Cuba News Agency: ALBA Articles Featuring Remarks by Raul, Evo, Manuel Zelaya

[magbana]

"Hugo Chavez Receives Cuban President Raul Castro

HAVANA, Cuba, April 16 (acn) Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez received Cuban President Raul Castro who arrived in the Venezuelan city of Cumana, Sucre to attend the Summit of the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA).

Cuban News Agency

During a press conference, Raul Castro reaffirmed that the Cuban government has no interest in joining the Organization of American States (OAS), reported Prensa Latina news agency.

“There is an endless list of things they have done against us and that they intend to continue doing against other countries,” said the Cuban president during a press conference at the Antonio José de Sucre international airport. “I have already said this during the Sauípe Summit in Bahía, Brazil: We are not interested in joining the OAS. The OAS has to disappear,” said Raul.

Upon his arrival to Cumana, the Cuban president said that the ALBA Summit coincides with the 48th anniversary of the Bay of Pigs invasion carried out in April 1961 by Cuban counterrevolutionaries with the support of the US government.

During the ALBA summit, the leaders of the member countries —Bolivia, Cuba, Dominica, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Venezuela— will analyze the regional and global impact of the current international economic crisis, along with other priority issues."
http://www.cubanews.ain.cu/2009/0416recibechavez.htm

"Washington Must Compensate Cuba for Damages, says Evo Morales

HAVANA, Cuba, April 16 (acn) Bolivian President Evo Morales said that US president Barak Obama has the moral and ethical obligation to compensate Cuba for the damages caused by previous US administrations, in reference to the nearly-50-year US economic blockade on the Caribbean nation.

Cuban News Agency

In statements in Venezuela, Morales today reiterated that he will propose at the 5th Summit of the Americas that the United States should lift the economic, financial and commercial blockade against Cuba, EFE news agency reported.

The Spanish agency explained that the Bolivian President arrived in Venezuela to participate at the 7th Summit of the Bolivarian Alternative for our Americas (ALBA), underway in Cumana city, in the eastern part of the South American country.

The EFE wire adds that along with Morales other regional leaders are participating in the Summit, such as the host of the event Venezuela´s Hugo Chavez and his counterparts from Cuba, Raul Castro; Honduras Manuel Zelaya, Nicaragua Daniel Ortega, Dominica and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines´ Prime Ministers Roosevelt Skerrit and Ralph Gonsalves, respectively.

Also attending the meeting as special guests are Paraguayan Fernando Lugo, and an envoy from Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa.

A report by Prensa Latina news agency says that the representatives of the ALBA countries analyzed joint development projects and reached common positions.

Among the proposals under consideration is the setting up of a regional currency called SUCRE (Spanish acronym for Unique System for Regional Compensation) for the transactions of the ALBA. The SUCRE could become the currency of the regional integration initiative as an expression of its cooperation and integration-oriented approach.

"
http://www.cubanews.ain.cu/2009/0416evomorales.htm

"Honduran President Highlights Unity at ALBA

HAVANA, Cuba, April 16 (acn) Honduran President Manuel Zelaya stated this Wednesday that the countries that made up the Bolivarian Alternative for our America (ALBA) work together in all fronts.

Cuban News Agency

The Honduran President arrived in Venezuela after midnight, accompanied by Foreign Minister Patricia Rojas and other ministers for the ALBA Summit, to be held in Cunama city today and tomorrow, reported Prensa Latina news agency.

On his arrival to the international airport of the north-eastern city, Zelaya was received by the minister of foreign affair of this South American country, Nicolás Maduro, and by other leaders of the state of Sucre, located 400 kilometers from Caracas.

Zelaya announced that the main important issues on the agenda will be discussed in today’s meeting to establish the priorities for the Summit of the Americas to be held this weekend in Trinidad and Tobago.

In ALBA we work together; it is a socially, economically and politically integrated area, he said.

Answering questions to the press members present at the airport, the Honduran leader said that Honduras has prepared a framework outlining its future relations with the United States.

These relations are based on mutual respect, on the respect to our ideological positions and on specific issues such as immigration and the trafficking of drugs, produced in the South and used in the North, said Zelaya.

The ALBA Summit will analize the impact of the current international economic crisis on the region and its effect on the global economy, as well as other priority topics for member ALBA countries.
"
http://www.cubanews.ain.cu/2009/0416pdtehonduras.htm

[EFerrari]

1. That's about the most beautiful thing I've ever read coming out of LA.

"The EFE wire adds that along with Morales other regional leaders are participating in the Summit, such as the host of the event Venezuela´s Hugo Chavez and his counterparts from Cuba, Raul Castro; Honduras Manuel Zelaya, Nicaragua Daniel Ortega, Dominica and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines´ Prime Ministers Roosevelt Skerrit and Ralph Gonsalves, respectively.

Also attending the meeting as special guests are Paraguayan Fernando Lugo, and an envoy from Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa."

:woohoo:

[Judi Lynn]

2. Hoping the best for ALBA. Thanks for the links. 48 years after the invasion.

Who on earth, being of sound mind, cannot understand how angry, and insulted they must have been? What was the result of the agreement? Only a constant stream of violence against Cuba, ANYWAY. Just no huge invasions. Thank god for small favors.

It's so intense, hoping their integration may be successful, after all this time. Hoping they can make it, despite all the interference.