As part of the 79th session of the UNGA, the Executive Council of ALBA-TCP met with the presence of the main member countries of this important regional bloc. teleSUR
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00:00Welcome back, and let's go live today, United Nations, as the ALBA political council is
00:05underway.
00:06Let's listen.
00:07We reaffirm today that the dark forces of Earth have no rights over our processes, paths
00:14of light, life and truth.
00:17Thank you very much.
00:22Thank you, Minister.
00:24I would like to give the floor to His Excellency, Everly Poole, the Chad Green, Minister for
00:31Foreign Affairs, Agriculture, Commerce and Affairs of Barbuda, Antigua Barbuda, you
00:38have the floor.
00:41Thank you, Foreign Minister, head of delegations and colleagues.
01:01Good morning to you all.
01:07To engage with my colleague members of this important solidarity group of our region.
01:15December this year will mark 20 years of ALBA, and I want to thank our founding fathers,
01:22the militant visionaries who carried the flag for the continued liberation of our Americas.
01:28I refer specifically to Commanders Fidel Castro Ruz and Hugo Rafael Chavez Frias.
01:38As a manifestation of a new and progressive regional integration alliance in 2004, ALBA
01:44has emerged as a strong grouping of countries providing meaningful support and solidarity
01:50in a very challenging global environment.
01:54As Antigua and Barbuda reiterate, our congratulations to President Nicolas Maduro on his victory
02:00at the recently held elections.
02:03The people of the historic, heroic Bolivian Republic came out in numbers to exercise their
02:11constitutional rights by giving President Maduro a vote of confidence to continue the
02:18Chavez revolution, which was started in 1998.
02:23They have given the government a mandate to continue with the economic recovery program
02:28designed to improve the lives of citizens and to further enhance the integration of
02:33Latin America and the Caribbean.
02:37Colleagues, critical to the building of a strong ALBA is the need for all of us, including
02:44our national coordinators, to play a more meaningful and proactive role in the implementation
02:50of plans and strategies.
02:53Equally important is ensuring a more active engagement with the youth of our region.
03:01Antigua and Barbuda remains committed to the plans established for the implementation of
03:05the ALBA TPC Development Cooperation Agency, designed to enhance our developmental initiatives
03:13for members of this organization.
03:18It is against that backdrop that my country calls for the exclusion of Cuba from the list
03:23of countries that allegedly sponsor international terrorism.
03:28This unilateral and fair classification has caused untold negative challenges for the
03:34ordinary people of Cuba in areas of international trade and in basic financial transactions.
03:41In addition, we reject the unjust embargo placed on Cuba by the U.S.
03:47This horrific act is causing severe and untold suffering to the ordinary people of Cuba and
03:54is a violation of human rights.
03:59It is time for the rest of the 187 countries who vote against the embargo at the U.N. General
04:05Assembly every year to find new ways of sending a message of disappointment and disagreement
04:12against this act that severely hampers the socioeconomic reforms in Cuba.
04:19We also strongly condemn the U.S. imposition of unilateral measures on the Bolivarian Republic
04:24of Venezuela and the Republic of Nicaragua, especially in these trying economic times.
04:31We stand in solidarity with the plurinational state of Bolivia and Honduras against destabilizing
04:39attempts against the country's efforts to promote peace, democracy, and the rule of
04:44law.
04:46As members of the Albert Alliance, we continue to find ways of ensuring that the sovereignty
04:52of countries and the rule of law and the principles of the Charter of the U.N. are constantly
04:58adhered to and followed.
05:01And Tegan Barbie remains committed to ensuring that our region remains a zone of peace.
05:08We pursue the effective maintenance of peace, security, and stability in our thrust for
05:13an effective integration process.
05:17We strongly condemn any attempt by any country to interfere in the internal affairs of Latin
05:23American and Caribbean countries to cause destabilization or to impose policies contrary
05:30to the will of our nations.
05:33Colleagues, this Bolivarian Alliance, of which we are all proud members, can only achieve
05:40optimum social and economic well-being of our people if we work closely together in
05:46mutual solidarity.
05:48In this regard, Tegan Barbie remains committed to the principles of respect for sovereignty,
05:54territorial integrity, and non-interference in the internal affairs of states.
06:01These are values that underpin our relationship with friendly countries.
06:05The challenges facing our region are vast and diverse.
06:10Climate change remains an existential threat to the countries of the world, creating tremendous
06:16hardships for poor and vulnerable countries.
