7th CELAC Summit (Cont …)

The start of the CELAC summit was described as CELAC takes off like a rocket.  This is a continuation of the aftermath.  CELAC is important and a critical piece of the puzzle in multipolarity and encompasses 33 countries in Central and South America, the Caribbean, as well as Mexico.  CELAC is also the organization that is most ready to integrate with the new financial system through SCO and BRICS and similar new institutions.  CELAC will also have two members in BRICS once Argentina joins, possibly in the next few months.

First, from China – President Xi Jinping Delivers a Video Address at the Seventh Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States

The establishment of a multi-polar world is an objective and unstoppable process. The collective West – the United States, NATO and the EU, which are fully controlled by Washington – are trying to reverse this process. But these efforts are futile. The closest thing they can count on is a slight slowdown of the objective course of history.

Africa is one of the most serious centres with colossal potential. It is an extremely affluent continent, including when it comes to natural resources, which have been exploited for many centuries. The West wishes it could continue this exploitative policy in Africa.

As far as I understand, the President of Angola proposed convening a summit of the African Union to determine Africa’s place in the emerging world order, primarily in the context of economic development.

We observe similar tendencies in Latin America, where the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, in view of its resumed work and Brazil’s full-fledged participation, considers developing its own mechanisms of monetary relations (even a common currency). The main goal is to protect themselves from the West-controlled chains and mechanisms that have demonstrated their unreliability.

Strengthening regional identity in the developing regions of the world does not mean that multi-polarity is not happening in a global dimension. BRICS is a manifestation of global multi-polarity. This organisation unites five countries, with more than 12 others showing an interest in joining it.

The clock of multi-polar history is ticking in the right direction.”

And even PressTV weighed in on the common currency aspects:  Brazil and Argentina to develop common currency to reduce reliance on US dollar

We have from Newsweek an interesting headline:  Latin America Is Now China’s ‘Backyard‘,  These are some passages where one can clearly see that multipolarity is reaching the headlines of even the MSM:

The Pentagon is concerned, because China is reinforcing the growth of economic influence in Latin America with a military presence. He is trying to get approval for a naval base on Tierra del Fuego in Argentina, which would give Beijing the opportunity to seal off the Strait of Magellan.

Newsweek sees the reason for the disappointing situation for the United States in the neglect of the region and the rejection (!) of the Monroe Doctrine.

It is obvious that China’s expansion resonates in Latin America. Partly because Beijing does not tie its investments to political conditions, unlike the United States. But not only.

The fact is that just according to the Monroe Doctrine, the United States throughout recent history has considered its neighbors in the part of the world as its food base, being predatory towards their resources.

The coming to power of left-wing forces in the region speaks of a change in the attitude of these countries towards Washington. They are dead tired of American hegemony.

Not without reason, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro publicly proposed the creation of a bloc of Latin American and Caribbean countries in alliance with China and Russia.

So the multipolar world invades the zone of the once undivided rule of the United States.”

It all sounds good.  But, in the end analysis, it is only words.  Even the 111-point CELAC joint resolution needs work to implement even though this is a very specific document and specifically calls out focus on HAITI, CUBA, the MALVINIAS, and PUERTO RICO among others.

One of the very quick and direct results of the CELAC summit is the drawing together of a massive grassroots organization, called CELAC Social. This grouping of political forces, trade union centrals, organizations and social movements stand within the framework of the Summit of Heads of State of CELAC.  So, immediately on a local level, CELAC has tremendous support for its objectives.  Their statement focuses on creating a regional zone of peace and they state clearly that the region is plurinational, which in our terms is expressed as multipolar.   They reject NATO and the current coup government in Peru.  They want to get Haiti sustainable as a country and announced a world-wide resistance against the Monroe Doctrine.  They are also calling for the decolonization of Puerto Rico.  Mid-last year the UN special committee on decolonization approved a Resolution Calling upon United States to promote a process for Puerto Rico’s self-determination and eventual independence.  This will not happen unless it is grass-roots supported and hey presto, in steps CELAC Social.

(The two documents from the CELAC summit are important but still available in Spanish only.  I attempted translations with Deepl.com as they are both .pdf documents but had no interest in my documents being sent to Adobe Inc. in the US, for technical reasons, they say.  So for the moment, we have those in Spanish only.   The main message though is Peace with Social Justice created through strong regionally integrated organizations.)

My expectations are higher from CELAC Social, than from the formal CELAC organization.  They are able to quickly mobilize and work without formal restraints.  This is a good result and this solidarity is already visible.  Bolivia is supporting the protesters in Peru in word and deed, although the Peruvian coup government cut diplomatic ties.   Protesters in Puno, Peru (the ‘hottest’ area currently), have raised the Bolivian flag in the central plaza. Many feel closer to the Plurinational State than to the neoliberal republic in Lima, says Ollie Vargas.

We also see protesters carrying banners saying:  Putin, help us!  We invite you to invade!  Nothing else can confirm the respect that the world has for President Putin so clearly. 

In Brazil, Lula da Silva is touching the untouchable.  He and his Justice Minister Flavio Dino have announced that the government will audit Lava Jato – the US DOJ/Curitiba District Attorney’s “anti-corruption” investigation which bankrupted Brazil’s largest construction firms and helped elect Bolsonaro.  I have no doubt that his effort and the timing of the announcement have something to do with the CELAC summit.  A strength has developed in the region and people are truly sick and tired of government overthrows and coups. 

The CELAC summit has a young and committed spirit of solidarity.  The leaders have all paid their dues and are experienced politicians with brilliant economists.  With the addition of CELAC Social, we may look back in a year or two and consider this summit as the breakpoint toward freedom from hegemonic control for the region.  It will not be easy but hey, which charge can I lead?  Overall a very positive result!  Well organized, planned, and ready for roll-out.

As I completed this, Pepe Escobar posted an analysis and the heading there is:  “A great step forward, but for now only one step forward.  The 7th CELAC summit initiated a new cycle of continental integration, but it will only be relevant if it is complemented by other actions.”  Yet I feel this is a most auspicious beginning for a new start in the area that has been the most frequent victim of bloody imperial policy.