25th São Paulo Forum
Final Declaration
- Caracas, Venezuela - July 28, 2019 -
The delegates to the 25th Meeting of the São
Paulo Forum, gathered in Caracas, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela,
cradle of the Liberator Simón Bolívar and of his worthy
follower,
Commander Hugo Chávez Frías, on the occasion of the 65th
anniversary of his birth, have reached the following
conclusions:
One year after the 24th Meeting in Havana, the
multifaceted
reactionary offensive of U.S. imperialism and its oligarchic
right-wing allies has deepened. But at the same time, Latin
America and the Caribbean are also the scene of important popular
struggles and triumphs that have halted the imperial offensive.
The recent cases of Mexico, Venezuela, Nicaragua and Puerto Rico
confirm this.
 It is urgent to retake the
initiative with more vigour
and
efficiency. This is possible "when there is unity, determined and
capable political leadership, clear objectives of struggle,
combat morale and [the struggle is] rooted in the popular
classes." This view, approved by the 24th Meeting last year,
remains totally valid.
Despite the fact that the negative effects of the
concentration of property, power and wealth in the hands of the
usual privileged minority continue to deepen, in the countries of
the region where this has happened social protest is growing,
while the left, popular and progressive forces, especially in the
sphere of social and popular movements, are putting forward
anti-neoliberal proposals that we must encourage and resolutely
support.
The international right does not cease in its subversive
plans; it operates in a coordinated manner to divide and/or
weaken our national States; it aims to annihilate or delegitimize
any project of social change that seeks to advance along
non-capitalist or simply post-neoliberal paths; it works
tirelessly to erode our national identities, as well as the
cultural values that give us social cohesion; and it is
accelerating its efforts aimed at dividing us on every
terrain.
Let us oppose the disintegration program of the right
with the
sovereign integration program that is worthy of our peoples.
Faced with the free trade agreements promoted by the United
States, let us strengthen sovereign integration projects such as
CELAC, Alba-TCP, Mercosur and other popular and autonomous
integration initiatives.
The Trump Administration, the perfect expression of the
Yankee
Empire and transnational financialized capitalism that prevails
today, seeks to reverse, with increasing violence in all spheres,
its declining relative power as the hegemonic centre of the
international right. United, let us prevent it from achieving its
historic goals of domination over the lands of Our America. We
are obligated with our peoples to prevent the Monroe Doctrine
from achieving its interventionist aims. The Bolivar Doctrine to
face the Monroe Doctrine.
The political experience of the left and of the popular
and
progressive forces from 1959 to the present multiplies the hopes
for maintaining that it is possible to defeat any imperial
offensive. This is demonstrated today by the Bolivarian
Revolution, the Cuban Revolution itself, the successful Bolivian
political experience and Sandinista Nicaragua.
Let us strengthen the struggles for justice for all, for
social emancipation, for full political sovereignty, economic
independence and the self-determination of our peoples.
Indigenous delegates at the Foro de São Paulo
Let us continue to build the broadest anti-imperialist
anti-neoliberal unity with respect to the diversity of left and
progressive political parties and forces, the social and popular
movements that unite them, and the left and progressive
governments, to defeat the imperialist offensive and the
deepening and/or restoration of neoliberalism.
Faced with these realities, the 25th Meeting of the
São Paulo Forum
calls
with a sense of urgency, to strengthen the world movement in
defence of peace, democracy and the social gains that have been
achieved. The aggressive and irresponsible international conduct
of the current Trump Administration demands it.
It calls for the promotion of the broadest worldwide
solidarity with the defence of the sovereignty and
self-determination of the Venezuelan people, and their right to
live in peace.
It supports the dialogue between the Bolivarian
Government and
the opposition tendencies promoted by the constitutional
president Nicolás Maduro, as it is a genuine expression of the
current democracy and freedoms in Venezuela, which is why it is
supported by the majority of the Venezuelan people for settling
differences constitutionally and peacefully, without foreign
interference.
It energetically rejects the threats of military
intervention
against Venezuela and condemns all aspects of the economic,
financial, commercial blockade and diplomatic siege of the
government of the United States.
The preservation of peace in Venezuela is the
preservation of
peace in the region and one of the priorities of the parties that
make up the São Paulo Forum.
It reaffirms the just causes approved in the 23rd and
24th São Paulo Forum
Meetings, considering them to be valid. Accordingly, this 25th
Meeting calls to:
Emphasize, as a common goal, the defence of the
Proclamation
of Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace, approved
at the 2nd Summit of CELAC. This is urgent and vital.
Defend CELAC as the greatest unitary development of the
last
200 years and spread the notion of integration among our
peoples.
Repudiate the dangerous military presence of the United
States
and its NATO allies in the Caribbean and the Atlantic for clearly
aggressive purposes and putting pressure on our nations.
Vigorously reject the Monroe Doctrine and all notions of
the
U.S. about Latin America and the Caribbean being its
"backyard."
Organize actions in every space possible to oppose the
domination of Yankee Imperialism in Latin America and the
Caribbean.