06:19Currently, our Bosnian sisters in St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada need long-term
06:26infrastructure support and financing to address the damages inflicted by Hurricane Beryl in
06:32July of this year.
06:38As ALBA members, we must continue to work collectively and to dialogue to ensure we
06:43achieve not only climate justice, but also reparatory justice for the crime against humanity
06:50committed during chastity slavery and genocide committed against indigenous people of our
06:55region.
06:56Tegan Barbie looks forward to the continued support of ALBA members in the implementation
07:02of the Tegan Barbie Agenda for SIDS, the ABAS, over the next 10 years, which will be a critical
07:08period for all SIDS countries.
07:11We welcome your support for the establishment of a SIDS Center of Excellence in Tegan Barbie,
07:16which will include a SIDS Data Hub, a Technology and Innovation Mechanism, and an Island Investment
07:21Forum.
07:23Additionally, because of our vulnerability, and Tegan Barbie endorses the recently completed
07:30Multidimensional Vulnerability Index, the MVI, as a vital tool to help small nations
07:37gain access to concessional financing that we need to survive this climate catastrophe.
07:42To improve our long-term national planning, service our debts, and sign up to insurance
07:48and compensation schemes that may be our last hope when waters rise.
07:55In conclusion, colleagues, and Tegan Barbie confirms today our support for the declaration
08:03of the ALBA-TCP 24th Political Council, held here on the margins of the 79th session of
08:10the United Nations General Assembly.
08:12Muchas gracias.
08:24Thank you very much, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Antigua and Barbuda.
08:30I would like to give the floor to His Excellency Frederick Stephenson, Minister of Foreign
08:38Affairs, Foreign Trade, and Consumption of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
08:43You have the floor.
08:48Good morning, everyone.
08:51Excellencies, distinguished representatives, at the outset, I express sincerest appreciation
08:59to His Excellency, Van Gil Pinto, the Foreign Minister of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela,
09:06for the arrangements of today's very important deliberations.
09:11As a new Foreign Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, I also extend warm solidarity
09:17greetings to colleagues, foreign ministers, and further reaffirm Saint Vincent and the
09:22Grenadines' unwavering commitment to continue solidifying and advancing the ideals, principles,
09:30and purpose of the ALBA-TCP.
09:35In this context, and against the backdrop of the plethora of complex global challenges,
09:40particularly those confronting our alliance, permit me to offer the following reflections
09:46as we forge ahead towards the commemoration of our 20th anniversary on December 14 this year.
09:57As a background, almost 20 years ago, ALBA-TCP was created based on solidarity and mutual
10:05respect among its members, and grounded on the sacrosanct principles of the United Nations
10:11Charter.
10:13ALBA, funded as an alternative force of Latin America and the Caribbean unity and integration,
10:21was juxtaposed against a free trade area of the Americas, the FTAA, a hemispheric wide
10:29free trade zone modeled on the neoliberal precepts of deregulation and free market capitalism.
10:38ALBA eventually metamorphosed into the Alliance to better reflect the ethos of our integration
10:46mechanism and the principles of solidarity, mutual respect, and support.
10:53Your Excellencies, distinguished representatives, enshrined in our alliance is a spirit of unity
11:00as exposed in Simone Boliviar's 1815 letter of Jamaica, and the ideals of solidarity and
11:08resistance of JosĂ© MartĂ's Our America of 1891.
11:14Indeed, the precepts of our great liberators were manifested through our founding fathers,
11:21Miguel Castro and Hugo Chávez, who, in their infinite wisdom, created our alliance.
11:30In the joint declaration that established ALBA, our leaders asserted, and I quote,
11:36that the cardinal principle that shall guide ALBA is the greatest sense of solidarity between
11:42the peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean.
11:47Unquestionably, the creation of ALBA-TCP was not happenstance.
11:55Today, the ideals and spirit of our alliance are alive and well.
12:02They are self-evident in our visionary leaders, who are guided by the principles which birthed
12:08our alliance.
12:10These principles grounded in unity, complementarity, solidarity, the sanctity of national sovereignty,
12:19respect for international law, peace, dialogue, and compromise for the preservation of humanity,
12:26prosperity, and development are part of our DNA.
12:32They are our raison d'etre.
12:37The journey advances and setbacks.
