Reception of Cuban doctors in Huaraz. Photo: Peru21

A group of Cuban health professionals completed their first week of work against Covid-19 in this city in the Andes of northern Peru, which could well be considered the capital of solidarity between both countries.

The 27 Cubans re- enact the altruism of the pioneers of Cuban medical solidarity with Peru, who arrived half a century ago in Huaraz to save lives among the rubble of the city devastated by an earthquake in 1970.

That expedition brought 150,000 blood donations and left six hospitals built by builders from the island, centers that are still in operation, with some modifications.

With this precedent, it was not surprising that the new wave of solidarity arriving from the Caribbean was warmly received by the health authorities of the Ancash region – of which Huaraz is the capital – upon its arrival from the city of Chimbote, the main one on the coast. from Áncash and where they worked since last June.

The Cubans arrived with some concern about “soroche”, as altitude sickness is called in Quechua , since Huaraz is at 3,552 meters above sea level; but the precautions taken made them not affected or hardly felt the usual discomforts in people who come from the plain.

The brigade is made up of 27 health professionals from the largest of the Antilles. Photo: Peru21

Raudel Vargas, head of the brigade of 87 professionals who also cooperate with the fight against coronavirus in the southern regions of Arequipa, Ayacucho and Moquegua, expressed the satisfaction of his colleagues for the affectionate welcome to this sunny city surrounded by snow-capped mountains, called “The Peruvian Switzerland”.

At the head of the group arrived in Huaraz, Vargas said that the group arrived with the decision to contribute with their efforts, together with dedicated Peruvian professionals, to the fight against the pandemic, as they did in Chimbote.

“We have come to insert ourselves in the health system to work in a joint and integrated way, with a lot of heart and based on the most important thing, which is the health of the people,” he added. He informed Prensa Latina that the group has 11 of its members in the Víctor Ramos Guardia Regional Hospital and the other 16 in the Huaylas Sur Health Network, which includes the Huarupampa, Nicrupampa and Palmira micro-networks.

Those assigned to the aforementioned hospital “were received in a very respectful and cordial manner by the management of the center,” commented doctor Mario Héctor Almeida in one of his chronicles about the Peruvian experience.

“The Huaracinos insisted on giving us a good first impression. They looked frank and open in their speeches to make us feel at home,” he added.

He considered that it has been a week of “discoveries, new experiences, incorporation into services, greasing the machine and engaging in meeting new challenges.”

Almeida also stressed that Peruvian colleagues “have given us the confidence to work together in the effort to save as many lives as possible.”

Press conference offered by the medical brigade. Photo: Peru 21

(Taken from Prensa Latina)

They fought hard to meet the goal of surpassing the 36 gold medals won four years ago at the Toronto event, according to Osvaldo Vento Montiller, INDER President and head of the delegation to the Peruvian capital, noting athletes somber celebrations of silver and bronze medals that would unleash jubilation in any other delegation, as well as the tears of shame that flowed when a proposed goal was not met.

In a communiqué following the continental event, Vento explained, “We always emphasize that we are facing a very demanding contest, characterized by the high level of countries with more economic strength, which means an abundance of equipment, infrastructure, technology, facilities, and the needed practice, resources to nationalize, contract, or buy athletes and coaches, and other specific factors, including populations that are significantly larger than ours.”

He explained in a document presented to the media, “The reality points to the consolidation of this panorama in the future, because high performance sports increasingly demands large expenditures, and this is a challenge of great significance.”

The INDER President noted, “Given the prevailing level, described as the highest in the history of these competitions, with the presence of more than 100 Olympic medalists and 21 sports providing the opportunity to qualify for Tokyo, discipline, a winning attitude, and team spirit prevailed.”

Commenting on overall results, he noted that 20 sports made a contribution, “Nine of which contributed gold. We’re talking about boxing (8), athletics (5), wrestling (5), judo (5), shooting (4), canoeing (2), rowing (2), cycling (1) and fencing (1).”

