Caracas: Leaders of Latin American
and Caribbean nations worked on Saturday to finalize an action plan
for a new Americas bloc, which excludes the United States and
which, according to its organizers, is designed to usher in a
new era of Latin American "independence".
Led by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, the leaders
gathered on Friday at a military fort for the two-day meeting
to forge the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States
(CELAC), an alliance of 33 countries that also excludes
Canada.
"We are laying down here a cornerstone of our future
unity, independence and development," Chavez said in his
welcoming address.
More than 10,000 security forces are ensuring safety of
the summiteers in Caracas, one of the region's most dangerous
cities.
For the first time, we will have an organization for our
America. And if it works, if it's successful, it can be
considered the biggest event in our 200 years of
semi-independence," Cuban President Raul Castro said.
CELAC should be a "political union to build a large power
center of the 21st century," the Venezuelan president said on
the eve of the summit, pointing to strong regional growth,
with many countries developing closer ties with Asia or Europe
and reducing their traditional reliance on the United States.
Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, a strong Chavez ally,
said meanwhile the birth of the new group represented a "death
sentence for the Monroe Doctrine," referring to the 1823
declaration by US president James Monroe which helped
establish US power in the region.
In Washington, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said
the United States would obviously continue "to work through
the OAS as the preeminent multilateral organization, speaking
for the hemisphere."
For the first time, we will have an organization for our
America. And if it works, if it's successful, it can be
considered the biggest event in our 200 years of
semi-independence," Cuban President Raul Castro said.
CELAC should be a "political union to build a large power
center of the 21st century," the Venezuelan president said on
the eve of the summit, pointing to strong regional growth,
with many countries developing closer ties with Asia or Europe
and reducing their traditional reliance on the United States.
Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, a strong Chavez ally,
said meanwhile the birth of the new group represented a "death
sentence for the Monroe Doctrine," referring to the 1823
declaration by US president James Monroe which helped
establish US power in the region.
In Washington, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said
the United States would obviously continue "to work through
the OAS as the preeminent multilateral organization, speaking
for the hemisphere."
First Published: Saturday, December 03, 2011, 16:03