ALBA Docs

26th February 2005

CARACAS’ COMMITMENTS

We undertake to intensify the exercise of participative democracy, based on respect for the sovereign decisions made by popular majorities. By respecting sovereignty, human and social rights become relevant and serve to construct societies where alienation is fought off and the returns of work and wealth are distributed with fairness. From this new model, it will be possible to create a new world on the basis of respect for life, nature, and on the coexistence of human beings in society, thus replacing relations of exploitation for ties of solidarity between people and nations.

We salute and respect the creation of TELESUR as the spokesperson of a culture of resistance against the empire’s hegemonic discourse. TELESUR triggers the emergence of a school of emancipating Latin American thought that confronts media manipulation and the hegemonic attempt to impose unitary thought worldwide. By doing this, we are settling the communicative debt contracted with our peoples.

We call on to consider the integration of the South American Community of Nations, approved in December 2004, as real and effective. We agree to take action to make Latin American and Caribbean integration a reality.

We maintain that the only efficient human development is possible by extending social inclusion, employment and well being to the whole population, not only in a particular country, but in the whole region. Progress is inconceivable without strengthening a Latin American union that will complement our respective capacities and facilitate the development of peoples.

The prevalent commitment of Latin American presidents is to create the South American Community of Nations. This offers an extraordinary opportunity to create the necessary consensus at Parliamentary and popular level, to achieve the desired changes.

We pledge to strive and settle the basis of societies that are economically, socially and politically just. Integration must endorse a Latin American integrative approach to education, which is also to be democratic, open and conscientious, in order to develop critical consciousness at all levels.

We pledge to promote the Charter for Social Rights of the Americas, as part of a national and international mission that inherits the spirit of the Monte Sacro Oath. This must be considered as the foundation for the construction of a world that produces “new” human beings, in terms of their views on work and equality. The Charter for Social Rights of the Americas is the ideal tool to achieve this; it is the project we must strongly support and constitute into the guide of social consciousness in Latin America. We adhere to this proposal made by Venezuela, reaffirming our willingness to fight for the relevance of human rights, and confront imperial dreams of predatory egoism and disdain for any aspirations to live life to the full.

We pledge to create the Parliamentary and Latin American Forum in Defense of National Economies (Anti-neoliberal). Its objective is to promote alternative solutions to neoliberalism; solutions that must be progressist, socially just, economically feasible and ecologically sustainable, democratically built, from a participative perspective and giving prominence to the people. In order to materialise this objective it is necessary to:

- Preserve diversity, plurality and human development in our nations
- Combine the defense of our economies with social rights, the preservation of non renewable natural resources and the full compliance with the Kyoto Protocol in order to protect the ozone layer
- Accept that it is necessary to develop a long term strategy that focuses on production and participation, in order to eradicate inequality and its main consequences of poverty and social exclusion, and to transform the prevailing model of income distribution imposed by traditional economic views
- Defend and strengthen the political and social movements that support the creation of a new economic order oriented towards egalitarian social and economic development, through the key participation of the people, following the example set by the liberation process initiated by the Bolivarian Republic.

We reaffirm our support to the defense of Latin American autonomy against the destabilizing attempts made by the Government of the USA, which are a threat not only to the Bolivarian Republic, but to the peoples of Latin America and the world that fight to recover their sovereignty.

A final thought:

It is necessary to reclaim utopia; during many centuries any possibility of social betterment was dismissed as utopia.

The Paris Commune made possible the creation of a new society, brought about by the destitute; it also propeled the revolutions of the 20th century.

During the last two decades of the 20th century, neoliberalism, neo-conservatism, and the hegemonic powers emanating from the USA dismantled the world, and hijacked social, economic and cultural rights.

Today, the repudiation of these policies has shaken the world. We must be confident that it is possible to put an end to the neoliberal age and to restablish balance in society, particularly in our societies. This confidence is an essential part of our victory. We must stand firm and trust that is the only alternative for mankind.

Once again, it is time to storm the heavens!

(Translated for Portal ALBA by Damaris Garzón)

Original document:

 http://www.alternativabolivariana.org/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=234