The Cuban delegation participated in 267 of the 419 trials held, which meant being absent from 152, including more than a few not included in the Olympic program, “with which the overall order would not have been the same,” he said.

Vento highlighted those disciplines which won more medals than projected: shooting (2 more), boxing (1), athletics (1), judo (1) and fencing (1). He also referred to those in which the projected performances were not delivered, such as taekwondo and baseball, the latter with totally unexpected results, given the extensive training conducted, he said.

Our artistic gymnastics and jai alai teams did not win the medals they hoped for, while wrestling left behind two titles that had been identified as winnable, Vento noted,

Nevertheless, he insisted, “Analysis is needed, because we will never accept complacency, but nothing can take anything away from the pride we feel for the passion with which this delegation competed, to uphold the name of Cuba and the honorable people they represented.”

He again emphasized that Cuba, unlike others who add athletes and coaches from other countries to their teams, competed in Lima with an entirely Cuban delegation, “the product of a sports system within the reach of all, sustained as a priority by the state, despite the increasing hostility of the U.S. government, which imposes limitations that no other country must face.”

The INDER President likewise stressed that no disappointing performance was the result of lack of commitment or effort.

He highlighted the Cuban people’s support for the delegation, at all times, and reported that athletes were moved to receive messages from the President of Cuba’s Councils of State and Ministers, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez; Esteban Lazo Hernández, president of the National Assembly of People’s Power; and Comandante de la Revolución Ramiro Valdés Menéndez, among other leaders.

Also described as motivating were the conversations several team members held with Olga Lidia Tapia Iglesias, a member of the Party Central Committee Secretariat.

(Granma)

The President of Cuba’s National Institute of Sports, Physical Education and Recreation (INDER), Osvaldo Vento Montiller, and his Peruvian counterpart, Sebastián Suiza, discussed the issue on the last day of an intense visit to Peru by the Cuban official. Vento reported that they had agreed to update the agreement during the upcoming Lima 2019 Pan American Games, to begin July 26, when he will lead Cuba’s delegation to the city.

Among the ideas raised in the dialogue was the possibility of working together to train teachers in this field, under the concept of sports for all, taking advantage of the important infrastructure built for the Pan American Games.

The two officials mentioned areas of potential cooperation in sports medicine, athletes’ training cycles in the two countries, and training courses.

Vento and the INDER delegation that accompanied him toured the Pan American Athletes’ Village and the venues of future regional competitions, noting their quality, which he described as world-class.

The INDER president and his delegation met with the Lima 2019 Executive Director, Carlos Neuhaus, and his technical team, who informed them of organizational and logistical aspects of the Games, and offered full facilities for the Cuban delegation.

Vento also met with the President of Panam Sports, Never Ilich, and with presidents of the Olympic committees of several countries.

(Granma)

First the six Greco-Roman style fighters, then four of Cuba’s six female wrestlers, and finally five free-style gladiators all won tickets to the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima.

Cuba’s entire free-style team secured all their tickets to next year’s regional tournament, except for bronze medal winner Alejandro Valdés who was unable to compete following an elbow injury, clearing the way for the Dominican Republic’s Albaro Rudesindo, also a bronze medal winner, to snatch the spot.

Valdés was treated by the technical team and was the only fighter not to make it to the final after losing 9-10 in the semifinal, against Logan Stieber of the United States.

With his injury taking him out of the running for the silver medal, Valdés was determined to secure bronze against Canada’s Michael Asselstine, which he did with a score of 10-0 and 2:43 minutes to spare before the end of the final match.

Meanwhile, Reineri Andreu (57kg) gave Cuba its first gold after defeating Colombia’s Oscar Tigreros 10-0 in the final, and 2017 World silver medalist Thomas Gilman of the United States in the semifinal.

Andreu was followed by López (74kg) who defeated Nazar Kulchytsky also from the United States, 6-1.

