ALBA-TCP Summit of Heads of State Concludes & Issues Declaration (+Palestine)

This Wednesday, the 23rd Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America–People’s Trade Treaty (ALBA–TCP) concluded in Caracas, the Venezuelan capital, with the presentation of the final declaration, the ALBA 2030 Agenda, and a special statement on the situation in Palestine.

After finishing the meeting, the president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, reported that they had “three conceptual, doctrinal, and action documents” that he submitted to the authorities present for a vote.

The first document was the declaration of the 23rd Summit of Heads of State and Government of ALBA–TCP commemorating 20 years since the founding of the regional intergovernmental partnership organization, which now includes 11 Caribbean and Latin American countries. The document contained a total of 22 proposals.

Among these proposals is the ALBA–TCP 2030 Strategic Agenda, “a guide and living document to confront the years to come and consolidate the Alliance in a comprehensive manner, in a joint effort, to strengthen the most important areas for the development and well-being of our people.”

Furthermore, the leaders expressed their commitment to the defense of national sovereignty without external interference, rejecting “the Monroe Doctrine, which, after 200 years, continues to be used to justify destabilizing actions and interventions in Latin America and the Caribbean.” Similarly, ALBA–TCP strongly condemned “any effort to establish new forms of domination in the region,” and reiterated is defense of the “the right to live within a continent free of imperial hegemony.”

“We demand the immediate lifting of the criminal—illegal and unjust—unilateral coercive measures imposed against the people and governments of Nicaragua and Venezuela, for being irreconcilable with international law, violating human rights and the Charter of the United Nations, and harming the full realization of the economic and social development of both peoples and, therefore, of the region. We demand that the countries responsible for imposing such measures provide due reparation and compensation to the affected countries and peoples.”

Likewise, ALBA–TCP reiterated its condemnation of the economic, commercial, and financial blockade against Cuba imposed by the United States. ALBA–TCP asserted the urgent need to coordinate mechanisms of effective cooperation and solidarity with the people of Haiti “so that they can advance on the path towards lasting peace and sustainable development.”

Solidarity with Palestine
Regarding the special communiqué on the situation in Palestine, the heads of state and government of ALBA-TCP approved measures such as demanding “a broad, fair, and lasting solution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict through dialogue based on the creation of two states that allow Palestine the exercise of the right to self-determination as an independent and sovereign state, with East Jerusalem as its capital, within the pre-1967 borders and guaranteeing the right of return for refugees.”

“We reiterate the call to the international community to impose an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and to stop the genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity against its population, which violate the principles and purposes of the United Nations Charter, international law, and international humanitarian law,” read the declaration.

ALBA–TCP also reaffirmed their support for the immediate admission of Palestine as a full member state of the United Nations, “a fair and necessary step that will contribute to the protection of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, “urging that the responsibilities of Israel and its supporters be determined “in the crimes perpetrated against the Palestinian people, in accordance with international law.”

Finally, ALBA–TCP invited Palestine to participate in the 20-year summit of the organization.

Hours before, President Maduro welcomed the presidents, prime ministers, and high-level officials at Miraflores Palace, including heads of state Daniel Ortega (Nicaragua), Miguel Díaz-Canel (Cuba), and Luis Arce (Bolivia), Gaston Browne (Antigua and Barbuda), Ralph Gonsalves (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines), Roosevelt Skerrit (Dominica), and Phillip J. Pierre (Saint Lucia), as well as the Foreign Minister of Grenada Joseph Andall and the ambassador of Saint Kitts and Nevis, Norgen Wilson.

ALBA–TCP was founded in 2004 by the presidents of Cuba and Venezuela at that time, Fidel Castro and Hugo Chávez.

Dominica: ALBA–TCP has done so much for so many people
The prime minister of Dominica, Roosevelt Skerrit, paid tribute to the founders of ALBA–TCP, Commanders Hugo Chávez and Fidel Castro, highlighting that “these two gentlemen were the pioneers in many aspects of development in this world,” and said that “there is no organization in the world that, in such a short time, has managed to do so much and for so many people and for so many countries, as ALBA–TCP has done.”

“It is a solidarity group that stands firm in the defense of sisters and brothers, that ensures that the efforts of capitalism, of neo-capitalism, are not going to defeat us, they are not going to defeat our solidarity, nor our sovereignty as nations,” he said.