12:40Since the creation of our alliance, we have chalked up significant achievements,
12:46but we have also called upon to consistently demonstrate our relevance and address global
12:54phenomena arising from human failing and or folly, including the adverse effects of climate
13:02change, the continued quest for hegemony by powerful states that flagrantly violate international
13:10law, the imposition of illegal unilateral coercive measures, economic blockades, blacklistings,
13:19the weaponization of trade and finance, and health hazards such as COVID-19.
13:27Indeed, there have been setbacks, but our alliance continues to advance, steeped in
13:34the bedrock principles of international law and with the determination of our leaders
13:40to continue to pursue our common development objectives and ideals for the ennoblement
13:47of our peoples.
13:49Navigating ALBA-TCP in today's interwoven world of multifaceted issues and
13:56contradictions have become ever more difficult.
14:02Excellencies, Distinguished Representatives,
14:07As we deepen our integration and close ranks, we must remain resolute in confronting the
14:13threats against the sovereignty and political independence of members of our alliance by
14:19those forces which perpetually flout international law, evidenced by the imposition of unilateral
14:26coercive measures on our sister nations, Venezuela and Nicaragua, a semblance of the anarchistic
14:35illegal economic blockade imposed against Cuba.
14:41We ought to reject always and categorically all unilateral coercive measures and vehemently
14:48call for the removal of Cuba from the so-called list of state sponsors of terrorism.
14:56Our ALBA must remain in the vanguard in championing a just multipolar international system.
15:06Along this line, St. Vincent and the Grenadines expresses its appreciation for the solidarity
15:14and continued support of our alliance on the issue of reparations for slavery and native
15:20genocide.
15:21This quest for just restitution from those who illegally and immorally benefited from
15:27the organized system of chattel slavery is a noise in our blood and an echo in our bones.
15:37Likewise, we urge our alliance to exert all efforts to accelerate support for the sister
15:43nation of Palestine, which continues its permanent struggle against imperialistic forces.
15:52No stone must be left unturned in Palestine's quest for peace, justice, and the sustainable
15:59development of its people.
16:03The exigencies of our time compel us to do such.
16:09I now make a few recommendations for institutional strengthening and the way forward.
16:19Excellencies, Distinguished Representatives,
16:23Finally, as we draw closer to our year-end celebrations, I take this opportunity to put
16:30forward the following recommendations in keeping with the ALBA-TCP 2030 Development Agenda
16:36I state here and now.
16:39The need to strengthen the institutional and organizational framework of our alliance by
16:45ensuring that the established structures and agencies are robust to face the prevailing
16:51winds of our time.
16:54This includes bolstering the ALBA Bank as well as the Political and Economic Council
17:00by ensuring that there is high-level attendance at the meetings of both councils and that
17:06there is consistency, regularity, and continuity in representation.
17:15The need to continue to forge stronger and establish formal relations with other regional
17:21groups such as SILAC, BRICS, CARICOM, MERCOSUR, ASEAN,
17:31and to seek alliance with countries such as Brazil, China, South Africa, India, and Russia.
17:40The importance of accelerating our work in priority areas and consolidate our alliance
17:47on a social, political, and economic front.
17:51In conclusion, Excellencies, Distinguished Representatives,
17:56If there was ever a time for our alliance to demonstrate great unity and resolve,
18:02the time is now.
18:05A time to safeguard the principles of international law and multilateralism,
18:11regenerate and secure our relevance.
18:15In recommitting to exercise our rights as independent sovereign nations
18:20under the banner of ALBA-TCP,
18:23let us get in high gear to attend our contemporary challenges.
18:31St. Vincent and the Grenadines recommit to ALBA-TCP.
18:37I thank you.
18:45Thank you very much, Minister.
18:49Now I would like to give the floor to His Excellency Silver Aron,
18:53Ambassador, Extraordinary Potentiary and Permanent Representative
18:58of the Commonwealth of Dominica in the UN.
19:03You have the floor, sir.
19:07Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
19:14Now I'm going to shift to English.
19:23Before, however, I would like to say
19:31I'm going to talk about the period between 2008 and 2018
19:41when I was the first national coordinator of Anglophone countries,
19:51English-speaking countries,
19:54but we're the first country of the Eastern Caribbean region
20:02of English-speaking countries that joined ALBA-TCP.
20:09It was a different moment in our history.
20:20It was harder for small countries, Antigua and Barbuda,
20:25St. Vincent and the Grenadines,
20:31to join ALBA.
20:34We were very much scared and fearful
20:44vis-a-vis the powers of our region.
20:50The psychology at the time was also different.