Reineris Salas meanwhile, won his fifth Pan American championship title after beating Kyven Gadson (USA), 9-2 in the 97kg division.

In other final matches, Yurieski Torreblanca took silver after losing 2-3 to David Taylor (USA) in the 86kg division, as did Yudenny Alpajón, who was defeated 0-9 by Nicholas Gwiazdowski (USA).

(Granma)

The forum takes place today through the Twitter accounts of the University Students’ Federation, the Hermanos Saiz Association -which brings together young Cuban artists-, the Marti Youth Movement and the Young Communist League.

Digital content will be generated today with the tags #Cuba, #PorCuba and #HacemosCuba, to present the work of more than 2,000 organizations and associations that make up civil society in the Caribbean nation; as well as its contribution to the economic and cultural life of the country.

The tweet, called The Cuban civil society in the revolutionary process, is part of actions the youth takes place to support the Cuban delegation in parallel forums of the Summit of the Americas, hosting Lima, Peru.

(Prensa Latina)

The event was officially inaugurated in the capital city’s Derrama Magisterial auditorium and will continue through the 14th, with an extensive agenda of workshops on the region’s principal problems.

Gerónimo López, secretary general of the Peruvian General Federation of Workers, one of the Summit’s organizers, assured the Cuban press that U.S. President Trump’s decision to cancel his trip to Peru will not stop the planned anti-imperialist mobilizations.

A massive march to protest the United States’ interventionist policy is scheduled for the 12th, to demonstrate Latin American unity and solidarity with peoples and progressive governments being attacked by Washington, López said.

The march will demand the removal of the 24 foreign military bases currently operating in Peru, as well as freedom for Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the unjustly imprisoned former President of Brazil who is facing political persecution from the right.

The trade union leader pointed out that the People’s Summit is open to all who oppose neoliberal policies and U.S. intervention in our region, and the response has been great, he said.

Another of the central themes of the gathering is solidarity with the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, unilaterally excluded from the 8th Summit of the Americas, which will meet April 13-14 in Lima.

Jacobo Torres de León, national coordinator of the Bolivarian Socialist Federation of Venezuelan Workers and a member of the Constituent Assembly, is one of the country’s 70 representatives who traveled to attend the Summit of the Peoples.

“We came to demand respect for our country and an end to the blockade and sanctions,” he said, “It makes no sense that those who come to Lima to talk about democracy deny the process underway in Venezuela, with 24 elections held over the last period.”

A Cuban expert from the World Economy Research Center, Gladys Hernández, is attending the Summit, and rejects the idea that progressive governments in Our America have failed.

“We are in a new moment for neoliberalism, in which we could say that they have had some victories, but what is today a step back, could tomorrow be two steps forward,” she told Granma.

“If we are here,” Hernández continued, “it is to defend a small country, that doesn’t have great economic resources, but has been able to guarantee its people a dignified life.”

Scheduled for the 14th, when the Summit of the Peoples concludes, is a grand Cultural-Political Festival on the University of San Marcos esplanade, with performances by Cuban artists, including the popular dance band Elito Revé y su Charangón.

“The group is well known in Lima and there has been lots of interest in our performance,” Elito Revé told Granma, “We are going hold up our country and our flag’s colors high.”

Likewise, Fermín Quiñones, president of the Cuban United Nations Association, told the Cuban press that the official Civil Society Forum initiated its activities on Tuesday the 10th, and that 14 of its 28 theme-based coalitions met the first day.

The remainder will meet today, he said, including number 15, with the central theme of “For an inclusive, more respectful world,” and in which the majority of Cuba’s delegation is participating.

The Civil Society Forum, scheduled as part of the 8th Summit of the Americas, as was the case in the 2015 event in Panama, has facilitated the participation of mercenaries and groups with terrorist links, that have no legitimacy whatsoever to represent Cuban society, which has been denounced well in advance of the gathering.

Expected today is the opening of the Youth Forum and a meeting of legislators from the region.