The prime minister showed his solidarity with Cuba by stating that the imposed blockade “has affected millions of lives, and we as a world cannot sit back and allow a single country to impose this terrible act on a sister nation, and I told the president that there is nothing that can prevent us from strengthening and deepening our solidarity, our love for the people of Cuba and the Cuban Revolution.”

Likewise, he said that having solidarity with Venezuela is defending that nation’s democracy, considering that “it is not an ideological issue, it is an issue of principles, justice, and equity. “The world must continue to be supportive and defend the people of Venezuela.” Skerrit also expressed his solidarity and determination with the people and governments of Bolivia and Nicaragua.

“In these 20 years of ALBA, many said that it would not last even a year when it was established, but here we are, today 20 years of strength, 20 years of solidarity, 20 years of complementarity between all of us, the nations of the Caribbean and of Latin America, and the most important thing about ALBA is that it speaks to the center, to the most important thing of human survival, to the challenges of humanity, and has formulated solutions to those challenges,” he said.

Antigua and Barbuda: condemnation of sanctions
The prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne, expressed his condemnation of the unilateral coercive measures imposed by the United States against Venezuela and Nicaragua and condemned the blockade against Cuba.

“We observe the aggression, the disinformation that has been disseminated in the global north. For this reason, Antigua and Barbuda continues to urge the United States to remove Cuba from the list of countries that promote terrorism. They know that it is not true, they all know that it is not true. We condemn the imposition of unilateral coercive measures on Venezuela and Nicaragua, especially in these difficult economic times. They are unjustifiable, and what they do aims to harm the innocent.”

In addition, he warned that “powerful northern nations” want to consolidate and have greater control over other countries. “ALBA must continue to strengthen its solidarity and cooperation to deal with issues that have to do with the defense of sovereignty to feed ourselves, achieve greater economic cooperation [and] greater trade and investments, in order to strengthen our hemispheric group.”

Saint Lucia: commitment to ALBA–TCP
The prime minister of Saint Lucia, Philip Joseph Pierre, said that his country is a friend of peace and believes that all people should live with dignity. “We are friends of peace, and we believe that there should be no racism or discrimination and all people should live in peace and dignity,” he said, while recognizing that Saint Lucia will become a full ALBA-TCP member.

He insisted that the problems of the Caribbean and the Americas are similar “because we are always fighting against poverty and climate change, and we suffer discrimination from countries more powerful than us.” Furthermore, he condemned the genocide in Gaza, calling it a crime against the conscience of the world. “Sometimes I wonder how you can sleep when children are being killed, when women are dying,” he said.

“We urge a cessation. And we believe in Palestine’s right to existence,” he reaffirmed. Likewise, the prime minister pointed out that Haiti has the right to exist and live, and that the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) must ensure that the people of Haiti have a life of peace too.

The premier called for an end to the sanctions against Cuba and Venezuela and classified them as unfair and unnecessary. He wished President Nicolás Maduro the best in the electoral process.

On the other hand, he thanked Cuba, because thanks to that country, Saint Lucia was able to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic, and hundreds of students have traveled to Cuba to become engineers, doctors, and specialists.

Grenada: ALBA–TCP for integration
The foreign minister of Grenada, Joseph Andall, highlighted the work of nations such as Cuba and Venezuela in areas of international solidarity.

In addition, he expressed his gratitude to the regional bloc as a space to address common challenges and constitute a vehicle for integration and unity, advocated for the end of the illegal blockade that has been imposed on Cuba by the United States, and called for the removal of Cuba from that unilateral list of states that allegedly support terrorism.

Likewise, he added that his nation believes “that the solution in Haiti has to be led by the Haitian people. Historically, Haiti has been looted and we have to carry out restorative justice for the Haitian people.”

In relation to the situation in Palestine, he expressed his opinion that it is a stain on the conscience of humanity and that the so-called “civilized world” continues to clearly show its hypocrisy.

The foreign minister unequivocally condemned the invasion of the sovereign territory of Mexico by the security forces of Ecuador and added that the government of Daniel Noboa must be told that “it must respect the right to asylum, laws, and international conventions.”.

“We are a small country, we understand the principles of humanity and dignity, and we call on the people of the world to put pressure on their governments to condemn these acts that are being committed in plain light and in front of everyone,” he stated.

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines:
The prime minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Ralph Gonsalves, encouraged young people to study history and, above all, the history of their countries. “Young people can not only obtain information through the Internet,” he said. They must have prior knowledge, understand the truth and falsehood of the information, compare it, and see the relationship between the phenomenon and the facts to compare versions.