20:55And I would like to remember those days
21:07so we can contribute to this dialogue of today.
21:12I also remember when I was
21:20one of the first members of this grouping,
21:26the first in English-speaking countries,
21:32and also one of the first members
21:36of an English-speaking country.
21:40And also as a member of the ALBA Bank,
21:50Francisco Arias Cárdenas
21:57told us we are ready to begin.
22:00So now I'm going to shift to English.
22:10Proper procedure.
22:12Thank you very much, Mr. President,
22:15Mr. Chairman of our session,
22:18the People's Power Minister for Foreign Affairs
22:25of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela,
22:28Mr. Ivan Eduardo Gil Pinto.
22:32Let me salute also the entire head table,
22:36our good friend RaĂşl de Cousy,
22:39who for a long time was the CEO
22:44of Air Eastern Caribbean,
22:48linking our countries
22:52with Venezuela, Bolivia, Ecuador, Honduras,
22:57in the most effective way
23:00and was very responsible
23:04for the very tight connections
23:07that we have today.
23:10Let me salute also Ms. Edith Pereaza
23:13and my good colleague Joaquin Perez,
23:17your good ambassador who fights daily
23:21in New York, not an easy place,
23:25for Venezuela and the people of Venezuela.
23:29Thank you very much for that.
23:32Let me do a personal history as I began.
23:38Not just for entertainment,
23:41but for, I believe, stressing something I think
23:45it would be a good moment to stress.
23:51So I joined, I became the first
23:53national coordinator of ALBA
23:55among the English speaking countries.
23:58When I joined, when Dominica joined,
24:01present were Venezuela, Cuba,
24:05Nicaragua, Bolivia.
24:08We joined before Honduras.
24:12We welcomed Honduras into ALBA.
24:18And when there was a threat against Honduras
24:21joining ALBA, and eventually
24:24the threat was carried out,
24:27that membership in ALBA would cause trouble.
24:34And I was political coordinator,
24:38national coordinator,
24:41when the government was removed,
24:47I participated with others,
24:51in discussions to return
24:55the constitutional order,
24:58discussions in Nicaragua,
25:02and then in Washington D.C. at the U.S.
25:07Let me go back though,
25:10a little earlier.
25:13I said it, but I want to stress
25:17that when Dominica joined ALBA,
25:23it was following a declaration
25:26by three Eastern Caribbean states
25:28to join ALBA, Antigua and Barbuda,
25:31under Baldwin, Spencer,
25:33and St. Vincent and the Grenadines
25:35under Comrade Ralph Gonzalez.
25:38The heat was elevated.
25:42That is December 2007.
25:46And in 2008,
25:52February,
25:55Prime Minister Roosevelt's carriage,
25:57whose greetings I bring to you,
26:00joined ALBA.
26:04And holy hell broke out
26:07in the Caribbean.
26:10Propaganda on
26:13all regional talk radio.
26:20The heat was so elevated
26:23that the courageous Ralph Gonzalez
26:26of St. Vincent and the Grenadines
26:29and Baldwin, Spencer
26:34held back and didn't join.
26:37And Roosevelt's carriage
26:40looked like he was
26:43someone who did not
26:46listen to his people.
26:49And jurists in the Caribbean
26:52brought a claim
26:55against Roosevelt's carriage
26:58that he was violating
27:01CARICOM, the foundational
27:04treaty of CARICOM,
27:07Treaty of Chaguaramas,
27:09which requires coordination
27:11of foreign affairs.
27:14And that was one of the
27:16most difficult periods
27:18of Prime Minister Roosevelt's carriage.
27:22And
27:25amidst that claim,
27:30at the end of February,
27:32Prime Minister Roosevelt's carriage
27:33did a national address
27:36dedicated to one topic,
27:39Hugo Chavez and ALBA.
27:44And that speech has become known as
27:47There is no devil in ALBA.
27:54And that
27:57speech
28:00helped to calm, but did not quite calm
28:03the fury
28:06in the region.
28:08Please note that
28:10part of the difficulty
28:12was that the other two
28:14Eastern Caribbean countries
28:16that had declared
28:19and it's a public declaration
28:21alongside Hugo Chavez that he would join ALBA
28:24had stepped back.
28:27In March,
28:30March 3rd,
28:32I was appointed
28:34National Coordinator of ALBA.
28:38And I went
28:40on the radio
28:42in Dominica
28:44and consistently spoke
28:46about our
28:48links to Latin America
28:50because that was part of the problem.
