Latin America 2009 Conference Report

With more than 500 delegates and 50 speakers, Latin America 2009 “Facing the Challenges” was by far the most successful conference ever in this now annual event at the TUC.

A packed congress hall heard speakers from across the continent, solidarity campaigns, politicians, journalists, academics and trade unionists, brought together by the event organisers the Cuba Solidarity Campaign, Venezuela Solidarity Campaign, SERTUC (South East Region TUC) and Unite the Union.

In the opening plenary Seumus Milne from the Guardian said:

another world is not only possible, it is being created now. The bankruptcy of neo-liberalism, the failed experiment of free markets inflicted on the continent after Pinochet’s bloody coup in Chile has now been rejected by the people. For the first time millions are no longer being excluded from basic human rights and real social progress is being made. They are reclaiming their independence, taking back their natural resources and wealth from corporate control.

As Colin Burgon MP said “they are using their power to defend the interests of the majority against the financial greed of a tiny minority”. Colin stressed there are lessons for the left across Europe and “our failure to articulate a clear and consistent programme against the free market model” is currently reflected in our poor electoral standings. But as Miguel Angel Martínez MEP said:

these victories are not irreversible, the coup in Honduras is illustrative of that fact… but it is the explosion of left ideas that is making permanent progress and the plurality of expressions of that hope, shows us that no one model will suffice. We need to embrace all these attempts and learn from them, and ensure we tell our people the truth about what is happening.

Sam Gurney for the TUC praised Cuba's “fantastic example of public services - a model to all of us” and both Jennie Bremner and Len McCluskey for Unite hailed the inspiration and practical, selfless solidarity that the Cuban people have given the world for the last 50 years. “They don’t demand our solidarity, they deserve it” said Jennie as she praised the use of political power to put people before profit.

Len derided the trickle down theory of neo-liberalism and praised the achievements of Venezuela and others in the region. Deploring the USA intention of creating seven military basis in Colombia he highlighted the real threat and danger this brings to the continent.

In a packed workshop on the media Richard Gott and Seamus Milne described how so many of the Latin American correspondents simply “peddle the lines fed to them by the rich elites who control the media” and ignore the social and economic dimensions of what is happening in Latin America. Because traditionally this is seen as the USA “backyard” we tend get little information although what we do get is often biased and distorted or simply Foreign Office/Pentagon briefings. With detailed examples Richard Gott highlighted this negative and lazy journalism in the coverage of Hugo Chavez and Venezuela in particular.

Speakers from the continent then brought home the realities of life to millions of people. After 16 years of neo liberalism the economy in Nicaragua has been devastated but things are starting to change. Although 65% of the active workforce is self employed, workers rights are being enshrined and change is starting to happen said Orlando Jose Mercado Mendoza, from the Informal sector workers union. “United we are invincible, not one step backwards” summed up his commitment and optimism for a better future.

In a moving speech Yessika Hoyos told the hall how she became an advocate for trade union rights after the murder of her father by the state. With over 2,704 trade unionists murdered, this brave woman fights to change the “culture of impunity” that exists in Colombia towards killing trade unionists. We need to do everything we can to put pressure on our government to have nothing to do with the Uribe regime.

From Cuba Carlos Alvaro talked of the changes happening as the Cuban revolution continues to evolve and stressed the need to build a better world - one based on solidarity and co-operation. He reiterated Cuba will “continue to share everything we have” and support all those countries whose people are rejecting those governments who give nothing to their people.

From Venezuela, Egle Sanchez spoke of the massive social gains in the ten years since Hugo Chavez was elected and re-iterated the great threats from the right in wanting to halt the forward march of progress.

Honduras representative Iris Munguia castigated the misinformation and lies that repeated about the reasons for the coup and called on the USA not to recognise the outcome of the recent boycotted elections. Describing the illegal detentions, beatings and deaths that have occurred she praised the movement of people that has come together to fight for their rights and the return of Zelaya. “What is happening in Honduras is a precedent for the whole continent and all the governments that support the people”. She called for us to continue to lobby our government, the EU and the USA and denounce the fraudulent presidential elections.

After films and workshops on topics such as popular movements and progress in Mexico and Guatemala, gay rights, the green agenda, Education, the USA, women’s rights, to name just a few, the final plenary opened with George Galloway MP. Describing Barack Obama as “a real disappointment” he called on him to lift the illegal blockade on Cuba, immediately release the Miami Five and for David Miliband to use his last six months in his post to visit Cuba.

Ken Livingstone explained how climate change could absolutely devastate the region and set back the social progress already made. Power and water supplies could be destroyed soon in Bolivia but “it is no exaggeration to say tens of millions of deaths could occur” in the region as a whole. The need for rich western nations to contribute to mitigate the effects of climate change has to become a priority for our campaigning in the future.

Hilary Wainwright praised the new social and political movements in Latin America reiterating our solidarity must be a two way process and in doing so, we have the opportunity to learn and bring about the renewal of the global left.

Jeremy Corbyn MP praised the end of the Monroe doctrine, “the most arrogant statement there ever was” and reflected on how even when revolutions were forcibly overthrown the ideas that fed them still existed in people and families and communities. That spirit was never defeated and now collectively, the whole continent is starting to change. “The flowering of aspiration” for real human rights and social progress is happening and there must be no going back.