(Granma)

Cuban youngsters who will participate in the Youth and in the Civil Society Forum, have planned an encounter with Peruvian students and scholars of the University of San Marcos to talk through the current situation of the continent and its nations.

After the delegation’s arrival in Lima marked by strong emotions, joys and pronouncements of support for Cuba and Venezuela, the Caribbean group laid a wreath at the monument to the heroes and precursors of Peruvian independence.

Likewise, the first day of stay in these South American lands closed with a political-cultural event in which the Cuban ambassador here, Sergio Gonzalez, exhorted them to raise the name of their country and to advocate for the causes to which the Revolution has been defending since 1959.

Gonzalez assured Cuban delegation, representative of all strata of society, that ‘like the triumph over the Bay of Pigs’ mercenary invasion in April 1961), here we will have another victory for Cuba.’

Around 170 members of Cuban organizations and associations traveled to this capital with the purpose of conveying the message to their peers from the rest of the American countries.

Among the delegates that will arrive, there are about 70 that will take part in the sessions of the Civil Society Forum, as well as 10 for the Youth Forum, five for the Entrepreneurs Forum and the same number for Parliamentarians (ParlAmericas).

Cuban sources told Prensa Latina that 23 representatives are also coming to attend the Peoples Summit, an event that will begin on April 10th and conclude on the 14th, the last of the two days of the Summit of Heads of State and Government.

The delegation includes students, workers, scientists, athletes, religious people, women, peasants, communicators, artists, intellectuals, economists, lawyers, health professionals and others.

The civil society and the Cuban social actors integrate over 2,000 organizations and associations that are involved in different aspects of human activity, authorized sources explained.

(Prensa Latina) 

The history of these summits over the last 20 years, from the first in Miami, in 1994, to Lima, reveals the tensions which exist between two very different social and political projects: U.S. Pan-Americanism and the integrationist vision of the liberators south of the Rio Bravo.

The agenda for the Peru Summit, which will supposedly focus on “Democratic governability in the face of corruption,” became a mockery after the host country’s President, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, resigned following a scandal over shady business dealings with the company Odebrecht.

Despite this, plans to use the event to single out certain countries, a common practice since 1994, remain in place.

This time however, it will be a lot more difficult to cover up the acts of corruption and crises of governability in many of the countries allied with Washington, which have lent themselves to attacking sovereign nations such as Venezuela.

Meanwhile, there are growing calls to put an end to exclusions which have marked the first six summits – to which Cuba was not invited following pressure from Washington – and allow Venezuela, whose invitation was withdrawn without the consensus of all member-states, to participate.

Peru will also be the site of the People’s Summit, held parallel to the main event since the 1998 edition in Chile.

Rather than civil society as represented by the rich and NGOs paid to carry out subversive acts, the regional encounter will bring together indigenous communities; the overlooked majorities; environmentalists; students; campesinos; immigrant and human rights activists; those fighting against torture, unlawful killings, police brutality and racism; as well as women’s rights activists, among others who enjoy the support of sovereign and progressive leaders of the continent.

THE FIRST SUMMIT OF THE AMERICAS

Date: December 9-11, 1994

City: Miami, the United States

Washington dreamed of creating a single market from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego with almost one billion consumers at their disposal, as well as the opportunity to exploit vast natural resources.

The Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) agreement was created by the government of Bill Clinton, who presented the idea during the first summit attended by heads of state from the region.

The site chosen for this encounter was no accident. In addition to a large Hispanic community, Miami was also the capital of subversive schemes against progressive and leftist governments of Our America, marking a clear agenda toward the region.

Although the event was created under the umbrella of the Organization of American States (OAS), since its founding the high-level segment has maintained a certain level of autonomy.

As it stands, the OAS serves at the technical secretariat of the summits, however, the host country and member-states also have power over who is invited and the issues to be addressed.

Despite this, following pressure by Washington and at a time of heightened aggression after the fall of the socialist camp, Cuba was not invited to the Miami summit.