28:52The English-speaking region
28:56has been made
28:58to feel separate
29:00from the Spanish-speaking.
29:04And the Spanish-speaking
29:06has been
29:08positioned
29:10as dictatorial,
29:14anti-Western,
29:16and other things.
29:20And that was part of the problem.
29:22So my first position
29:24was to speak to the people
29:26of Dominica
29:28on these connections.
29:30And especially to remind
29:32from my point of view,
29:34my point of view,
29:36especially to remind
29:38the people of Dominica
29:40that the people
29:42of Latin America
29:44had not enslaved
29:48us.
29:50But
29:52what really
29:54turned the tide
29:56was that
30:00the friendship
30:02and cooperation
30:04between
30:06ALBA and Dominica
30:14was not
30:16long words.
30:18It was not abstractions.
30:20It was practical,
30:22concrete,
30:24and visible to the people.
30:28And the people of Dominica
30:30this point of context
30:32is also important.
30:34This is a time when Dominica
30:36is suffering deep
30:38economic crisis because
30:40our main
30:42product, banana,
30:44which accounted for
30:4680% of our exports
30:50had disappeared
30:52under
30:54the pressure
30:56of legal challenges
30:58by
31:00the United States
31:02federal government
31:04in association with producers of banana
31:06Dole
31:08and Chiquita.
31:10And
31:12in came
31:14I must recognize
31:16the state of Venezuela
31:18as well as
31:20the ALBA
31:22which was then an
31:24alternative
31:26was not yet
31:28alliance.
31:30And the
31:32concrete and practical
31:34cooperation
31:36with Dominica
31:38with Dominica
31:40in areas of hydrocarbons
31:42in areas of education
31:44those
31:46concrete
31:48manifestations of
31:50brotherhood
31:52of solidarity
31:54turned the tide
31:56for the people of Dominica.
32:00And
32:02in 2009
32:04when
32:06Hugo Chavez would visit Dominica
32:08people
32:10would spontaneously
32:14go out
32:16and call him
32:18Papa Chavez.
32:20Nobody asked.
32:22We didn't ask anybody to do that.
32:24The people did it.
32:26And
32:28in 2010
32:30I don't have my notes before me
32:32but in 2010 if I recall well
32:35the
32:37three countries
32:39joined ALBA.
32:41Honduras joined separately.
32:43I remember going to
32:45Tegucigalpa
32:47to have
32:49welcome Honduras in.
32:51But three countries
32:53joined.
32:55They were Antigua Barbuda,
32:57San Vincente and the Grenadines
32:59and Ecuador.
33:01And
33:03at that meeting
33:05I remember
33:07President Chavez
33:09saying
33:11and he
33:13called
33:15he did not pronounce Roosevelt's name well
33:17he would say
33:19scary.
33:21Now if you say scary, scary means
33:23afraid
33:25or you know fearsome
33:27causes fear.
33:29He said at that moment
33:31scary was
33:33first.
33:35Now this is not just
33:37congratulating scary to anybody
33:39or going down memory lane.
33:41So let me just
33:43round up. Here's what I want to say.
33:45Here is the purpose of what I
33:47want to say.
33:49I believe the strength of ALBA
33:51is creativity.
33:53The creativity
33:55of having
33:57trouble
33:59supplying
34:01petroleum hydrocarbons
34:03as a member
34:05of
34:07a cartel
34:09and formulating a way
34:11of providing
34:13to the Caribbean
34:15I don't have to
34:17give the details
34:19hydrocarbons
34:21that does not create
34:23trouble for your membership
34:25in the cartel
34:27but does great service
34:29to the people of the Caribbean.
