupt illicit trafficking operations in
the
Caribbean will help to ensure the safety of Canadians and our borders."
 Many protestors in Cartagena waved Cuban flags, in opposition to U.S. attempts to isolate Cuba, including its exclusion from the Summit. |
At the last summit, held in April of 2009 in Port of Spain, Trinidad, one of the most significant outcomes was an unprecedented consensus amongst those participating, with the exception of the United States and Canada, that the summits could no longer continue to exclude Cuba and have any legitimacy. It is for this reason and others that this summit has been marked by growing rejection of the imperialist arrogance towards the unity of position of the Latin American and Caribbean countries. In a letter to Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, Ecuadorian President Raffael Correa indicated that so long as he was President and Cuba was excluded, he would not participate in the Summits. Then, on the eve of the Summit, Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega joined a rally in support of Cuba in Managua, Nicaragua instead of flying to Colombia for the Summit. For its part, the Harper government changed its position taken at the previous summit when it said it was for the countries which originally excluded Cuba in 1962 to decide if this should continue (Canada joined the OAS in 1990). Now the Harper government has joined the United States in openly blocking consensus for Cuba's inclusion.
In addition to the exclusion of Cuba, the colonial question of the Malvinas and Britain's refusal to take any measures to address the concerns of Argentina has been raised by Latin American countries. Also raised as a concern is the need to find ways around the U.S.'s fraudulent war on drugs which is used to justify all kinds of measures to militarize the hemisphere and interfere in the sovereign affairs of the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. These countries are clear that the demand for drugs in the United States and Europe is what is fuelling the drug trade and that military and so-called tough-on-crime measures led by the United States have only made the situation worse. A proposal has been put forward by the President of Guatemala to discuss the legalization of drugs so as to end their trafficking through Central American countries, as they are neither the producers nor consumers of the drugs. The proposal includes discussion on measures to have the United States and other final destination countries pay compensation to transit countries, half of which would be spent by the countries themselves on the fight against drugs, another 25 per cent on education, and the remainder on medicine. The proposal follows a call by Bolivian President Evo Morales earlier in the year to legalize the production of the coca leaf, and an indication by Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos that Colombia would consider proposals to legalize certain drugs at the international level.
Plenary session of the Peoples' Summit, April 14, 2012, which brought the event to a close. Amongst other statements
issued by the assembly, participants declared U.S. President Barack Obama persona non grata.
(Photos: Peoples' Assembly, Xinhua)
No to Canada's "Americas Strategy"
for the Monopolies
Speaking to CEOs in Cartagena, just prior to the opening of the Sixth Summit of the Americas, Prime Minister Stephen Harper tried to present Canada's interests in the Americas as based on the highest ideals. Spouting the nonsense contained in the Paris Charter adopted in 1991 by the countries of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), which aimed to impose Anglo-American democracy on all countries after the fall of the former Soviet Union, he hypocritically presented his government's "America''s Strategy" as "striving to promote prosperity, democracy and security throughout our hemisphere."
Today, as the countries of
the Americas continue the work to lift their people out of poverty and
regain their independence and fraternal unity, the Harper dictatorship
is playing an obstructionist role by trying to divide Latin America on
the basis of Anglo-American empire-building values of "human rights"
and
"democracy" as evidenced by Canada's position that Cuba does not meet
the "democratic conditions" contained in the Inter-American Democratic
Charter. At the same time, the Harper government is working as the
strong-arm of the monopolies to capture and dominate Latin American and
Caribbean markets and resources. Harper told the CEOs: "Looking to the
future, we see increased Canadian mining investment throughout the
Americas, something that will be good for our mutual prosperity and is
therefore a priority of our Government. We are prepared to share our
expertise in this area because, as part of our Americas' strategy, we
are striving to promote prosperity, democracy and security throughout
our hemisphere."