From that moment on, the U.S. would use any kind of leverage or means of manipulation to prevent Cuba’s participation.
However, after repeated calls by Latin American and Caribbean countries for Cuba to be included, and the island was finally invited to attend the Seventh Summit in Panama City in 2015.

Seated alongside Clinton at the main table in Miami were Carlos Menem, Ernesto Zedillo, Eduardo Frei, and Alberto Fujimori, among others.
It was a time when neoliberalism was on the rise. The merriment and congratulations however, would not last long.

SECOND SUMMIT OF THE AMERICAS
Date: April 18-19, 1998

City: Santiago de Chile, Chile

Although the Chilean edition gave continuity to the issues addressed in Miami, concerns began to be raised over the idea of the free flow of goods between the north and south.

Neoliberalism, which had been violently imposed in Latin America, had fallen far short of its promises of “abounding wealth” and its negative effects were being felt above all among the working class.

Despite this, work continued on the FTAA and formal negotiations for its creation began. Clinton even promised that he would use his “fast track” negotiating authority to approve any free trade agreement with Latin America.

During the Chile summit Cuba’s absence began to be questioned, especially by Caribbean nations.
Prime Minister or Barbados, Owen Arthur, stated that this should be the last such summit without Cuba.

Chile was also where the People’s Summit was born, an alternative to the high-level segment, created to address the real issues concerning the region.

THRID SUMMIT OF THE AMERICAS
Date: April 20-22, 2001

City: Quebec, Canada

In Quebec the neoliberal vision promoted by the U.S. began to fall apart. The spirit of celebration was beginning to evaporate as constant economic crises and subsequent popular discontent swept the entire continent.

Meanwhile, a military officer in the Venezuelan army, Hugo Chávez, had been elected president and made it clear to the world of his plan to transform the country and recover its natural resources for the benefit of the people.

The Bolivarian Revolution would mark the start of one of the greatest processes of social transformation Latin America and the Caribbean had ever seen. This was the start of the end of the “long night of neoliberalism,” as Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa would later refer to it.

During the Third Summit of the Americas however, the United States continued to push for the FTAA’s implementation by 2005.

The event also opened the way for the future creation of a tool used today to manipulate and attack certain countries of the region: the Inter-American Democratic Charter.

From Cuba, Fidel would give a premonitory warning about the Quebec Summit: “The people of Latin America and the Caribbean can be devoured but not digested; sooner or later they will escape the belly of the whale.”

The Quebec Summit was also historic given the large and unprecedented mobilization of all sectors of civil society as well as brutal police repression. At least 435 people were arrested and more than 100 injured over two days of protests, marches, and clashes involving some 60,000 people.

FOURTH SUMMIT OF THE AMERICAS

Date: November 4-5, 2005

City: Mar del Plata, Argentina

If Miami served to give life to the FTAA, then the Mar del Plata Summit, was its official burial.

The event was marked by the participation of Chávez and Argentine president Néstor Kirchner, whose country was just starting to recover from the economic crisis following years of neoliberal economic policy.

The triumph of new, leftist political forces in countries like Brazil, Bolivia, Ecuador, Nicaragua, and Uruguay caused a radical shift in the balance of power in the region which began to seek its own integration alternatives.

This situation would lead to the creation of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America-People’s Trade Agreement (ALBA-TCP), Petrocaribe, Unasur and finally, the long awaited, Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC).

Most of the countries in attendance closed ranks against Washington’s free trade agreement citing major differences between the two regions.

For the first time in a Summit of the Americas, the will of Latin America and the Caribbean prevailed. U.S. President George W. Bush was unable to hide his surprise at the decision by participating countries.

Although the issue of Cuba’s exclusion had always been present, ever since the first event in Miami, Mar del Plata was the moment when the demand to include the island really began to take root.
There, it was made clear that any hemispheric event would be incomplete without the presence of the largest island in the Antilles.

