Just two weeks ago, the university which had promised to host the People's Summit, including housing and meeting space, withdrew permission - likely the result of pressure from the government. However, organizers rallied and through a herculean effort, they arranged housing in guest houses, scattered hotels and hostels, transport for all of us and the many other complicated logistics. The People's Summit would not have been possible without the highly disciplined, committed and militant union sisters and brothers from Trinidad who have worked tirelessly for months. The result of their labors has been impressive.
An example of what they have been facing: This afternoon today I was asked to translate a short letter to the OAS representative in charge of the Summit. He was finally responding to a request sent well over a week ago, asking for a dialogue between people from the official Summit and ours. He claimed that he had no jurisdiction over the matter, and the appropriate person to write was the official in charge of the Summit. He apparently didn't remember that the original letter was sent with a copy to that official. It seems fairly obvious what the response will be. However, plans are in place for a delegation from our Summit to meet with some of the attending presidents here in Trinidad Tobago.
The ALBA Presidents and observer presidents from non-ALBA countries are having their own pre-Summit meeting in Venezuela. They are working on a collective strategy to bring to the Summit. For several months leaked copies of the official declaration draft have been circulating, including comments and objections, paragraph by paragraph. The final version includes a number of revisions from original, but unresolved objections indicated that many progressive governments would have trouble signing the declaration. Today Hugo Chavez declared that a group of countries have decided to boycott signing the declaration, which makes an official declaration from the Summit unlikely. Chavez also announced that this should be the last gathering of this nature where the United States dominates the agenda.
Prior to the opening ceremonies at 9:00am this morning, the four Hemispheric Social Alliance networks from North America held a meeting. The Hemispheric Social Alliance is organized by regions with countries in different regions forming a block from which work plans are articulated. The Alliance for Responsible Trade belongs to the North American region represented by the four networks from Mexico, Canada, Quebec and the U.S. Issues on our collective agenda include: exposing the Security and Prosperity Partnership, promoting a renegotiation of NAFTA, an initiative of energy sector unions, among others.
The opening sessions of the Peoples Summit were vibrant and stimulating. Speakers laid out frameworks for analyzing and responding to the complex reality facing our planet and peoples. I managed to videotape a stimulating intervention from Cindy Wiesner of Grassroots Global Justice network. If I am able to conquer my technological barriers, her message will be posted to YouTube and we will link to it.
Late in the afternoon word came that police in Bolivia had killed three people in Santa Cruz, including two of European background. Santa Cruz is located in the lowlands part of the ‘half moon' region where some of the most extremist opposition to the government is concentrated. Those killed were part of a group of five who were actively planning to assassinate the President, Vice President and other high level government officials. At the site of the confrontation, police encountered C-4 explosives, high powered rifles and detailed plans for the assassination plots. The incident clearly proves that statements by President Morales of a few days ago were based on real intelligence and not to be taken lightly.
President Morales hunger strike, which ended earlier this week, was initiated to pressure for passage of the law to set a date for national elections mandated by last year's constitutional referendum. This has caused a panic among opposition sectors, because they know that elections will result in a majority for the ruling party. One of the first laws to be passed when the new government is in power will be to analyze the origins of the wealth of many rich people. If the wealth is found to have illicit origins, the state will have the obligation to confiscate it.
After a long day, we were honored by a 3 hour concert featuring some of Trinidad Tobago's most precious jewels. The concert included a steel drum orchestra, Caribbean jazz, Reggae and two of the island's most famous Calypso musicians, David Rudder and Brother Resistance (Lutalo Masimba). ...It was by far the highlight of a very long and invigorating day.