Such moves to push the interests of Canadian monopolies, especially
those in the mining sector, are out of touch with progressive
developments in Latin America which seek to develop alternatives to the
theft of natural resources by multi-national monoplies. They are also
completely inconsistent with the overwhelming sentiment of Canadians
who are opposing some of these same monopolies' actions right here in
Canada. Canadians are for friendly relations with all peoples and
nations of the world based on mutual respect, equality and
non-interference in their sovereign affairs.
This stand against monopoly right in the Americas was clearly expressed
in Quebec City at the Summit of the Americas in 2001 when 75,000
Canadians and Quebeckers took to the streets to oppose the
militarization of the city and to stand as one against the proposed
Free Trade Area of
the Americas (FTAA). This action contributed to the great defeat of the
FTAA by the entire peoples of the Americas.
The 20th century saw U.S.
imperialism wage countless
open and covert
wars against the peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean in the name
of
stopping the spread of communism. Whole generations of progressive
youth
and political activists were disappeared and never heard from again at
the
hands of the security apparatuses of the dictatorships established with
the full
backing of the CIA. Progressive leaders were assassinated and brutal
regimes
of terror replaced them in order to guarantee that the territory and
resources
of the people of Latin America would not be used to lift the continent
out of
the poverty which resulted from 500 years of colonial domination.
Today, the
Harper government has joined in lock-step with the U.S. to try and
prevent
any forward march in the Americas for the peoples using both military
arrangements and bi-lateral trade agreements.
While it talks about imperialist "criteria" for membership in the Summits of the Americas, the Harper dictatorship is itself in contempt of all notions of accountability, justice and human rights. It is selling out its own country to the monopolies and passing legislation to attack the rights of workers, refugees and immigrants, and anyone else it chooses. It flagrantly violates international law, as in the case of Libya, invading countries so as to open up "new markets" more favourable to the monopolies.
The Harper dictatorship is in no position to lecture anyone, especially Cuba, about "openness" or "human rights." Cuba has provided massive humanitarian assistance to the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean while under a brutal blockade imposed by the most powerful military force on the planet. It does not place troops on foreign soil, nor does it send its companies around the world marauding for treasure backed up by gunboats. Instead it has provided medical professionals, teachers, education and other pro-social initiatives that assist the people. For this reason Cuba enjoys great respect in the hearts and minds of the peoples of the world.
Meanwhile, Canada is becoming a merchant of death in Latin America, promoting the interests of mining and other resource extraction monopolies at the expense of the working class and people of the Americas.
Canada's Americas Strategy is mainly about extending the United States of the North American Monopolies to all the Americas in order to capture what are considered "emerging markets" and to keep monopoly profits high. This "focus" on Latin America was expressed by John Manley, President of the Canadian Council of Chief Executives, who said "raw necessity has sent Canadian businesses into Latin America where even eight years ago the corporate landscape was still so focused on the United States."[1]
"It was less likely that business leaders were going to spend their time and money developing distant markets where people spoke a different language, where there were sometimes political or security risks, when they could sell in Cleveland," Manley said.
"The reality is you have to drive for growth, and Cleveland's not buying anymore," he added.
Writing for the Canadian Press, Jennifer Ditchburn puts it this way: "South America has become a region that is impossible -- and potentially foolish -- for Canadian businesses and the federal government to ignore.
"Many of the economies there sailed out of the global economic downturn with few scratches. Peru is forecasting 5.5 per cent growth in 2012. Argentina is predicting 6 per cent.
"Although Brazil is experiencing slower growth than in recent years, it still managed to surpass Britain last year as the world's sixth biggest economy and is eyeing the No. 5 spot."
The conclusion? "[I]t's little wonder executives from major Canadian companies including Bombardier, Barrick Gold and the Bank of Nova Scotia will also be in Cartagena for a CEO summit."
Examples of the Private Interests Canada Defends
Nothing better exemplifies the anti-people essence of
the Harper dictatorship’s Americas Strategy than the activities of
Canada's resource extraction companies in Latin America. Harper tried
to fool the gullible about these activities at the Summit claiming that
"Canadians are justly proud of our mining industry for its elevated
sense of corporate social responsibility." This could not be any
further from the truth as Canadians are mainly uninformed about what
these monopolies are up to in Latin America, but generally know that
these big monopolies couldn't care less about workers and their
communities as evidenced by their activities at home in Canada.