Meanwhile, the Third People’s Summit, which saw the participation of some 500 civil organizations, including a delegation from Cuba, ended with a strong statement opposing the FTAA and proposing alternative to the agreement.
In the closing ceremony of the encounter, Chávez uttered his historic phrase: “ALCA, ALCA, al carajo.” (ALCA, ALCA, to hell with ALCA).

FIFTH SUMMIT OF THE AMERICAS
Date: April 17-19, 2009

City: Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago

This was President Barack Obama’s first visit to Latin America and the Caribbean.
His campaign for change had generated expectations about a different kind of relationship between the U.S. and its neighbors.

The Cuba issue was a focus of debates. A strong demand was made for the lifting of the blockade, while various heads of state called for Cuba to be included in the event.

“I refuse to call this summit a Summit of the Americas. There are two great countries missing; Cuba and Puerto Rico,” stated Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, during his speech.

Meanwhile, in their remarks, the presidents of Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela, Bolivia, and Nicaragua criticized the absurdity of the U.S. government’s policy of isolating Cuba.

At the Summit in Trinidad and Tobago, Chavez presented President Obama with a copy of The Open Veins of Latin America, by Uruguayan author Eduardo Galeano, which describes the effects of European, and later United States, economic exploitation and political dominance over the region.

Trinidad and Tobago was also where the famous encounter between Chávez and Obama took place, when the Bolivarian leader, speaking in English, told the U.S. President, “I want to be your friend.” Later, before the meeting between the U.S. and Unasur began, the Venezuelan leader stood up and presented Obama with a copy of The Open Veins of Latin America, by Uruguayan author Eduardo Galeano, which describes the effects of European, and later United States, economic exploitation and political dominance over the region.

Obama pledged to promote a relationship with Latin America based on respect and cooperation and called to open a new chapter to advance toward a prosperous future – a discourse he would maintain throughout his presidency, while his government worked to destroy all progressive and leftist movements in its path.

SIXTH SUMMIT OF THE AMERICAS
Date: April 14-15, 2012

City: Cartagena de Indias, Colombia
The United States’ continued refusal to invite Cuba to the Summit threatened to destroy the mechanism created by Washington. The event was marked by the absence of the Presidents of Ecuador, Venezuela, and Nicaragua, showing that the future of the event would depend on Cuba’s inclusion.

The United States and its hostile policy were clearly isolated in Cartagena de Indias where it was reiterated that the historic error of excluding Cuba must be corrected as soon as possible.

Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Bolivia stated that they would not attend another hemispheric summit without Cuba, a position supported by Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and the Caribbean Community.

SEVENTH SUMMIT OF THE AMERICAS
Date: April 10-11, 2015

City: Panama City, Panama

The unanimous demand by countries of the region for Cuba’s presence at the regional event was finally met.

Although the U.S. tried to make it seem like Washington had made a “concession” to Cuba, the truth is that the inclusion of the island represented a right won by the countries of the region, who had continued to demand that Cuba be invited, even threatened not to attend if the island continued to be excluded.

Raúl attended the 7th Summit, a victory for Latin American and Caribbean countries that demanded Cuba’s participation for years.  The voice of the historic leadership of the Revolution was heard during the Seventh Summit, the same one that had resisted U.S. aggression since January 1, 1959. Army General Raúl Castro was received with a standing ovation as he entered the auditorium.

His subsequent meeting with President Barack Obama marked another step forward in the process toward the normalization of relations between the two countries announced on December 17, 2014.

EIGHTH SUMMIT OF THE AMERICAS
Date: April 13-14, 2018

City: Lima, Peru

The latest edition of the Summit of the Americas will be marked by the presence of the new U.S. President, Donald Trump, and ongoing conflicts between his administration and various Latin American countries.
Trump’s electoral campaign was characterized by an anti-Latin American and anti-immigrant rhetoric, which included describing Mexicans as “murderers and rapists” and promising that the country would foot the bill to build a giant wall along the border.