We need to celebrate the traditions of the Bolivarian revolution and the inspiration of Cuba and embed the social justice element into the countries new political independence. We need to strengthen all our solidarity links, oppose the military bases in Colombia and continue to challenge the media distortion and lies about what is happening.

This was an impressive day, with the hall still packed at five o’clock. As Miguel Angel Martínez said no other country in Europe could organise anything like it especially with the breadth of representation and involvement of the trade unions.

Whilst there is immense hope and lessons to learn from Latin America, Honduras could be the “first halt to 21st century socialism” as right winger Otto Reich recently applauded. Vigilance and continuing support for the solidarity campaigns with Latin America and the Caribbean is essential and no one left Congress House in any doubt that this must be the case in the coming months and years.

The Cuba Solidarity Campaign would like to thank other sponsors and supporters, OH Parsons Solicitors, Unison, RMT, GMB, FBU, ASLEF, NUM, UCATT, POA, Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign, Bolivia Information Forum, War on Want, Justice for Colombia, Peru Support Group, Moreno Wines, Morning Star, Red Pepper, Movimientos, Labour Caribbean Solidarity, Latin American Elderly Project, Banana Link, Liberation, BCA.

Latin America 2008 Conference Report

More than 500 people packed the TUC’s headquarters to learn more about the radical social and political changes redefining Latin America.

Speakers from across the continent, together with British MPs and trade unionists, participated in lively plenaries and seminars at the Latin America 2008 Conference. The annual event, held on the first Saturday in December, now in its forth year, has become a permanent fixture, and its popularity continues to grow.

The conference enabled participants to hear firsthand from representatives of the countries that comprise the so called ‘Pink Tide’ of nations pushing forward progressive, redistributive and democratic processes.

Cuba first threw down the gauntlet in 1959, and one of the conference’s major themes included a reflection on what the Revolution has achieved. The event also discussed the Left’s resurgence across Latin America following the election of Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez in 1998, and subsequent elections of leaders such as Bolivia’s Evo Morales, Rafael Correa in Ecuador and Tabare Vazquez in Uruguay. MP George Galloway said:

Fifty years ago Cuba had been reduced to a bordello of the United States, a playground for the criminal class, the mafia and corrupt politicians like President Nixon. It was a place where blacks were banished from the parks, from the drinking fountains and from the hotels – unless they were being brought in for prostitution. Life expectancy was 58 years, literacy was on the floor, and health figures were on a par with the continent’s poorest countries.

Fifty years later a newly born Cuban has a better chance of living longer and more healthily than a baby born in Washington DC. If Cuba had achieved nothing else, she would have deserved the right to have her name written in the stars for this feat. But she has achieved much more. I visited a nursery in the darkest days of the Special Period and met a teacher in tears because milk had been cut to half a pint a day. I didn’t have the heart to tell her a lady called Margaret Thatcher had done more than that here in the UK.

Mr Galloway said the greatest demonstration of the country’s internationalism was evidenced by the thousands of Cubans who died fighting against Apartheid. He added:

After Nelson Mandela’s release every country clamoured for him to pay them the honour of visiting them first. After 27 years of imprisonment he went to Havana to stand with Fidel Castro and to thank the Cuban people for what they had done.

The Scottish firebrand finished by praising the Cuba Solidarity Campaign (CSC), which had helped organise the conference. He said: “CSC is now one of the longest running and the best run and the most exciting solidarity campaigns in this country, and it has performed miracles in Britain.”

Speaking on the double standards in the media’s reporting on the “war on terror” Salim Lamrani said:

This media conspiracy is glaringly evident. How is it possible that in the middle of the “war on terrorism” the information and communication corporations are not dealing with the case of Cuba, the country which has suffered the longest and most ferocious terrorist campaign in modern history? If the “struggle against terrorism” had any basis in reality, the international media would denounce the implacable terrorist campaign which successive U.S. administrations have waged against the Cuban people since 1959. The censorship of the most sophisticated kind of terrorism against Cuba clearly illustrates the duplicity of the Western press.

Rene Mujica Cantelar, Cuba’s Ambassador, said:

This conference clearly demonstrates that people in the UK are passionately interested in the developments taking place across Latin America and the Caribbean – although you wouldn’t believe that by reading the newspapers. I think the crisis affecting the world capitalist system - the model which promised us progress for everyone but which statistics show delivered inequality - provides us with a great opportunity to show that another world is possible. Crucially Cuba is no-longer isolated in Latin America, but on the contrary has been joined by a broad based movement throughout the whole region.

Conference speakers included Venezuelan Ambassador Samuel Moncada, and activists from Nicaragua, Bolivia, Paraguay and Mexico and MP Jeremy Corbyn and Adam Price.

A look at the Cuban Revolution’s achievements and the significance of Barack Obama’s election for the country prompted lively debates at CSC seminars during Latin America 2008. Speakers included former London Mayor Ken Livingstone, French Professor Salim Lamrani and the Cuban Ambassador Rene Mujica Cantelar.