In Mexico, Canadian mining company Fortuna Silver Mines is suspected to have played a role in the death of Bernardo Vasquez Sanchez, the leader of the Coordinator of the United Peoples of the Ocotlán Valley, Oaxaca -- CPUVO, who was murdered on March 15. Vasquez Sanchez and CPUVO represented the demand to put an end to the violations of rights committed by Fortuna Silver Mines and the corruption accepted by the Mayor of San José del Progreso and the alleged collusion of state officials.
In El Salvador, Canadian-based mining company Pacific Rim launched a suit against the government of El Salvador in April 2009 after it refused to renew the company's license in 2004 and 2006 for its El Dorado mine, located in the rural region of Las Cabañas. Pacific Rim is seeking $77 million and $23 million in expected profit losses and expenses, under Chapter 10 of the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA). Las Cabañas is located on the Lempa River, a major river in El Salvador and a primary water source. Pacific Rim wants to use large quantities of water and cyanide for its mineral extraction, which will flow into the river and contaminate the water source for hundreds of thousands of Salvadorans.
The Harper dictatorship is the biggest friend of the government of Colombia, the host of the Summit of the Americas. In 2008, Canada signed the Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement and today Canadian capital investments in Colombia have surpassed even those of the U.S., especially in the areas of extraction of oil, gas, coal, gold and other precious metals.
This despite, or because of, the fact that Colombia maintains the distinction of having the highest number of assassinations of trade unionists in the world. Colombia holds thousands of political prisoners in its jails, and the current government has issued pardons to 31,000 paramilitary death squad members.
 Montreal protest against the Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement, June 10, 2009: "Will Canada be an accomplice to the terror regime in Colombia in the name of the economy?" |
More recently, the Harper dictatorship has been investing public "aid dollars" in order to "assist" Colombian peasants reap the benefits of Canadian monopolies' operations on their lands. This aid is aimed at security and infrastructure, no doubt to guarantee the security of the monopolies from resistance of the local populations.
During Harper's last visit to Colombia, he announced $25 million in aid for "infrastructure projects" as well as "security." The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) added another $25 million, matching $25 from Canadian oil monopoly Pacific Rubiales which operates in Colombia and has faced resistance as a result of its arbitrary firing of workers and brutal working conditions.
The Canadian working class and people stand shoulder to shoulder with the peoples of Latin America in the fight to establish new arrangements which serve the people and not the monopolies. In particular, Canadians want respectful and fraternal relations with the countries and peoples of the Americas instead of relations based on exploitation and defence of monopoly right.
Note
1. Jennifer Ditchburn, "Supply
management on table as Harper touts trade at Americas
summit," CP, April 12, 2012.
Cuba's Position on Its Exclusion
At a March 9 press conference at the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding Cuba's continued exclusion from the Summits of the Americas, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parilla stated, "Cuba has never requested to attend the Summit of the Americas, but supports the unanimous demand of the ALBA countries to cease the exclusion."
Rodríguez pointed out that the decision to
exclude Cuba from the
Summit in Cartagena came as no surprise, but was the "story of an
exclusion
foretold," making reference to statements by several U.S. government
spokesmen in the preceding days. He added that the U.S. position to
exclude Cuba from the Summit of the Americas is unacceptable and
unjustifiable.
Rodríguez said that the Political Council of the Bolivarian Alliance for the People's of Our America (ALBA), comprising the foreign ministers of the bloc, was actively discussing the matter. "With this disrespect and arrogance, the United States is offending the dignity of Bolívar's Patria Grande [referring to a unified Latin American people -- TML Ed. Note] and Our America as identified by Martí."