Be rigorously acquainted with how the international,
regional
and local right operates against this continent that we defend
and will defend.
Reaffirm the importance of the São Paulo Forum's
relations with the
left
parties of Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East.
Denounce the interfering role of the OAS in the service
of the
USA. It continues to operate as a faithful U.S. ministry of
colonies, symbolized by its Secretary General Luís Almagro, pawn
of the Empire.
Condemn the unconventional war being waged by the United
States against governments that do not bow to its orders and
interests.
Vigorously confront the right's advance over our
peoples.
Evidence of this is the recycled, authoritarian and pro-fascist
neoliberal governments, such as those of Bolsonaro in Brazil,
Iván Duque in Colombia, and Mario Abdo Benítez in
Paraguay,
Mauricio Macri in Argentina, Lenin Moreno in Ecuador and Juan
Orlando Hernández in Honduras, which destroy democracy and
social
rights that have been won.
Support the Honduran people for their persistent and
courageous struggle in defence of their rights, against
neoliberal policies and the corruption that characterizes
neoliberalism, and in favour of the construction of an
alternative that prioritizes the interests of the majority of the
people. The struggle of the latter, led by the LIBRE party, is an
example to be followed by those who suffer the disastrous
consequences of neoliberalism.
Strongly condemn the permanent genocide committed by the
governing ultra-right in Colombia against any organized
expression of the social and popular movement, through the
unacceptable systematic assassination of social leaders, former
guerrilla fighters and their families. Demand, in addition, the
freedom of Simón Trinidad and the ex-guerrilla fighters who
remain in jail.
Demand that the Colombian government fully comply with
the
Peace Accords, which are vital to ensure that our continent
continues to be a zone of peace. Likewise, we support the FARC
party for its persistent defence of the Agreements and its
compliance with them, which constitutes an invaluable
contribution to the struggle for peace. To achieve this peace, we
demand the immediate resumption of talks with the National
Liberation Army (ELN).
Denounce the intervention of the United States in
Nicaragua
against the Sandinista Revolution, through an unacceptable coup
attempt, defeated by the Nicaraguan people, whose right to peace
must be defended by all. The United States will not succeed in
defeating the heroic people of Sandino with economic
sanctions
Offer all solidarity to the FMLN, whose membership and
people
are victims of aggression and revanchism on the part of the local
right, at the service of the U.S., through the violation of
rights that were won and to delegitimize them through the courts,
as is happening with grave acts of political persecution and
violation of human rights in Ecuador, Brazil, Argentina. The
imprisonment of Lula and Jorge Glas demonstrates this, as well as
the judicial persecution of Cristina Fernández de Kirchner,
Rafael Correa and Ricardo Patiño. And we demand the freedom of
all political prisoners.
Support the candidacy of Evo Morales and Álvaro
García Linera
in Bolivia, who with the support of the majority of their people
are betting on developing the "Bicentennial Agenda" in their
fourth term of office, with the objective of settling the
outstanding historical debts of the 19th and 20th centuries and
facing the tasks of the 21st century in conditions of economic
independence and full political sovereignty.
Support the proposal of Daniel Martínez for
president and
Graciela Villar for vice-president of Uruguay, whose triumph
would guarantee the continuity of the policies in favour of the
Uruguayan people, and the laws that benefit historically
neglected sectors such as domestic workers, rural workers or
trans people. And the defence of sovereignty and democracy in
Uruguay that governments of the Frente Amplio are carrying
out.
Support the popular movement in Argentina that has
managed to
form a unitary alliance in the Frente de Todos, which has Alberto
Fernández as its candidate for president and Cristina
Fernández
de Kirchner as its candidate for vice-president, to confront
Macrism and its policies of hunger, indebtedness, repression and
the surrender of sovereignty in the next electoral contest in
October. The defeat of Macri and neoliberalism in Argentina would
be a triumph for Our American integration and would once again
encourage struggles and resistance in the rest of the
countries.
Reject Washington's policy of criminalizing emigrants,
especially those from Central America. In this sense, we condemn
and reject the immigration control agreement between the United
States and the government of Guatemala, a country whose
sovereignty is violated and whose territory, with such an
agreement, would be transformed into a virtual prison for those
who wish to enter the United States; and their intention to do
the same with Mexico.
Support the government of President Andrés Manuel
López
Obrador, whose triumph, with massive popular participation,
demonstrated that there is no end to the progressive cycle; it
opened up perspectives of change in favour of the great
majorities with the programme of the Fourth Transformation and
could give a new impulse to the processes of the autonomous and
sovereign regional integration of our peoples, in keeping with
the principles of the self-determination of peoples,
non-intervention and the peaceful solution of conflicts.
Reject all forms of racism, social discrimination and
discrimination based on sexual orientation. In this sense,
support the agenda of struggle for the rights of the LGBTTI
community.
Demand respect for the human rights of women, violated
by
neoliberal policies. Defend the role of Latin American and
Caribbean women as fundamental builders of emancipatory change
processes, as well as of active resistance to the neoliberal
counteroffensive and the loss of rights that have been won.
