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"They [the OAS] are targeting certain member states. Dominica is one such country that they're targeting and my government is one such government that they are targeting. So it is not about free and fair elections -- it is not about the electoral process. [The OAS] have waited for this opportunity to implement this strategy, so, it is something that has been in the making for three or four years," he stated.
Skerrit went on to say that he believes the main motivating factor behind the OAS crusade to delegitimize his government is to punish it for consistently voting against non-interference in the region, and more specifically, against OAS resolutions on Venezuela.
Minister Baron informed the OAS in her presentation that Dominica plans to invite CARICOM, the [British] Commonwealth, the UN and the Carter Center to observe its election and was open to including the OAS. But she asked it first to issue declarations condemning all use of violence in this and any election and calling for all parties to refrain from statements that could be construed as interfering in the sovereign affairs of countries. And in the case of member states that do not implement OAS recommendations, against deeming their elections not to be free and fair.
Baron said she was containing her outrage at the attempts to destabilize Dominica and the election just as it has been making a huge effort to overcome the terrible effects of Hurricane Maria and get the country back on its feet, acknowledging the assistance received from many of those in the room.
Addressing a rally of his supporters on November 23, Prime Minister Skerrit emphasized that Dominica was not for sale and nobody can tell it what to do, repeating several times, "Hands off Dominica!" He reminded Dominicans that there was a dangerous situation in the region with the imposition of an unelected "government" and coup attempt in Venezuela and a coup in Bolivia, both of which Almagro supported. He said the fight this time is not about himself winning re-election but standing up for the country against foreign interests that care nothing about the people but seek to take control of the country.
The just stand of patriotic Dominicans, as expressed by Prime Minister Skerrit and Minister Baron, has received the support of the Bolivarian Alliance of the Peoples of Our America (ALBA-TCP), which in its statement of November 21 expressed its members' "uneasiness in face of the statements by the OAS Secretary General, Luis Almagro, who pretends to impose an Electoral Mission of the aforementioned Organization in Dominica, which constitutes not only an intolerable act of interference in Dominica's internal affairs, but also an unacceptable overreach in the exercise of his functions." The statement went on to refer to:
"The controversial performance of the most recent OAS Electoral Observation Mission in Bolivia, plagued by actions of doubtful political impartiality, which severely question its technical authority and openly discourages its intervention.
"[...] In that sense, the ALBA-TCP member countries warn and denounce before the international community, and in particular the Caribbean community, the application of the same format of violence and death used in Bolivia, against the Commonwealth of Dominica whose purposes and objectives seem to be aimed at forcing an unconstitutional change of the government of Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit."
In its statement of support, CARICOM reminded that no member state has the obligation to invite the OAS to observe its elections. Other Caribbean leaders, including Gaston Browne, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda and Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines also spoke out in support of the Dominican government's stand. Prime Minister Gonsalves added that the OAS and its Secretary General, Luis Almagro were enemies of the democratic and progressive forces of the continent.
Earlier this month social, political and student organizations took the wind out of Luis Almagro's sails by preventing him from speaking at Pacific University in Asunci n where he was supposed to deliver an address on "Democracy and Development." As the vehicle carrying him approached the meeting venue people carrying signs and flags surrounded it and shouted that he was not welcome, that he was responsible for the coup in Bolivia and had blood on his hands. Almagro thought better of trying to proceed under the circumstances and left without getting out of the vehicle.
1. The full report can be seen here.
(With files from BBC, El Universal, Nodal, teleSUR, WSWS, Prensa Latina, ABI. Photos: M. Teruggi, redfish stream, Fecode, teleSUR, PPC-PY, Frente Guas . Cartoons: C. Latuff.)
Dear Minister Champagne:
Unifor strongly condemns the military coup in Bolivia that saw the recent ousting of democratically elected President Evo Morales.
We are dismayed that the Canadian Federal government has chosen to support the interim leadership of Jeanine ±ez Chßvez -- a representative from a party that received only four per cent of the vote in the latest October elections, and whose support is derived largely from the backing of the Bolivian police and military. We are also troubled given ±ez's hostile and discriminatory anti-Indigenous remarks, especially in a country where more than half the population is Indigenous.
As Bolivia's first Indigenous President, Morales made significant progressive economic and social policy changes that have resulted in strong economic growth, drastic reduction in rates of poverty and overall improvements of human rights. However, we have seen how actions of independent states with socialist policies often provoke the ire of corporate interests and Western countries such as the United States, which has a long history of Latin and South American government intervention and ousting democratically elected leaders by way of violent military coups.
We are now once again witnessing waves of violence and atrocities rock Bolivia, along with deaths of protesters who are resisting the usurpation of their democratic process. With ±ez recently making changes to allow security forces to be protected from prosecution in order to quell protests, we will only see a further escalation of state violence and repression. By not condemning these actions as a coup -- actions contrary to the fundamental principles of democracy -- Canada is complicit in these human rights violations.