 Cuban Foreign Minister Rodríguez at March 9, 2012 press conference. (CubaDebate) |
ALBA is firm and unanimous on the issue of the blockade against Cuba and the exclusion of the island from hemispheric bodies such as the Summit of the Americas and the OAS, he said.
"[... T]he exclusion of Cuba is probably the most notorious symbol [of this type of summit]. It is more evident that these summits are created in the image and likeness of their master, which is the Government of the United States, and that they serve as its instrument to exercise domination in a totally undemocratic manner, disrespecting other countries which are equal, sovereign, and which do not accept being treated like its back yard," Rodriguez reiterated. He added that despite its exclusion according to U.S. wishes, "The presence of Cuba in Cartagena from a distance will be unmistakable [...]"
"If this exclusion serves to deepen the consciousness of Latin American and Caribbean peoples as to the need for firm, concerted action by Our America, to advance with more resolve toward our complete and definitive independence, then we welcome it," said Cuba's top diplomat.
Rodríguez reitereated that, "Cuba's position is that expressed by President Raúl Castro Ruz February 4, in Caracas, during the Summit of ALBA Presidents. He said there that Cuba would never have demanded it, but supports the proposal made by President [of Ecuador Rafael] Correa, [President of Bolivia] Evo [Morales] and other Presidents, to take action to end the exclusion of Cuba."
(MINREX, Council of State)
Special Declaration of Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our Americas' Political Council
On
Cuba's participation in the Sixth Summit of the
Americas,
and
its rejection of the economic, commercial and financial
blockade
imposed
on that country by the Government of the United States.
The Political Council of the
Bolivarian Alliance for the
Peoples of Our
America (ALBA-TCP), having held its 8th Extraordinary Meeting;
Fulfilling a mandate from the 11th ALBA-TCP Summit, held in Caracas, February 4-5, 2012, by virtue of which the heads of state and government decided to convene the present meeting;
 Meeting of ALBA's Political Council, Havana, Cuba, February 15, 2012. (CubaDebate) |
Taking into consideration and giving continuity to discussions and pronouncements made during the abovementioned Caracas Summit on the participation of Cuba in the Sixth Summit of the Americas, to take place in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, April 14-15, 2012;
Recalling the positions assumed by the delegations of our countries in the Fifth Summit of the Americas, held in Trinidad and Tobago in April 2009, during which a clear rejection of Cuba's exclusion from these events was expressed, as well as the condemnation of the economic, commercial and financial blockade implemented against this country by successive U.S. administrations;
Recalling, moreover, the Declaration issued by the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States Summit (CELAC), held in Caracas, December 2-3, 2011, in which all the nations of Our America expressed their energetic rejection of the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed on Cuba by the United States;
Also recalling the 20 resolutions adopted by the United Nations General Assembly, which have demanded that the government of the United States of America end the economic, commercial and financial blockade of Cuba;
Considering the fact that the promises of change formulated by the President of the United States in that Summit, three years ago now, have not been translated into concrete acts, ignoring the unanimous demand of our region;
Considering, moreover, recent statements issued by spokespersons and representatives of the government of the United States, reiterating the refusal of this administration to accept the participation of Cuba in the Cartagena de Indias Summit;
Convinced that transformations and the process of integration taking place in the region, consolidated by the constitution of CELAC, demonstrate that Latin America and the Caribbean is not experiencing an era of change but a change of era;
Aware of the fact that Colombia has initiated a consultation process concerning the participation of Cuba in the Sixth Summit of the Americas;
Have decided:
1. To reaffirm the demand that the United States end its implementation of the economic, commercial and financial blockade of Cuba and that it initiate a process of respectful dialogue with this country, based on respect for its sovereignty and the inalienable right of the Cuban people to their self-determination.
2. To reject statements issued by spokespersons and representatives of the United States against the participation of Cuba in the Sixth Summit of the Americas, in an attempt to perpetuate its anti-Cuba policy.
3. To unequivocally demand, during the Sixth Summit of the Americas, the end of this policy and the lifting of the blockade of Cuba, given the persistent opposition of the government of the United States to the presence of Cuba in this forum.