Support the massive feminist mobilizations underway in the
continent. Without the contribution of women it will be
impossible to advance towards the true independence of our
nations. Understand that the struggle for gender equality can
only succeed if we take up the struggle for class equality. Only
by banishing capitalism will it be possible to eliminate
patriarchy.
Condemn all forms of discrimination and violence against
women, exclusion, the trafficking of women and girls, sexual
exploitation, femicide, and demand greater support and protection
of women's sexual and reproductive rights.
Condemn drug trafficking, human trafficking and
terrorism in
all its forms.
Defend access to water as a human right and as a right
of
peoples to develop their agricultural activity, a source of
wealth and work that ensures food sovereignty, as well as defend
the environment, land and territories.
Support the demands of the Caribbean Island States to be
compensated for the damage caused by slavery.
Demand the unconditional, total and definitive end of
the U.S.
government's criminal and increased economic, commercial and
financial blockade against Cuba, which constitutes the main
obstacle to the economic and social development of the country
and a flagrant and massive violation of the human rights of
Cubans. As part of their siege of Cuba, along with other hostile
measures, they are applying the Helms
Burton
Act and have
activated Title III, ...
Demand the return of the territory occupied by the
Guantánamo
Naval Base to Cuba.
Support Argentina's historic claim to sovereignty over
the
Malvinas Islands, South Georgia, South Sandwich Islands,
Argentine Antarctica and the surrounding maritime areas. Also
challenge the agreement known as "Foradori-Duncan" between the
current government of Argentina and the United Kingdom that was
concluded in September 2016.
Support the right of Bolivia's sovereign return to the
Pacific
Ocean through the dialogue between the Chilean and Bolivian
peoples, and the achievement of an agreement based on solidarity
that will allow Bolivia access to a sea and might make an
improvement in the lives of the population possible by
facilitating the exploitation of maritime resources, the export
of organic products and an encounter with cultures from around
the world through a sovereign port.
Defend, respect and guarantee the rights and culture of
Indigenous and Afro-descendant peoples.
Demand the decolonization of the Caribbean and firm
support
for the Independence of Puerto Rico. We salute the multitudinous
demonstrations of the Puerto Rican people against the corruption
of the colonial and annexationist administration of Ricardo
Rosselló and in defence of borinqueña dignity.
Demand the immediate release of Lula, victim of an
abusive,
illegal and outrageous exercise of judicial power against
him.
Reject the U.S. empire's policy of describing Cuba,
Nicaragua
and Venezuela as members of a so-called axis of evil.
Defend, as one of the central objectives of the
São Paulo Forum, the
construction of anti-imperialist anti-neoliberal unity as the
tactic and strategy for victory, in defence of sovereignty,
independence, democracy, self-determination and human rights in
Our America, with real political leadership by its peoples.
The entire political spectrum of the São Paulo
Forum is a prioritized
target of the destabilizing strategy aimed at defeating left,
popular and progressive governments, destroying their political
and social forces, and criminalizing and prosecuting their
leaders and social protest.
The São Paulo Forum's identity -- we reaffirm it
-- must continue to
be
anti-imperialist and anti-neoliberal, with militant support for
all left-wing, popular and progressive governments that are under
siege, and support for the just causes of the peoples.
"Actions speak louder than words." Based on this maxim
of
Martí, we propose to concentrate the efforts of the São
Paulo Forum in the
following main directions in the coming months:
-- Strengthen [São Paulo Forum] as an instance of
concerted efforts,
cooperation and mutual solidarity among our parties and social
movements. To this end, it will be fundamental to support, as a
new occasion for global exchange, the Anti-Imperialist Encounter
of Solidarity, for Democracy and against Neoliberalism that will
take place in Havana, Cuba, between the 1st and 3rd of next
November, as agreed by the Working Group in Managua. Likewise, we
call for transforming the regional secretariats of the São Paulo
Forum into
much more effective instruments of coordination and communication
among our members.
-- Multiply the actions of mutual solidarity with
initiatives
that demonstrate the strength of our organizations and peoples.
In this area, we propose to increase active solidarity with the
peoples and governments of the left that are the subject of
stepped-up stalking by the United States and the continental
right. At the same time, we call for making solidarity with all
the leaders of the left who are currently imprisoned or
persecuted a matter of principle. The case of Lula shows what we
can do in that sense.
-- Turn the tasks of improving political communication
and
training of our cadres and militants into prioritized fronts of
work by means of coordinated actions among our forces, as agreed
by the Working Group in Managua. Resume the study and updating of
the Consensus of Our America that condenses the values and
programmatic guidelines shared by this Forum, which will be an
opportune time for the bases to debate and enrich it.
Hasta la victoria siempre!
This article was published in
Volume 49 Number 25 - August 31, 2019
Article Link:
25th São Paulo Forum: Final Declaration - Caracas, Venezuela - July 28, 2019
Website: www.cpcml.ca
Email: editor@cpcml.ca
|
