*ALBA’s foundation changes the history of Latin America and the Caribbean
*The 4th Summit of the Americas has worthwhile memories
*The ALBA Summit overshadows the FTAA
*ALBA’s programs benefit millions of Latin Americans and Caribbean’s
*The 4th Summit of the Americas has worthwhile memories
*The ALBA Summit overshadows the FTAA
*ALBA’s programs benefit millions of Latin Americans and Caribbean’s
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NewsTranscript
00:00The Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of our America People's Trade Treaty, a by-product
00:04of the political will and the integrationist vocation of commanders Fidel Castro and Hugo
00:08Chavez, turns 20 years old on December 14th.
00:12In these current times, when renewing the flag is more necessary than ever, it is paramount
00:17to know the origins.
00:18Telesur proposes its protagonist tells us the story.
00:22On December 13, 1994, Hugo Chavez arrived in Cuba for the first time.
00:30I think that the Alba began with that embrace.
00:34Since that day of that embrace, my humble life was sealed forever by the side of the
00:39giant that is Fidel.
00:42Next morning, at the Simón Bolívar House Museum, Fidel Castro sits in the front row
00:46to listen to Chavez's keynote address on the emancipated project of the Liberator,
00:51adding how it could be realized in the new times.
00:54Later, in the Great Hall of the University of Havana, Chavez attached importance to integrating
00:59Latin America and the Caribbean as a single nation.
01:02The century that is coming for us is a century of hope.
01:06It is our century.
01:07It is a century of the resurrection, of the Bolivarian dream, of Martí's dream, of the
01:14Latin American dream.
01:16Ten years later, on December 14, 2004, the two commanders founded ALBA, the Bolivarian
01:24Alliance for the Peoples of America, an integrationist, historical and unprecedented organization
01:30which changes the history of Latin America and the Caribbean.
01:35An integration mechanism grounded in new principles of solidarity, reciprocity, respect for asymmetries
01:42and differences in our economies and societies, respect for the sovereignty of our peoples
01:47and a full integration of Bolivar and Martí styles.
01:53The scenario was difficult by that time.
01:55In 2005, Mar del Plata was under the world spotlight.
01:59The memories of the historical Fourth Summit of the Americas live on many.
02:03There, Chavez spoke loud and clear.
02:06Free trade won't sort out our problems of employment, poverty or misery.
02:12Those who still believe that story forget about it.
02:15The conclusion of the summit was the rejection of the bloc of South American countries belonging
02:20to the FTAA, the free trade area of the Americas boosted by the United States.
02:32Concurrently, Chavez overshadowed the FTAA by charismatically hosting the counter-summit
02:38that is the third Albatizipi edition, generating a positive buzz among the 40,000 participants.
02:51Since here, in Mar del Plata, it is the tomb of the FTAA.
03:00The tomb of the FTAA.
03:08Let's say it, let's say it, FTAA, get stuffed.
03:23FTAA, get stuffed.
03:3120 years later, millions of Latin Americans and Caribbeans have benefited from Alba's
03:36programs.
03:37Venezuela, Bolivia and Nicaragua have been declared illiteracy-free territories, a miracle
03:42mission has restored sight to millions of people free of charge, and thousands of youngsters
03:47in Latin America, the Caribbean and Africa have been trained as doctors.
03:54Many presidents have passed by here in Venezuela, but there have never been such commitments
03:59to other countries.
04:00Fortunately, Chavez's side-by-side Fidel Castro made it happen.
04:04Chavez was able to provide free eye surgeries for us with eye diseases, no government had
04:08done such good action before in Venezuela.
04:17And in my community, there is a lot of poverty, reality surpasses my expectations what I thought
04:22before arriving, I learned not only to be a doctor, but also to be a poet, to be cultured,
04:28I feel that I am different from what I was since I came here, the Cuban teaching doctrine
04:32is very deep, very humanistic, which is what is missing in our Latin American countries.
04:41We are really grateful to the president of Cuba, Fidel Castro, so on behalf of all the
04:47people of Olentepec, I would like to thank you for all that you have helped us out, and
04:53we hope that you will continue providing your help for us to be able to survive.
04:58Today, the right-wing is trying to revive the neoliberal agenda, the challenge is not
05:02easy, Chavez and Fidel warned us of it.
05:06Our independence is now or never, and Arba is that independence.
05:17In Cuba, we say homeland or death.
05:19Here I dare to say Latin America united and justice or death, but there will be no death,
05:25we will be ever onward to victory.