4. To support the full participation of the sister Republic of Cuba in this Summit, a right which cannot be infringed or subjected to conditions in violation of its sovereignty.
5. To state the expectation that issues included on the agenda and those proposed for inclusion may be considered in a substantive manner which would endure the satisfactory outcome of the Summit.
6. To continue closely observing the development and results of the consultation process currently underway.
7. To call upon the nations of Latin America and the Caribbean to renew the demand insisting on an end to this irrational policy, as was the case in the 5th Trinidad and Tobago Hemispheric Summit.
(Granma International)
Ecuador's Withdrawal from Summit
On April 2, Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa made public his letter to Colombian President and Sixth Summit host Juan Manuel Santos, indicating that Ecuador would no longer participate in the Summits due to the refusal of the U.S. and Canada to permit Cuba's full participation in the Summits and the position of the big powers regarding the Malvinas Islands.For your information, TML Weekly is providing the full letter from President Correa.
***
Dear President and friend,
I value and thank you profoundly for your kind and repeated invitations to the VI "Summit of the Americas" that will be celebrated in beautiful Cartagena de Indias April 14-15. Regrettably, in spite of the fact that the Fifth Summit of the Americas held in Trinidad and Tobago April 14-19, 2009 rejected the incomprehensible exclusion of the Republic of Cuba from the Summits of the Americas, once again this fraternal country has not been invited.
By definition, a meeting in which a country of the
Americas is
intentionally and unjustifiably left out cannot be called a "Summit of
the
Americas." There has been talk of a "lack of consensus," but we all
know it
has to do with the veto of hegemonic countries, an intolerable
situation in our
America of the 21st century.
Likewise, it is unacceptable that such fundamental matters as the inhuman blockade of Cuba as well as the aberrant colonization of the Malvinas Islands, that have earned almost unanimous rejection by the nations of the world, are ignored at these summits.
 President of Ecuador Rafael Correa |
Never would we seek to cause the slightest problem to your government or our dear Colombia. It is, as Bolivar said, about feeling that our homeland truly is America, and at some point beginning to expose and forcefully confront these, I repeat, intolerable and even aberrant situations. For this reason, after long reflection I have decided that as long as I am President of the Republic of Ecuador, I will not attend any Summit of the "Americas" until the decisions that the Patria Grande calls us to take, are taken.
Our peoples may well tire of their leaders being at so many summits while there are so many challenges to overcome, like poverty -- the inequality that keeps Latin America the most unequal region of the world; the ineffective strategy of the fight against the worldwide problem of drugs; the profound transformation of the Inter-American Human Rights System that today protects interests alien to its founding principles; the validity of a real freedom of expression that is not reduced to the interests of businesses engaged in social media; or the complete supremacy of capital over human beings, as can be seen in the mortgage crisis in Spain that is affecting hundreds of thousands of citizens, among them many Latin American migrants.
We hope that our absence will serve as a cordial invitation to debate things that are essential and act accordingly, confirming the esteem and respect that we feel towards all our colleagues, Heads of State of the Continent, dear friends with whom we share dreams of better days for our peoples.
For the good of the region and the world, we wish the Cartagena Summit to be a success. The desire to be with you is enormous, surpassed only by the firmness of our convictions.
Ever onward to victory!
Rafael Correa Delgado,
Constitutional President of the Republic of Ecuador
Quito, April 2, 2012
(Translation from original Spanish by
TML)
Britain Must Get Out of the Malvinas
Argentine President Cristina Kirchner at a ceremony marking the 30th anniversary of the Malvinas Islands war
between Argentina and Britain, in Ushuaia, the southernmost city of Argentina, April 2, 2012. (Xinhua)
On the agenda of the Summit of the Americas is the removal of Britain from the Malvinas, islands which are part of Argentina's sovereign territory and located about 400 km off its coast, but continually occupied and administered by Britain since 1833. April 2 marked the thirtieth anniversary of the 1982 Falklands/Malvinas War in which Britain caused the death of nearly 1,000 combatants from Britain and Argentina.