In an effort to understand the current and evolving situation, Unifor dispatched its Director of International Department, Mohamad Alsadi, to Mexico City in order to meet with President Morales directly. This meeting helped to solidify our support and solidarity with the people of Bolivia.
Unifor urges the Federal government to publicly condemn the coup and reject ±ez's illegitimate interim position. We demand the safe passage and return of Evo Morales to his home country, and to let Bolivians exercise their own democratic right in choosing a government through a new round of elections -- elections Morales himself initially agreed to before being forced into exile. We also encourage you to visit and dialogue with Evo Morales directly, as we have done, to receive a firsthand account on what has transpired in Bolivia and areas in which Canada can provide support. Canada cannot proclaim to support democracy while also enabling a repressive military dictatorship to unfold and go unchallenged. We trust you and your government will reverse course and stand by the people of Bolivia.
Please also see these links to statements from other like-minded organizations:
https://www.ituc-csi.org/Bolivia-crisis-must-be-settled-at-the-ballot-box
http://www.industriall-union.org/industriall-condemns-the-coup-in-bolivia
https://www.ueunion.org/statement/2019/ue-condemns-coup-in-bolivia
Sincerely,
Jerry Dias
National President
cc: The Right Honourable Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
(November 25, 2019)
Dear comrades,
On behalf of the Workers' Party, we thank you for all the support you have given us over the past 18 months as we fought for the freedom of our great friend and leader, Lu s Inßcio Lula da Silva.
Your friendship and solidarity throughout this period have helped us to continue the victorious campaign: Lula is free! And his return represents the strengthening of our daily struggles for a better Brazil, for a better world.
Our next challenge is to prove Lula's innocence in all the legal proceedings against him. After all, he remains a victim of lawfare and is under constant threat because these legal actions have not yet been overturned and his political rights have not been restored.
We are showing Brazil and the world that the only reason for these proceedings is to block the struggle for a more just and democratic country.
Justice for Lula! Lula is innocent!
Gleisi Hoffmann
National President
Monica Valente
Secretary for International Relations
(November 13, 2019)
The government of the Republic of Ecuador has reported the decision to terminate, and not renew, six collaboration agreements signed with the Cuban Ministry of Public Health.
Cuban medical cooperation in Ecuador began in 1992. In June of 2006, a cooperation agreement was signed for the launching of "Operation Miracle" with the participation of 153 professional collaborators. Through this program 168,543 surgeries were performed, including 4,609 to remove cataracts, and 118,575 for pterygium. In January 2009, on the occasion of an official visit by then President Rafael Correa Delgado, the Framework Agreement on Cooperation in Health between the two governments was signed. On June 11 of the same year, the Inter-institutional Cooperation Agreement was signed by then Ecuadorian Vice President Len n Moreno Garc s and the Ministry of Public Health of Cuba, for the realization of a psycho-social, pedagogical, and clinical genetic study of people with disabilities, known as the Manuela Espejo Solidarity Mission. Through this program, 825,576 persons were assisted, of whom 35,257 were provided neurophysiology or otolaryngology consultations. Some 21,062 patients underwent clinical genetics studies.
In 2013, a contract was signed with the Ecuadorian Social Security Institute (IESS) through which 293 Cuban doctors of different specialties provided medical assistance in 52 of this Institute's units.
Cuba has provided assistance in emergencies and disasters in Ecuador: in 1986 due to heavy rains, in 2001 due to a dengue epidemic, and to assist victims of the earthquake that occurred on April 16, 2016.
Since the beginning of Cuba's medical collaboration in this country to date, a total of 3,565 health professionals have provided their services in Ecuador. Some 6,749,666 medical consultations have been provided, 212,360 surgical interventions, 3,548 births assisted, and 100,084 vaccinations administered.
At all times, Cuban health professionals have faithfully performed the role entrusted to them by Ecuador's health system, in strict compliance with the signed agreements' stipulations.
Recent campaigns by the U.S. government to discredit and sabotage the international cooperation that Cuba provides in the field of health in dozens of countries, cannot obscure this data, that demonstrates the altruistic spirit, effort, and solidarity of Cuban collaborators.
Currently, the medical brigade in Ecuador includes 382 professionals, present in 23 of the country's 24 provinces.
Cuban collaborators will return to the homeland, having made a meritorious contribution to the noble effort to ensure medical attention to the Ecuadorian people, in accordance with the principle of universal health coverage promoted by the World Health Organization. Cuban professionals provided access to specialties which were previously of limited availability within the Ecuadorian health system, as more than 400,000 professionals in this sector have voluntarily done in 164 countries, since 1963.
The Ministry of Public Health of the Republic of Cuba reaffirms the desire to continue providing collaboration for this sister people, which ceases at this time as a result of a decision by the Ecuadorian government.