34:31So my dear friends
34:33in my
34:35respectful view
34:37born out of 10 years
34:39of experience in every
34:41level
34:43of ALBA
34:45I have attended technical
34:47mesa technical tables
34:49you know literally
34:51I have attended ministerial meetings
34:53political coordination meetings
34:55I have been in ALBA, I have been in PetroCaribe
34:57creativity
35:01creativity
35:03and I will mention one more controversy
35:05and
35:07close up there
35:09there was always a controversy
35:11as to whether ALBA
35:13would be an international
35:15global organization with a
35:17focus on anybody
35:19else, Palestine
35:21I love my Palestinian brothers
35:23and anybody else
35:25that was always a controversy when we
35:27when we joined
35:29and afterwards
35:31so
35:33my friends
35:37creativity
35:39we have
35:41practical, concrete
35:43we do have abstract problems too
35:45we have problems of sovereignty
35:47we have those
35:49but
35:51my respectful view
35:53especially
35:55in those instances
35:57with those individuals
35:59from Chavez
36:01to Raul
36:03to Daniel who has been a long friend of the Caribbean
36:05since in the days of Grenada
36:07and
36:09throughout
36:11creativity
36:14creativity
36:16creative ways
36:18in solving the practical
36:20daily
36:22technical
36:24and other problems
36:26of our people
36:28and
36:30I have spoken too long, I apologize
36:32I wish to close here
36:34but to remind
36:36everybody that my
36:38experience of those ten years in ALBA
36:40was an experience
36:42of a grassroots movement
36:44that made a real
36:46grassroots difference
36:48in the lives of
36:50grassroots people
36:52in a very focused way
36:54and I wish
36:56that we can continue to do that
36:58and multiply that
37:00that's the best I can do
37:02Thank you very much
37:06Ambassador
37:08I would like to give the floor to His Excellency
37:10Ambassador
37:12Excellency
37:14of Grenada
37:16and
37:18we only have eight minutes before we
37:20close the room
37:22and we still need to close
37:24with the statement of the Executive Secretary
37:26Jorge Reyes, thank you very much
37:33Good morning
37:35I think a protocol has been
37:37already established
37:39Distinguished Excellencies
37:43I would like to express Grenada's
37:45gratitude to the Bolivian Republic
37:47of Venezuela for graciously
37:49hosting our
37:51annual ALBA-TCP meeting
37:53At the outset
37:55on behalf of the government
37:57of Grenada, I wish to express
37:59our gratitude to the ALBA
38:01countries that have shown
38:03by example
38:05what it means to support
38:07a member of the family
38:09in time of need
38:11when the fickle finger of fate
38:13seemingly conspires with nature
38:15and has tested us
38:17particularly with the impact
38:19of Hurricane Beryl
38:21which left our twin islands
38:23of Karikou and Piti Martinique
38:25in devastation
38:27Your willingness
38:29to lend a helping hand
38:31during this difficult period
38:33speaks volumes about
38:35regional solidarity
38:37and deep camaraderie
38:39that unites us as an alliance
38:45We are meeting
38:47during what best can be described
38:49as a time of great concern
38:51and an inflection point
38:53The global community
38:55is confronting a confluence
38:57of multidimensional crises
38:59on various fronts
39:01A crisis to which
39:03countries like ours
39:05have contributed the least
39:07but which needless to say
39:09are having a disproportionately
39:11severe impact on us
39:13From Grenada's
39:15perspective
39:17the theme of this meeting
39:19underscores the reality
39:21that we are failing to achieve
39:23our full potential for development
39:25peace and security
39:27due to the action of others
39:29It is no secret
39:31that we smaller nations
39:33have had to confront
39:35and endure the profound impact
39:37of conflicts, climate change
39:39a volatile and unstable
39:41economy, pandemics
39:43and a plethora of
39:45persistent challenges
39:47while at the same time
39:49Grenada remains committed
39:51to upholding the tenets
39:53of the UN Charter
39:57We remain resolute
39:59on the fundamental
40:01attribution of all peoples
40:03and states to sovereignty
40:05independence and the right
40:07to freely determine
40:09their own domestic and foreign
40:11policies
40:15We see more and more
40:17a world in which the role
40:19of the UN in maintaining
40:21peace and security
40:23and facilitating
40:25unhindered development
40:28is being called into question
40:32We see and hear
40:34questions about the applicability
40:36of a rule-based order
40:38We too have serious
40:40concerns regarding the fairness
40:42of the application
40:44of international law
40:46principles and policies
40:50We believe that there should
40:52not be one set of rules
40:54for one and another
40:56for others
40:58one rule for the rich
41:00and another for the poor
41:02To the contrary
41:04there should only be one rule
