Monday, November 4, 2019

Anti-Imperialist Solidarity Conference: "People are rising up against savage capitalism"

A Solidarity Meeting for Democracy and against Neoliberalism, that took place in Havana over the weekend, with over 1,200 participants condemned the US economic, financial and trade blockade against Cuba and specially the harsh hostility of the Trump administration.

Leaders of left-wing organizations, progressive movements, labor unions, youth and students federations, intellectuals and academics from 90 nations attended the huge gathering. 

In closing the meeting, President, Miguel Diaz-Canel, said that Cuba will always welcome those who defend peace and solidarity, and called for rejecting the lies the US Government wields to dominate nations. Diaz-Canel emphasized that with lies, they have attacked Cuba for years, invaded nations, destroyed towns, and pushed entire regions backwards keeping nations from developing.

He strongly criticized the Trump administration for attacking Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, the progressive leadership of Brazil, Ecuador, Bolivia, Argentina and social, left movements around the world, particularly in Latin America. He condemned Washington's strategy to use the Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance (TIAR) and the Organization of American States as instruments of political pressure to support oligarchies and protect neoliberalism.

Previously, Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro addressed the gathering to voice his and Venezuela's support for the Chilean people who rose against the excluding, generative policies of injustice and inequality policies capitalism generates.

Maduro went on to say that although neoliberalism seems to have taken the reins in Latin America, it is exciting to observe the Chilean people rising against a constitution forged by the Pinochet’s dictatorship.

"There is a general insurgency of the people against the model of exclusion, privatization, impoverishment, the individualism of the savage neoliberal capitalism of the International Monetary Fund," added the Venezuelan president.

More than 1,200 delegates from 95 countries attended the event to meet and discuss six main themes such as solidarity with Cuba, people before free trade and transnational corporations, decolonization, cultural warfare, strategic communication, and social struggle.

The Meeting began on Friday 1st November, with a speech by Fernando González Llort, President of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples, who welcomed the participants and devoted his first remarks to Fidel, recalling that the Cuban people have not been defeated despite 60 years of hostility from the United States.

González said that it was a pleasure to share this space with left organizations at a time when the United States is attempting to distort Cuba’s altruistic mission and international health collaboration, and reaffirmed that Cuba will never betray its friends.

Prensa Latina / Granma.