Alliance for Responsible Trade

1.  Declaration of Bahia, Brazil proposes solutions to world crises
2. Letter to Ortega requests clarification of position on trade agreements with the European Union
3. Army assassinates the husband of Aida Quilcue, Consejera Mayor of the Indigenous Resguardo of Cauca
4. IIRSA meeting concludes in Cartagena with a lack of transparency
5. Social Organizations in Argentina march under the banner, "Hunger is a Crime"
6. Bank of America announces massive layoffs
7. Obama's Plan towards Latin America revives the "good neighbor policy"

1.  Declaration of Bahia, Brazil proposes solutions to world crises 

The Summit of the Peoples was a gathering from December 12-15 of organizations from the whole continent to discuss the development model.  The organizations who came together elaborated the Declaration of Bahia, which happened in an historical moment when five Summits were happening simultaneously; the Presidents of Mercosur, of UNASUR of ALADI, from the Rio Group and from Latin America and the Caribbean.  The declaration makes reference to the actual crises: energy, food, climatic, social, economic and financial.  The declaration contains alternatives to address these crises.

In the same context there was a Summit of Unions which had as its axis a demand that companies who are receiving aid to overcome the impacts of the financial crisis must guarantee employment for their workers.

News of the Union Summit: http://www.prensa-latina.cu/article.asp?ID=%7B807F3A6A-355C-485A-A535-1FEBD98790E6%7D)

News of the Summit: http://www.adital.com.br/site/noticia.asp?lang=ES&cod=36552

http://www.timesoftheinternet.com/espanol/9062.html

2. Letter to Ortega requests clarification of position on trade agreements with the European Union.

The Hemispheric Social Alliance issued a communication to the President of Nicaragua requesting him to clarify the posture of the Nicaraguan government regarding commercial agreements in light of contradictory gestures and declarations on the part of high level functionaries of his government.

Text of the letter:
 
November 4, 2008
 
Most Esteemed Sir
DANIEL ORTEGA
President of the Republic of Nicaragua

Mr. President:

Receive cordial greetings in the name of the social organizations representing the largest sectors of the hemisphere which comprise the Hemispheric Social Alliance.  This coalition has played an important role in hemispheric wide struggles against the neoliberal model and the free trade agreements.

As you know, the countries of Central America have been engaged in a process of negotiation with the European Union to establish an Agreement of Association, the central axis of which is a free trade agreement. This treaty has the same structure and intent as CAFTA-DR and NAFTA.  These treaties constitute a reinforcement of neoliberal policies in Latin America that serve to preserve an unjust division of labor and multiply guarantees to multinational corporations to access the regions resources.  The existence of an Agreement of Association on issues including cooperation and political dialogue as well as the inclusion of a "democratic clause" does not eliminate the dangers of the economic component that goes well beyond the disastrous position of the WTO.

We would like to state that during the last summit of the Doha round, we were pleased to observe the position adopted toward free trade issues on the part of your government, opposing the intent of the rich countries to apply this agenda at the world level.  We also appreciated enormously your decision not to attend a meeting called by the government of George W. Bush in September to harmonize the free trade agreements of those countries in Latin America that have signed them.

In the Andean region, the neoliberal agenda of the European Union has been stalled at least temporarily, thanks to the courageous position of the governments of Ecuador and Bolivia.  Bolivia is a part of ALBA whose members have vehemently rejected international agreements based on the so called "free trade" model.

For these reasons, we would like to express our concern and confusion regarding the positions of functionaries of the government of Nicaragua who appear to have given free rein to the negotiation of a free trade agreement with the European Union.   This will have grave implications for the people of the region by expanding guarantees to multinationals which you yourself have experienced in the dispute with Union Fenosa and the enormous damage it has done to the people of Nicaragua and Central America.   This concern has also been raised by European organizations that form part of the Bi-Regional Network, Enlanzando Alternativas.

With great respect, we ask that you adopt measures to make sure that these efforts on the part of agents of neoliberal policies are not able to continue.  We ask that the flags of the ALBA and the values we share, be flown at full mast.  We ask that the organizations that oppose the free trade agreements be able to advance a dialog with your government in order to explain the nefarious consequences of this model.
 