41:06fairness in the application
41:08of international law
41:10principles and policies
41:12guided by empirical
41:14facts
41:16It would be remiss
41:18of me not to touch upon
41:20the global landscape
41:22in which geopolitics
41:24to swing from the
41:26Russia-Ukraine conflict
41:28to the Israeli war on Palestine
41:30to the instability in our sister
41:32state of Haiti
41:34to the humanitarian crisis in Sudan
41:38We note with increasing alarm
41:40that these areas of conflicts
41:42are fanned further
41:44by the support of those
41:46who do not see peace
41:48as a precursor to security
41:50and development
41:52We note with increasing alarm
41:54that these areas of conflicts
41:56are fanned further
41:58by the support of those
42:00who do not see peace
42:02as a precursor to security
42:04and development
42:06We note with increasing alarm
42:08that these areas of conflicts
42:10are fanned further
42:12by the support of those
42:14who do not see peace
42:16as a precursor to security
42:18and development
42:20We note with increasing alarm
42:22that these areas of conflicts
42:24are fanned further
42:26by the support of those
42:28who do not see peace
42:30as a precursor to security
42:32and development
42:34We note with increasing alarm
42:36that these areas of conflicts
42:38are fanned further
42:40by the support of those
42:42who do not see peace
42:44as a precursor to security
42:46and development
42:48We note with increasing alarm
42:50that these areas of conflicts
42:52are fanned further
42:54by the support of those
42:56who do not see peace
42:58as a precursor to security
43:00and development
43:02We note with increasing alarm
43:04that these areas of conflicts
43:06are fanned further
43:08by the support of those
43:10who do not see peace
43:12as a precursor to security
43:14and development
43:16We note with increasing alarm
43:18that these areas of conflicts
43:20are fanned further
43:22by the support of those
43:24who do not see peace
43:26as a precursor to security
43:28and development
43:30We note with increasing alarm
43:32that these areas of conflicts
43:34are fanned further
43:36by the support of those
43:38who do not see peace
43:40as a precursor to security
43:42and development
43:44We note with increasing alarm
43:46that these areas of conflicts
43:48are fanned further
43:50by the support of those
43:52who do not see peace
43:54as a precursor to security
43:56and development
43:58We note with increasing alarm
44:00that these areas of conflicts
44:02are fanned further
44:04by the support of those
44:06who do not see peace
44:08as a precursor to security
44:10and development
44:13We note with increasing alarm
44:15that these areas of conflicts
44:17are fanned further
44:19by the support of those
44:21who do not see peace
44:23as a precursor to security
44:25and development
44:27We note with increasing alarm
44:29that these areas of conflicts
44:31are fanned further
44:33by the support of those
44:35who do not see peace
44:37as a precursor to security
44:39and development
44:41I reject the U.S. State Department
44:43ongoing inclusion of Cuba
44:45on the list of
44:47states of sponsored terrorism
44:49The designation
44:51itself contradicts
44:53the fundamental principles of
44:55international law
44:57particularly the principles of sovereignty
44:59and non-interference
45:01a position that applies
45:03to all countries
45:05The removal
45:07of this antiquated embargo
45:09will not only be
45:11to the benefit of millions
45:13of our Cuban brothers and sisters
45:15but also a positive economic
45:17development for the region
45:19and specifically
45:21us as a small island state
45:25We can be guided by words
45:27of the ancient proverb
45:31Vision without action
45:33is a daydream
45:35Action without vision
45:37As difficult
45:39as it may be
45:41there is an
45:43exigency to find
45:45avenues to address
45:47problems at their core
45:49This is not a task
45:51that can be accomplished
45:53in isolation
45:55Collaboration is crucial
45:57across borders
45:59regions, sectors
46:01and people
46:03to effectuate changes
46:05fundamental to the solution
46:07Finally
46:09Excellencies
46:11While we acknowledge our
46:13inherited and historical commonalities
46:15it is to the dynamic future
46:17of our alliance
46:19that we look
46:21Guinera believes
46:23that our solidarity
46:25should serve as the
46:27quintessential glue
46:29that binds us together
46:31I thank you
46:35Thank you
46:37Thank you Ambassador
46:39Now I would like to give the floor
46:41to the Executive Secretary
46:43Jorge Riaza who from
46:45Caracas would give us
46:47the balance of the draft declaration
46:49conclusion and the strategic
46:51agenda 2030. You have the floor
46:57Thank you
46:59Foreign Minister
47:01Greetings to the
47:03foreign ministers
47:05especially our new
47:07foreign minister
47:09from Nicaragua
47:11We want to just
47:13thank you
