As is known, in recent years there have been big changes in Latin America and the Caribbean; say that progressive governments emerged, was buried the FTAA, and there are several mechanisms such as ALBA, honorable counterpart of that. But there is more, if you stick to brief FAO data: index hungry in our region decreased from 14.7% to 7.9%. It has also lowered the poverty indicator, since in 1990 were 48.4% and 22.6% poverty indigence, and as for 2012 declined to 28.8% and 11.4% respectively.
Our optimism has other very solid arguments. CELAC emerged victorious from its own constitution in December 2011, with the particularity of the exclusion of the United States and Canada, that great;! It was born as the back of the discredited OAS, the same that drove us from that organization in 1962.
‘s Own Cristina Fernandez, Argentina’s president, has said that the appointment of Cuba to assume the rotating presidency of CELAC, it was a resounding victory over the insulation and the U.S. failed policy and a true change of era. But I must not exclude members of CELAC have reached a consensus on the essentials of equity, inclusion and the eradication of hunger and poverty.
It is extremely encouraging that in the past three themes Caracas Meeting of enormous importance, ie, food, education and health rights of peoples were discussed, and not as a business. And on the other hand, 16 countries in our region have met the target of halving the number of hungry people, when there are still two years to complete the term set by the Millennium Development Goals.
Now that’s fighting for equality and justice, others are looking for the solution of the serious problems of the world by concluding hypocritical speeches invoking God while dropping bombs on the people. Can you feel the same satisfaction the affluent north and Europe, burdened by insecurity, fair demonstrations against the emergency measures that cause suffering both to its own citizens? How can you talk about human rights that international organizations are not for the benefit of the mankind, but precisely to curb the natural desire for independence and propriety? Will you believe that greed will overcome human reason?
But alerts! Nor let our political and social triumphs overshadow the common intelligence of the great nation we dream. We must fight with great determination to avoid, at all costs, that the common enemy shatter our hopes of being fair to all. United States, as it has always done, looking incessantly, how to weaken, according to political and ideological differences between the region’s governments to undermine its goals.
Unknown so that the victory of the CELAC is based precisely on absolute respect for diversity, or as is customary rightly say, “Unity in diversity”. Cuba, meanwhile, argues forcefully that principle, only possible in today’s world as complex and distress; eagerly embraces the meaning of the words of Don Benito Juarez, “Respect for the rights of others is peace.” Cuba and Latino brothers and Caribbean, CELAC grouped only wish to exercise their rights without undermining others. It’s that simple. That we respect!
Translated by: Daysi Olano