The peoples of Our America and the rest of the world know they can always count on the humanist and solidarity vocation of Cuban professionals.
(Granma, November 15, 2019)
These past few days, doctors lending their services in Bolivia and Ecuador have returned to the homeland, leaving behind their patients, families with few resources, but very grateful to those who treated their ailments, living as neighbours in their communities.
"We have lived days of deep sadness, of harassment, of physical mistreatment," said Dr. Nirza Garc a Vald s, a General Surgery specialist, who worked in the Bolivian department of Santa Cruz, referring to the period immediately following the coup against President Evo Morales Ayma.
"But even in the moments of greatest danger, we did not weaken. We stayed in our positions until the last moment, supporting the health of the sister Bolivian people until it was no longer possible to continue," said Garc a, a native of Bayamo, in the province of Granma.
"We return victorious. We do not feel defeated. We come with our heads held high, with our mission accomplished, because no coup, nor any regime that may take charge of Bolivia's fate, can erase our impact.
"The lives saved are there, the grateful patients are there, and the results achieved by Cuba and its international collaboration will always be there."
Alfredo Escobar Bernal, gastroenterologist, thanked the Cuban government for not abandoning brigade members to suffer the consequences of the coup in Bolivia on their own.
When the coup was consummated, he explained, he was in Santa Cruz and lived moments of uncertainty, along with other colleagues, given the tension that eventually triggered very serious confrontations among Bolivians.
"There were situations in which we felt the support of people who recognize the value of Cuban collaboration, but at other times, supporters of the coup took advantage of our presence to defame Evo Morales and his government.
"I had no doubt that, at all times, we were protected by our country's authorities through diplomatic channels, and by personnel responsible for the medical mission. They were always aware of our safety."
As of November 18, 431 health professionals had returned to the country from Bolivia, with the arrival of another group expected shortly. Also returning are members of the Cuban medical brigade in Ecuador, where the government cancelled the bilateral agreement in this sector.
Earlier this month, before the UN General Assembly, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodr guez Parrilla clarified that our country's health collaboration programs, which are facing attacks by the current United States administration, are serving "the neediest communities, based on the solidarity and completely voluntary disposition of hundreds of thousands of Cuban professionals; conducted as established in cooperation agreements signed with the governments of these countries; and have enjoyed, for many years, the recognition of the international community, of this organization itself and the World Health Organization, as an outstanding example of South-South Cooperation."
(Granma, November 19, 2019. Photo: D. lvarez)
Actions in Canada
Ottawa-Cuba Connections held its annual general meeting on November 20, where it reviewed the various events it has organized in the past year to express friendship with Cuba. An ongoing activity is the pickets held in front of the U.S. embassy on the 17th of every month to express support for Cuba and to denounce the inhuman blockade by the U.S. against the Cuban people.
In this respect, Ottawa-Cuba Connections was honoured to have the Cuban Ambassador to Canada, H.E. Josefina Vidal, come to speak at its general meeting. Ambassador Vidal addressed what was on everyone's mind, that is, the new difficult situation the Cuban people face with the abrupt end of the normalization of the relations initiated by the Obama administration, the destruction of the progress that had been made and the announcement on an almost weekly basis of measures, unprecedented both in scope and aggressiveness, that make life harder for the Cuban people. She explained that the U.S. was attacking sectors of the economy which are important for Cuba in terms of generating revenue, for example, the tourism industry. This involves the cancelling of U.S.-based cruises, the banning of licences that permit people-to-people activities, and the cancellation of direct flights from the U.S. to nine destinations in Cuba, with the exception of Havana.
The recent activation of Title 3 of the Helms-Burton Act is particularly aimed at stopping companies from doing business with more than 220 Cuban entities, many of them hotels. In September, the U.S. blocked oil shipments to Cuba, leaving it with only 60 per cent of the fuel it needed for the economy. The Cuban government took measures to overcome this problem and minimize its impact on the population. It was overcome, in part, by reducing urban and inter-provincial transportation for a period of time. Normal conditions are being re-established.
The ambassador explained that the U.S. is resorting to tactics adopted in 1962 by the Kennedy administration when the blockade began, with the aim of making life so unbearable for the people that they would revolt and bring about regime change. She said that Cuba has always been its own model and has learned to deal with the most difficult situations, such as the Special Period in the 1990s when 75 per cent of Cuba's trade collapsed with the demise of the Soviet Union. She said the U.S. cannot accept countries which are sovereign and independent, but the resilience of the Cuban people is such that the attempts of the U.S. will not succeed and the Cuban people will prevail.
When asked what countries can do beyond the massive UN resolutions whereby the vast majority of the world's countries reject the blockade as being an attack on the human rights of the Cuban people, she said that countries must stand up to the U.S. and not accept the extraterritoriality of their laws. She gave the examples of the Caribbean nations of Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago, which in 1972, not long after achieving their independence, established diplomatic relations with Cuba, a courageous break from U.S. dictate. Even though these countries are small, this did not stop them from taking this important stand, she pointed out.