47:15for holding this important event
47:17in the US, in New York
47:19The Political Council
47:21of the Alliance of
47:23Simon Bolivar is present
47:25in the UN
47:29We are not going
47:31to
47:33have an extended
47:35presentation but we have made
47:37progress with the
47:39cooperation agency
47:41the system for risk mitigation
47:43to confront
47:45natural catastrophes
47:47agro-ALBA
47:49tourist action
47:51social
47:53the social council
47:55of ALBA
47:57and you have
47:59the declaration that has been
48:01discussed by the national coordinators
48:03and your foreign ministries
48:05to defend
48:07independence
48:09free determination
48:11and identity of the Alliance
48:13vis-a-vis the attempts
48:15of social
48:17political and digital
48:19domination
48:21You have there the first item to
48:23ratify and defend
48:25the principles on purpose of the charter
48:28of the UN
48:30The second
48:32it opposes
48:34the rejection of military bases
48:36in our continent
48:38and ratify the proclamation
48:40of Latin America as a zone of peace
48:42The third, we reject
48:44the coup d'etat
48:46that has been attempted
48:48this year especially
48:50in Venezuela, Colombia and Honduras
48:52The fourth
48:54we reject the lawfare
48:56as a tool
48:58stressing
49:00the case of former
49:02president
49:04or
49:06friend
49:08Jorge Glas in Ecuador
49:10and also
49:12the need to remove Cuba
49:14from the alleged
49:16country sponsoring terrorism
49:18also we are against
49:20the unilateral coercive
49:22measures both against Cuba, Venezuela
49:24and Nicaragua
49:26Eight, ratify
49:28our solidarity with Nicaragua
49:30against the aggression
49:32we congratulate the government
49:34of Nicolás Maduro for
49:36its victory
49:38and we reject the conspiracies
49:40that rejected
49:42its victory
49:44and Alba
49:46from day one
49:48we have rejected the genocide
49:50against the Palestinian people
49:52and we call upon
49:54to stop this aggression
49:56and then we call
49:58for the creation of the
50:00greater fascist
50:02multinational
50:04against fascism
50:06the multinational
50:08against fascism
50:10also the
50:12way to address
50:14the risk of
50:16natural disasters
50:18and also
50:20paying close attention to the climate crisis
50:22in the small island countries
50:24in development
50:26and we congratulate
50:28Antigua
50:30and Barbuda for the holding of
50:32this important meeting and then
50:34we convey
50:36our solidarity to the Caribbean
50:38in a special
50:40differentiated treatment
50:42and they need to vindicate
50:44the damage of
50:46colonization and slavery
50:48and we ratify
50:50the 2030 agenda
50:52we need to continue following up
50:54this agenda
50:56and then we want to create
50:58Alba Youth
51:00which is part of
51:02our strategic agenda
51:0418th the
51:06cooperation agency is moving
51:08forward
51:10the council of social movement
51:12is also activated
51:14and we congratulate
51:16the holding of the regional
51:18Caribbean seminary
51:20to implement
51:22to eradicate colonialism
51:24and the festival of drums
51:26to defend
51:28our identity within Alba
51:30and in conclusion
51:32we call upon the defense
51:34of our principles
51:36at this moment
51:38and the executive secretary
51:40is committed to present
51:42during the extraordinary summit
51:44commemorating the 20th anniversary
51:46of our alliance
51:48and the 30th anniversary of the first
51:50embrace of Chavez and Fidel
51:52we will bring
51:54a number of proposals
51:56to adequate our
51:58alliance
52:00to the fresh challenges
52:02of the 21st century
52:04and imperialism
52:06and paraphrasing our foreign minister
52:08no matter who is in the
52:10White House
52:12Alba
52:14TCP will continue strengthening
52:16will adapt to the new challenges
52:18and will prevail
52:20thank you very much
52:22thank you
52:24secretary
52:28I just want to
52:30point out
52:32that you have
52:34the 2030
52:36agenda
52:38applied by the secretary
52:41and we are supporting
52:43this agenda
52:45and we need to follow up
52:47on this and move forward
52:49in this direction
52:51if there are no
52:53opposition to
52:55the declaration
52:57described by the
52:59secretary general
53:01it is declared approved
53:03today, thank you very much
53:05congratulations
53:07to all foreign ministers
53:09thank you so much
53:11Mr. General Secretary
53:13we will meet soon
53:15in Havana, Cuba
53:19to commemorate the 20th anniversary
53:21of our alliance
53:23I will be attending this presidential summit
53:25we were listening
53:27to the Alba TCP political council
53:29at the United Nations headquarters
53:31the representatives of the different
53:33nations that make up the body that was
53:35founded by Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez-Frias
53:37spoke of the importance of regional
53:39unity in the face of outside
53:41challenges and destabilization attempts
53:43that threaten the peace of the bloc