The President of Argentina, Cristina Kirchner, in her statement on the anniversary, said, "It's an injustice that in the 21st century colonial enclaves still exist in the world -- and ten of the 16 that remain belong to the UK." She added that it was "absurd" that Britain still maintained sovereignty over islands that are 8,000 miles away from its shores and concluded by saying that the Malvinas "are a national, South American and global cause. All Argentina is asking for is dialogue."
 Veterans of the Malvinas Islands War occupy the English Tower in downtown Buenos Aires, March 21, 2012, to protest Britain's continued possession of the islands. The monument was given to Argentina by the British in 1916 on the 100th anniversary of its independence. (Xinhua) |
Argentina is strongly supported by other Latin American countries as is evident from the recent statement submitted to the UN from the foreign ministers of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) which condemned what it referred to as this "anachronistic and colonial situation taking place on American soil." The ministers expressed regret that the British government continues to flout UN resolutions passed on this issue since 1965. Venezuela's Foreign Minister pointed out, "There cannot be a single colonial enclave in South America and the Malvinas' cause is one of the most just left in the 21st century. Decolonizing the Malvinas is going to be a great achievement for the independence, peace and stability of our region."
Britain marked the anniversary with statements from Prime Minister David Cameron and his government and by the dispatch of the heavily armed warship HMS Dauntless to the Malvinas, demonstrating its commitment to colonial invasion and military conquest in the mold of the Thatcher government of the 1980s.
Prime Minister Cameron's statement referred to "the part Britain played in righting a profound wrong." This was not a reference to any action to address the violation of Argentina's sovereign right but to the aggressive policies followed by the Thatcher government and its successors. Turning truth on its head Cameron presented Britain as the one defending the right to self-determination, saying that the principle of self-determination was "the fundamental principle that was at stake thirty years ago: and the principle which we solemnly re-affirm today."
William Hague, Foreign Secretary and First Secretary of State, wrote an article for the Telegraph in which amongst other things he maintained that the government wishes to establish closer economic and other relations with the countries of South America, especially those with rapidly developing economies such as Brazil. According to the Foreign Secretary, Britain's trade with that country, Colombia and Mexico will double by 2015. While Britain has refused to enter into any negotiation with Argentina over the sovereignty of the Malvinas, in his article Hague called on Argentina to discuss with Britain what he called "confidence building measures" including the government's plans for the future economic exploitation of the region.
The British government's statements about the right of self-determination for its citizens in the Malvinas cover up its defence of the interests of the big monopolies that are determined to maintain control of the oil reserves that have been discovered off the Malvinas. British control over the Malvinas also serves as a foothold to access the unexploited resources of Antarctica.
It is in this context that the British government remains committed to maintaining what the rest of the world considers an anachronism -- colonial control of a territory thousands of miles from Britain. There can be no justification for such a stance in the 21st century. Britain must get out of the Malvinas.
No to the Trans-Pacific Partnership!
Canada's CEOs Call for Wrecking
of Supply Management
If there still existed any
doubts as to who will be
served by the wrecking
of Canada's current supply management system of marketing agricultural
products, recent statements by John Manley, President and CEO of the
Canadian Council of Chief Executives,[1]
have removed them.
Manley,
former Liberal MP for Ottawa, stated on April 10 on behalf of the
corporate
monopolies which he represents that he hopes the Harper government has
"begun planning for some kind of transition from supply management."
Manley added: "This is very much in the national interest to grow out
of a
national system that may have served us well at one time but has become
an
impediment to our own region and elsewhere." Of course, Manley and the
monopolies he speaks for only use "national interest" as a smokescreen
because
the only aim of the monopolies is maximizing their profits by any means
necessary.