He said that “those who fall into the propaganda game of imperialism are lost. I have suffered from that propaganda. I have been a political activist. I encourage young people to study their countries.” Meanwhile, he said that “our duty is to defend the revolutionary processes against imperialism.”

Gonsalves emphasized that despite the limitations that the ALBA–TCP may have, the organization has shown that “well planted, it has been able to stop the empire,” understanding “the importance of defending the Bolivarian Revolution of Venezuela. Our duty is to defend the revolutionary processes.”

“You may not approve 100 percent, because you do not know all the elements that led to that decision, but you know enough to be clear that they are revolutionary governments and processes that seek to improve the lives of their people, defend their independence and sovereignty, to have the best opportunities for the advancement and progress of their people,” he added.

Gonsalves said that war is always a product of imperialism, and monopoly capitalism cannot exist without war; the war economy is essential for its existence. In this sense, he criticized the approval of billions of additional dollars for the war by the US Congress.

Gonsalves called on the member states to renew their commitment to the organization, recalling the reasons why “we joined ALBA. It is pertinent to remember the circumstances that led our country to be part of the integration. Being part of ALBA is an extension of the constitutional precepts of our country.”

Final declaration
Below is the unofficial translation of the final declaration of the 23rd ALBA-TCP summit:

Declaration of the XXIII Summit of Heads of State and Government of ALBA–TCP

“Towards 20 years of the founding of the Alliance”

We, the Heads of State and Government of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America–People’s Trade Treaty (ALBA–TCP) gathered in Caracas, Venezuela, on April 24, 2024, to celebrate the XXIII Summit of the Alliance within the framework of the International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace, as a mechanism for defending and promoting peace, respect for International Law, always attached to the emancipatory ideology of the heroes and funding fathers of Latin America and the Caribbean, the will and unionist vocation of the founding leaders of our Alliance, Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías and Fidel Castro Ruz.

Reaffirming our solid commitment to strengthening the ALBA–TCP, as a mechanism for unity, dialogue, and political coordination, based on the principles of solidarity, social justice, cooperation and economic complementarity, which allows us to face in better conditions the dangers and challenges that arise. They derive from the complex world scenario, characterized by the deepening of disrespect and the constant threat to peace, security, sovereignty, and self-determination of nations.

Convinced of the need to reinvigorate the founding principles and values of ALBA–TCP and in this context, the countries of the Alliance:

1- We adopt the ALBA–TCP Strategic Agenda 2030 as a guide and living document to confront the years to come and consolidate the Alliance in a comprehensive manner, in a joint effort to strengthen the most important areas for the development and well-being of our people.
2- We highlight the importance of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) as a genuine mechanism of regional integration, dialogue and political coordination, within which, ALBA–TCP must continue to raise the voices of our peoples; In this sense, we congratulate the work of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines at the head of CELAC last year and we support our sister Republic of Honduras, who assumed its Pro Tempore Presidency this year.
3- We ratify the importance and our commitment in defense of the “Proclamation of Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace” which, 10 years after its approval at the II CELAC Summit in Havana, Cuba, in January 2014, maintains full validity.
4- We reaffirm our strong support for the permanent dialogue between the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and the Cooperative Republic of Guyana to reach a satisfactory solution between the parties, as established in the Argyle Joint Declaration of 2023, that any controversy between both States can be resolved within the framework of International Law, including the 1966 Geneva Agreement, and to maintaining the region as a Zone of Peace.
5- We express our commitment to the defense of national sovereignty without external interference; Therefore, we reject the postulates of the Monroe Doctrine which, after 200 years, continues to be used to justify destabilizing and interventionist actions in Latin America and the Caribbean. Likewise, we strongly condemn any effort to establish new forms of domination in the region and we vindicate the right to live within a continent free of imperial hegemony.
6- We demand the immediate and unconditional lifting of the criminal–illegal and unjust–unilateral coercive measures imposed against the people and governments of Nicaragua and Venezuela, for being irreconcilable with International Law, violating human rights and the United Nations Charter and harmfully affecting the full realization of the economic and social development of both peoples and, therefore, of the region. We demand that the countries responsible for imposing such measures provide due reparation and compensation to the affected countries and peoples.
7- We support the fair claim by Venezuela towards the United States in rejection of the arbitrary decision to reverse licenses that facilitate operations in Venezuela in different areas of the productive sector, with the aim of extorting the Venezuelan government, seeking to influence its actions and sovereign decisions. and interfere in their internal affairs.
8- We ratify our strong condemnation of the genocidal and illegal economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the government of the United States of America against Cuba and we highlight the historic support of the member states of the Alliance for the United Nations General Assembly Resolution “Need to end the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States of America against Cuba.”
9- We demand the exclusion of Cuba from the spurious and arbitrary unilateral list of countries supposedly sponsoring terrorism prepared by the United States Department of State, which has a negative impact on all spheres of Cuban society and the well-being of its people, as the criminal economic war intensifies and increases the difficulties of entering international trade, carrying out financial operations and acquiring basic supplies.
10- We repudiate the new demands on access to financing for the development of the peoples of the South, with the imposition of a Eurocentric vision that does not take into account the vulnerabilities to the negative impacts of climate change, especially for small island developing States.
11- We reaffirm our just claim to European countries for reparations and compensation for colonialism, the horrors of slavery, transatlantic human trafficking and the genocide perpetrated against indigenous populations.
12- We reiterate our commitment to international efforts in favor of the end of colonialism in all its forms and manifestations, and in that sense, we applaud the “Caribbean Regional Seminar on the Implementation of the Fourth International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism,” which will be carried out in May 2024, in the city of Caracas, Venezuela.
13- We highlight the importance of international cooperation, including multilateral cooperation, to assist the most vulnerable States, Small Island Developing States (SIDS), landlocked developing States. We support the holding of the Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States, under the theme “Charting the course towards resilient prosperity,” which will take place in Antigua and Barbuda, from 27 to 30 May 2024.
14- We claim the urgent need to coordinate mechanisms of effective cooperation and solidarity with the people of the sister Republic of Haiti so that they can advance on the path towards lasting peace and sustainable development, always in full respect for their sovereignty and in rejection of the scheme of interventionism imposed by imperial interests.
15- We denounce the use of unconventional war strategies against democratically elected governments and leaders in the region, including the use of politically motivated judicial processes without legal support (lawfare).
16- We express our firmest rejection of the unusual raid of the Mexican Embassy in Quito by the government of Ecuador, creating a dangerous precedent that threatens the peace and stability of our region and we demand the restitution of the asylum status, previously granted by the Mexican government to former Vice President Jorge Glas, in accordance with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and other norms of International Law.
17- We express our firmest repudiation and condemnation of the genocide committed by Israel in the Gaza Strip, with the complicity and support of the United States government, which has led to one of the worst humanitarian catastrophes of our times. In this sense, we approve the Special Communiqué on the situation in Palestine attached to this Declaration.
18- We welcome the electoral process in Venezuela, which will take place on July 28, 2024, and we ratify our respect for the right of each country to elect its authorities, without interventions of any kind that undermine the integrity and transparency of its democratic process.
19- We welcome with satisfaction the important role of the BRICS in the construction of a multipolar and pluricentric world, which advances on the path of equity, justice and prosperity of the people. Likewise, we express our support for those member countries of the ALBA-TCP that have expressed their interest in adding their potential to this block of emerging economies and we hope that a direct dialogue can be established between ALBA and the BRICS, which contributes to a political balance. and more inclusive global economy.
20- We celebrate the commemoration of the Bicentennial of the Battles of Junín and Ayacucho, heroic deeds led by the Liberator Simón Bolívar, which defeated Spanish colonialism of the 19th century and expelled the royal armies from Our America after 300 years of conquest and domination. Two hundred years later we recognize its historical significance and the legacy of unity, freedom, independence and equality that continues to resonate as the reason and essence of the struggles of the people of Our America.
21- We enthusiastically receive the results of the debates developed at the Meeting for a Global Social Alternative, held from April 18 to 20, 2024, in Caracas, Venezuela, with the participation of organizations and social movements from around the world.
22- We welcome the appointment of the new Executive Secretary of ALBA-TCP, Mr. Jorge Arreaza, and we instruct the Executive Secretariat to coordinate the execution of the 2030 Strategic Agenda, in its political, economic, social, cultural, and communication axis, energizing an economic plan that has the new regional financial architecture as its epicenter through institutions such as the ALBA Bank, the Petrocaribe Agreement and the SUCRE as a leading instruments.
-Caracas, April 24, 2024