The ambassador also said that Canada and Mexico have stated that they will defend their interests in Cuba against Title 3 of the Helms-Burton Act. She also pointed out that dialogue with the Canadian government had resolved certain problems and has led, for example, to the partial reopening of the Canadian visa service in Havana. In this respect, she said that as the year was coming to an end, the situation with the Canadian government in diplomatic terms was good.
The discussion also touched upon the situation in Latin America and South America and the struggles of the people and how events -- such as the struggle of the people against the coup in Bolivia and that of the Chilean people -- are important to Cuba, as the struggle is one and the same.
(Photos: TML, Cuban Embassy)
On Sunday, November 17, nearly 200 people from the Haitian community in Montreal and their many allies walked the streets of Montreal to denounce the interference of foreign powers, including Canada, in Haiti and their support for the corrupt government of Jovenel Mo se. The action, organized by Solidarit Qu bec-Haiti, was also aimed at highlighting the heroic struggle of the Haitian people for their right to be. The slogans Justice! Dignity! Reparations! resonated throughout the march.
Many interventions were made both at the beginning and at the conclusion of the march, which ended outside of the Haitian consulate. All spoke with one voice to denounce foreign interference in Haiti. The Haitian people are not miserable and enslaved, they pointed out. They are a proud and dignified people and are very capable of leading their country. What prevents them from doing that are corrupt governments imposed by neo-liberal powers. Repeatedly, the slogans and interventions denounced the so-called saviours with their self-serving aid aimed at imposing the enslavement of the Haitian people. "We are here to defend the just cause of the Haitian people. There are countries -- such as the United States, Canada and France -- who say that we have chosen the government in place. That's not true. We did not choose it. The Haitian people have been in the street for over two months. Over 300 people have died. Schools are closed. And here Canada continues to say that we elected them. They are false friends and we do not need friends like that," one of the speakers said.
Another speaker said, "We want to condemn the Canadian government's dirty role in Haiti and its hypocrisy. It financed the election in Haiti with its millions of dollars, totally interfering in the affairs of a country, while during the federal election here, it repeatedly warned about the dangers of foreign interference in the election. In 2004, it was part of the coup, along with the United States and France, against President Aristide. Foreign policy does not belong to us and does not represent us. It's up to us to decide what kind of relationship we want with other countries. We have a responsibility to respond to Canadian foreign policy at a time when the government is interfering against Bolivia, Venezuela and others."
Tribute was paid to the youth, women and workers who have died since the beginning of the uprisings in Haiti, as well as to all those who died under Duvalierism. "Today is the third edition of Duvalierism. We have a responsibility. We cannot remain silent because some people are taking advantage of that silence. We must tell those who represent us here in Canada that when you have influence, show that you are Haitians," said Frantz Andr , one of the organizers of Solidarit Qu bec-Haiti. He greeted the Haitian youth of today who are fighting and providing hope.
Several spoke to salute the battle of Verti res, on November 18, 1803, whose 216th anniversary was celebrated the day after the march. That battle, led by Jean-Jacques Dessalines to free the Haitian people from slavery and put an end to the colonial power meant the rout and the defeat of the Napoleonic army. It signified the elimination of slavery and led to the proclamation of Haitian independence and the formation of the first black republic in the world, the Republic of Haiti on January 1, 1804. Today, that battle continues.
Another speaker asked: "Are the Haitian people entitled to health, education and dignity? Yes. This is what we are demanding of those imperialist powers who support the government in Haiti and deny us all forms of humanity, who deny the right to be of human beings, just like all the peoples of the world. As long as the [Haitian] people are deprived of their humanity and their dignity, we must continue the fight. Why is Jovenel Mo se still in Haiti? It's because he supported and continues to support those foreign powers who do not want change in Haiti. The Haitian people have the right to dignity, the right to be masters in their own homes and the right to sovereignty. We have the right to demand it and to demand that foreign governments -- such as the Canadian, French, and American governments -- not interfere in the internal affairs of our country. They interfere and after that they say that we are responsible for the situation in Haiti; that it is we, the Haitian people, who are corrupt. That's what's called "development aid" and behind that whole masquerade are the hands pulling the strings of misery in Haiti. The Haitian people are not responsible. We must continue the fight to the end. Long live the struggle of the Haitian people!"
An activist invited all the protesters to a viewing of Elaine Bri re's "Haiti betrayed" on November 24 at 6:00 pm at La Maison d'Ha ti. The film deals with the role of the Canadian government in Haiti. It's an opportunity to learn about and continue to discuss and exchange on Canadian foreign policy, which must take a new direction.
(Photos: TML)
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