Meanwhile, things haven’t improved since Trump arrived at the White House. One of his first actions was to order a review of Cuba policy, which he announced in June 2017 in Miami, surrounded by the anti-Cuban right wing.

He also ordered the tightening of the blockade and took steps to further restrict travel between the two countries.

Washington has also been targeting the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. Although the current President inherited a hostile policy toward Caracas – which was described by Obama as a national security threat – from the previous administration, tensions escalated after Trump alluded to the possible use of military force against the Latin American country.

To this must be added Washington’s long list of sanctions against Venezuela, an economic boycott by the right wing, which is negatively impacting the Venezuelan people.

Trump was recently caught up in another scandal after describing a group of African and Latin American nations as “shithole countries,” sparking global outrage.
Protectionist measures announced this year by the U.S. President are also causing friction with traditional allies which are set to suffer if Washington decides to change the rules of the bilateral trade game.

The balance of power in Latin America and the Caribbean however, is not the same as in past summits.

Although the regional right, which have historically submitted to Washington’s interests, have claimed victory in several key countries, its voice shouldn’t be as strong in Lima.

Therefore, the question now, as the Peru Summit approaches, is if the region will be able to mount a united front against U.S. aggression which affects millions of Latin Americans and Caribbeans, or go back to committing the same mistakes of the past.

(Granma)

Some 170 members of Cuban organizations and associations traveled to this capital city seeking to bring the message of the Cuban people to their counterparts from the rest of the countries in the Americas.

The large delegation includes some 70 representatives that will take part in the sessions of the Civil Society Forum, as well as 10 delegates for the Youth Forum, five delegates for the Business Forum and five more for Parliamentarians’ Forum (ParlAmericas).

Cuban sources told the Prensa Latina news agency that 23 representatives are also arriving in Peru to attend the Peoples Summit, an event that will begin on April 10th and close on the 14th, the last day of the two-day Summit of Heads of State and Government.

According to an invitation addressed to the Peruvian and foreign media registered here, the Cuban delegates will place a wreath today at the monument to Heroes of Independence, in a central area in Lima.

The Cuban delegation is varied, made up of students, workers, scientists, athletes, religious people, women, farmers, communication workers, artists, intellectuals, economists, lawyers, health professionals and others.

Delegates told the Prensa Latina news agency that the biggest challenge of Cuba’s participation in the side activities to the Summit of the Americas is to show the varied nature and large representation of Cuban civil society.

Cuba also seeks to reiterate the commitment to build prosperous and sustainable socialism, while expressing its solidarity with the Bolivarian people of Venezuela, the Government of which was excluded from the high-level sessions of the summit.

The Cuban civil society and its activists make up more than 2000 organizations and associations that involve different fields of human activities, said specialized sources.

Given the motto of the Summit of the Americas, ‘Democratic Governance against Corruption’, Cuban delegates will denounce this scourge expressions in the economic, political and social fields, which damage objective of sustainable development.

(Prensa Latina) 

The encounter is being organized by the United National Command for the Struggle (CNUL), of the General Workers’ Federation of Peru (CGTP); people’s movements; trade unions; civil society networks and platforms; indigenous communities; as well as feminist, youth and social movements, who will come together April 10 through 14.

“The encounter between leaders will take place in a regional context marked by the counter-offensive of the regional right-wing, which is attempting to re-launch the Summit of the Americas in order to promote the Pacific Alliance trade bloc and the political interests of the Lima Group, interests which stand in contrast to those of the peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean as expressed in UNASUR, ALBA and CELAC,” notes the event announcement.

“In the face of the imperialist and interventionist offensive by the U.S. government led by Donald Trump, we assume the defence of our national sovereignty and regional integration with its own voice,” the organizers continue.

The Summit of the Americas is an event created by the United States, with the first held in Miami in 1994, during the Bill Clinton administration.

However, social movements from Latin America and the Caribbean have always been present, in one way or another, at said encounters to make the demands of the peoples of the region heard.

(Granma)