Sincerely
Enrique Daza Gamba
Executive Secretary
Hemispheric Social Alliance

3. Army assassinates the husband of Aida Quilcue, Consejera Mayor of the Indigenous Resguardo of Cauca.

Edwin Legarda, husband of Aida Quilcue, Consejera Mayor of the Indigenous Resguardo of Cauca was assassinated on December 16 at 4am by the National Army while traveling in a vehicle of the Consejera in the municipality of Totoro, Cauca.  The Commander of the Army's Third Division, Justo Elisea Pena, acknowledged that according to preliminary reports, soldiers were present at the scene of the murder and fired when the vehicle failed to stop when ordered.   The high ranking military officer announced that investigations will be carried out and warned that even if the vehicle had failed to stop, it was not acceptable procedure to fire.

More information (In Spanish): http://www.cric-colombia.org/inicio.htm http://www.nasaacin.org/

4. IIRSA meeting concludes in Cartagena with a lack of transparency
As anticipated since November, with scarce information and little transparency, the 10th meeting of the Executive Committee of the IIRSA "Initiative for South American Regional Integration" was held in Cartagena the 4-5th of December.  During the meeting, Colombia transferred the presidency of the IIRSA to Cartagena.  The Colombian Planning director announced an increase in the number of projects included in the agenda with the level of investment rising from $241 to $2, 336 million.

The indigenous of America issued a pronouncement rejecting these "development" initiatives which place at risk the life, biodiversity, culture and patrimony of the peoples of the Americas in order to benefit transnational corporations and big capital the direct beneficiaries of these projects.

An overview of the meeting (In Spanish):  http://www.channelplanet.com/?idcategoria=21017

Call for participation: http://www.choike.org/documentos/solicitud_reunion_cde_iirsa_nov08.pdf  http://www.bicusa.org/es/Article.10936.aspx

5. Social Organizations in Argentina march under the banner, "Hunger is a Crime."

"Hunger is a Crime" and "So that the workers don't pay for the crisis", were the shouts heard in the Plaza de Mayo last Friday during a march convened by diverse social organizations in Argentina led by the National Movement of the Chicos del Pueblo and the Central de Trabajadores  (CTA) of Argentina.

More Information (Spanish): http://www.elpais.com/articulo/internacional/dificil/batalla/erradicar/hambre/infantil/elpepusoc/20081214elpepuint_2/Tes

http://www.diariohoy.net/accion-verNota-id-8219-titulo-APDH_se_suma_a_la_marcha_de_%E2%80%9CEl_hambre_es_un_crimen%E2%80%9D_

6. Bank of America announces massive layoffs.

Between 30 -35,000 jobs will be eliminated by this financial entity located in North Carolina as an effect of the crisis.  Bank of America is considered one of the most stable banks in the country.  Its decision to eliminate so many jobs is part of a wave of layoffs sweeping the country.  The United States lost over half a million jobs in November and economists expect that many more will be lost.

More information (Spanish):

http://www.adnmundo.com/contenidos/economia/bank_america_eliminara_35000_puestos_trabajoo_desempleo_recesion_crisis_wall_street_12-12_08_ec.html

http://www.europapress.es/economia/finanzas-00340/noticia-economia-finanzas-bank-of-america-despide-20-altos-directivos-wall-street-journal-20081215191044.html

7. Obama's Plan towards Latin America revives the "good neighbor policy."

One month before Barack Obama takes office as president of the United States, analysis continues regarding what his foreign policy towards Latin America will be based on a 13 page document titled "A new Partnership for the Americas" which was released during the electoral campaign.  Some analysts think that it may resemble the "good neighbor policy" of Theodore Roosevelt of 70 years ago.   

Document in English: http://obama.3cdn.net/f579b3802a3d35c8d5_9aymvyqpo.pdf

Analysis: http://www.argenpress.info/2008/12/obama-crisis-y-amrica-latina.html