The relevance of the Latin American unity project, as interpreted by the Venezuelan independence leader Simón Bolívar, was the central premise of debate at the colloquium “Bolívar: from the Jamaica Letter to the Communal Amphictyony,” held at the San Carlos Barracks in Caracas, organized by the Simón Bolívar Institute for Peace and the Solidarity of Peoples (ISB).
The event featured the participation of the Venezuelan minister for Culture, Alejandro López; the president of the ISB, Blanca Eekhout; historian Rosanna Álvarez; historian Carmen Bohórquez; and social activist Lídice Navas, who provided their reflections on the 211th anniversary of the Jamaica Letter and the bicentennial of the Panama Congress.
In his speech, Minister López stated that the values of justice, equality, and fraternity proposed by Bolívar guide political action of the Bolivarian Revolution. “The unity and the practice of equality and sovereignty are part of our political identity,” he said at the beginning of his speech.
Venezuelan minister for Culture, Alejandro López, and National Assembly Deputy Blanca Eekhout at the colloquium.
The minister highlighted that the project of South American unity proposed by Bolívar was consolidated through historical processes such as the drafting of Venezuela’s first Constitution in 1811, the Congress of Angostura in 1819, the emergence of Gran Colombia in 1819, and the Panama Congress in 1922.
“It was a concrete achievement and a political project,” he said. “The union of the peoples is a constitutional doctrine; that doctrine is present in the way of doing politics and achieving freedom.”
He also referred to the relevance of Bolivarian diplomacy as a political strategy today. “We are guaranteeing our existence and dignity,” he stated.
Continental unity as a strategic factor
At the colloquium, historian Rosanna Álvarez highlighted that the Panama Congress was the “materialization of continental consciousness,” the seeds of which had been planted in the Jamaica Letter, a document where Bolívar expounded on the importance of international relations and alliances.
Álvarez added that Bolívar was a promoter of diplomatic relations, sovereignty, freedom, and unity. “A divided continent is an easy prey for intervention. We are still in a battle for freedom, not just of territory, but of minds,” she reflected.
Venezuela’s Acting President at Panama Congress Bicentennial: Latin America Will Not Surrender
Similarly, historian Carmen Bohórquez highlighted the importance of Francisco de Miranda’s thought for Latin American independence and unity. She referred to the Act of Paris and the proclamation “To the Peoples of the Colombian Continent, also known as Hispanic America” as fundamental documents for the liberation struggle of Venezuela and the integration of nations.
“Integration is a complex process, a path that is built as you walk,” she emphasized. “It is the path and we must not lose sight of it. Either we integrate, or the imperial domination will become increasingly profound.”
Relevance of the Bolivarian thought
The president of the ISB and National Assembly Deputy Blanca Eekhout stated that the vision of continental integration promoted by Bolívar was made real by the Bolivarian Revolution through instances such as the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA), the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR), and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC).
Some of the attendees at the colloquium.
“Bolívar is a people, a historical project in progress, and a victorious revolution amidst difficulties. Only united peoples achieve victory,” she said.
Social activist Lídice Navas highlighted the relevance of amphictyony within the communal democracy model promoted by Commander Hugo Chávez. She called for mobilization to progressively consolidate a model of popular integration.
Social activist Lídice Navas speaks at the colloquium “Bolívar: from the Jamaica Letter to the Communal Amphictyony.”
The event was enlivened by a musical performance by the singer Luis Miguel Badaraco and the staging of the play Bolívar did not plow in the sea, directed by the Brazilian social movement leader Luciano Carvalho and performed by a cast of young people from various communes across Venezuela.
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/SC/CD
From Orinoco Tribune via This RSS Feed.