Manley's cheerleading for the monopolies echoes the Harper dictatorship's March 29, 2012 budget which promises that Canada will announce a "new global commerce strategy" in 2013 to capitalize on markets like the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), the new Asia-Pacific free trade group. The Harper dictatorship is manoeuvring to get Canada into the TPP, even though some members object to Canada's supply management systems. Harper has made feeble noises about retaining the systems but he has also stated that everything is on the table during TPP negotiations. In any case, his shock and awe dismantling of the Canadian Wheat Board in the face of vehement opposition by farmers, workers, and their allies, demonstrates that he will have no qualms about suddenly dismantling any and all agricultural supply management systems, regardless of their many benefits to the people of Canada and regardless of any assurances to the contrary that he gives in the House of Commons.
All nine member countries within the TPP talks -- the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Peru, Malaysia, Viet Nam, Singapore and Brunei -- must agree before any country can join the TPP talks at this stage. Following the Sixth Summit of the Americas, Harper goes to Chile where getting its support for Canada's membership in the TPP is high on the agenda. Meanwhile, Harper's flunkey, Canada's International Trade Minister Ed Fast, has been jetting about the world for the last two months to secure the consent of various TPP members to Canada's participation. One of the subjects of these discussions is the demand that Canada dismantle its dairy supply management systems. On April 11, Fast visited Peru, with which Canada already has a free trade agreement. After talks with the Peruvian government, Fast clarified the Harper dictatorship's intentions: "I am pleased that in all of my meetings and discussions to date, including here in Peru, Canada's interest in joining the TPP talks has been positively received." Canada will participate in the next and 12th Round of TPP negotiations, which take place in Dallas, Texas, May 8-18, 2012.
The supply management systems of the provinces are producer-controlled organizations which were developed to fulfill the needs of agricultural producers and that render account to the actual producers as to the price that is put on the value they have produced. They oppose the dogma of the ruling circles that some mysterious "free market" can set "fair" prices, even when every sector of the economy is dominated by monopolies that manipulate prices to suit their narrow interests. Supply management systems have a long and commendable record of maintaining stable and consistent prices for producers, processors and consumers, ensuring a constant and certain supply of quality products and eliminating reliance on subsidies. For example, since February 2001, 100 per cent of Alberta's dairy producer revenues have been derived from the market.
The agricultural products marketed through supply management systems play an important role in the lives of the people. For example, in Alberta, over 10,000 farmers, working people, and others rely on milk for their livelihoods. The Alberta dairy industry supports an estimated $2.5 billion in economic activity and contributed a record $1.27 billion to the provincial economy in 2005 (latest available figures). Dismantling agricultural supply management systems will result in the elimination of self-employed farmers, loss of many other livelihoods, increased economic insecurity, unstable and rising prices, decline in production and quality, and a further opening up of the food-producing industry to foreign takeovers. Just as is the case in the arbitrary dismantling of the Wheat Board, foreign monopolies are waiting to take full control of provincial agricultural industries, once local producer control is destroyed.[2] The destruction of the dairy and other agricultural supply management systems in the service of the monopolies in order to join the TPP would be another blow against thinking, social consciousness and progress. It must not pass!
Notes
1. The Canadian Council of Chief Executives (CCCE) is an organization of heads of about 150 major Canadian corporations. The organization was founded in 1976 as the Business Council on National Issues, but renamed itself in 2001. Member CEOs lead companies that collectively administer $4.5 trillion in assets and more than $850 billion in annual revenues.
2. As a result of Harper's dismantling of the Canadian Wheat Board, the shady European monopoly Glencore announced on March 15 that it was partnering with Canadian monopolies Richardson International and Agrium to carve up Viterra, Canada's leading grain marketer. (Interestingly, Hartley Richardson is the current Chairman of the CCCE!) Glencore's partnering strategy has allowed Harper to falsely claim that Viterra is not undergoing a "foreign takeover." Viterra shareholders, the largest of which is the Alberta government, vote on the takeover on May 29.
Read The Marxist-Leninist Daily
Website: www.cpcml.ca
Email: editor@cpcml.ca