The Ambassador attacked the view that if the US were to drop its blockade then that would do more to destabilise the Revolution than North America’s traditional brand of aggressive foreign policy. He said:

Half-a-century of US hostility and economic warfare have not derailed us from our objectives, I therefore doubt that a policy of friendship and trade between our countries will accomplish just that result. Trade would give us the capacity to really grow and to multiply the work that we’ve been doing in different fields inside our own country and in support of other developing nations.

The panel went on to outline their hopes and fears triggered by Barack Obama’s election. Francisco Dominguez, a lecturer in Latin American studies at Middlesex University, said the context in which Obama has been elected opens up a “possibility” of change. Mr Dominguez said:

The political landscape has dramatically changed. Cuban exiles in Miami no longer run the show, as clearly demonstrated by the Democracy Now campaign waged against current US foreign policy in the state. The demographics have also changed, Miami Cubans are not a majority anymore, so Obama cannot use that as an excuse… US policy has been built up over 50 years, there are hundreds of pieces of legislation coupled with detailed military plans for the island’s invasion. It will take several Barack Obamas to undo all of this.

Mr Cantelar added:

Many previous US presidents have had a similar opportunity, but have wasted it, while Cuba has consistently made gestures to US governments. The outgoing administration has been such a disaster - in all respects – but one cannot underestimate the serious limitations that Barack Obama’s administration will face even if it wishes to improve relations with Cuba.

The Ambassador said Obama’s administration includes people closely identified with the previous establishment, and the president-elect has already listed his priorities: saving the US economy from collapse and concluding two wars.

Prof. Lamrani said Obama was the first president-elect to openly state his willingness to meet Cuba’s president without preconditions.

Barack Obama has an historic opportunity to drop once and for all the cruel, inhumane and unjustifiable blockade. He must rise to the hope that his election has sparked.

Ken Livingstone speaking on his election defeat said:

There are several reasons why I was disappointed to lose the election, but one was that I had made clear our intention to host a celebration of each country participating in the games so as to develop our cultural appreciation of them, and the process was to start with Cuba. I’d talked to Cubans and we were to bring over a whole range of things and were to show Cuba as a beacon of hope, to show what normal people against overwhelming odds have achieved. Sadly Boris Johnson didn’t share our vision. But if I’m re-elected in 2012 I shall have a celebration of the 54th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution in Trafalgar Square.

The event, jointly organised by the Cuba Solidarity Campaign, Venezuela Information Centre and South East TUC was sponored by OH Parsons, and unions Unison, Unite, POA, TSSA, UCATT, RMT, SERTUC and the GMB.

Latin America 2008 Speaker Videos

Jeremy Corbyn MP, Latin America 2008


Ken Livingstone, Latin America 2008


George Galloway MP, Latin America 2008


Salim Lamrani, Latine America 2008


Bernard Regan, Latin America 2008

Latin America 2007 Conference Report

More than 500 people attended the Latin America 2007 Conference in December to hear about the inspirational developments sweeping the continent. And after rousing speeches from a host of top speakers the audience was not to be disappointed.

In the words of Tony Benn, the conference really did give delegates “the chance to learn what you cannot learn from Jeremy Paxman or the Daily Mail”.

The conference, which was held at Congress House, London, was organised by the Cuba Solidarity Campaign, Venezuela Information Centre and the South East Regional TUC.

It was also sponsored by a range of British trade unions including: UNITE, UNISON, FBU, RMT and the GMB.

The ambassadors of Cuba, Venezuela and Bolivia spoke to the packed audience, as well as a broad selection of politicians from Latin American, the Miami Five’s lead attorney Leonard Weinglass, trade union general secretaries and activists.

They were joined by household names such as former Government Minister Tony Benn, and MPs George Galloway, Dianne Abbott, Colin Burgon and Jeremy Corbyn.

Bolivian MP Cesar Navarro said: “It is very difficult to be on the left, but it is also the most beautiful thing in the world, because it means breaking with neoliberal ideas.”

Declaring solidarity from the people of Bolivia to Cuba and Venezuela, he added: “We must bring about a transformation of Latin America. This means building our own revolution.”

Bernard Regan, Secretary of the Cuba Solidarity Campaign, said:

The number of people gathered here today has exceeded our expectations, and bears testimony to the exciting developments occurring in Cuba, Venezuela, Bolivia, Nicaragua and throughout Latin America.The inspirational changes demonstrate that another world is possible, and challenges the dominance of the United States’ military and economic power.

The Cuban Ambassador René Mujica Cantelar said:

The history of our progressive movements show economic and social liberation are intimately related to the liberation of the mind. The wave of liberation has been gathering force across Latin America in spite of the great media campaigns against countries like Cuba and Venezuela and the rest of the countries. Hasta la victoria siempre.

Delegates enjoyed speeches from scores of speakers and took part in a range of vibrant seminars.

In a highly charged third plenary the audience was gripped by emotive contributions by a string of speakers in a session regularly punctuated by loud ovations from the audience – which included best selling author and documentary-maker John Pilger.

Birmingham Respect councillor Salma Yaqoob explained that Hugo Chavez became a hero across the Middle East when he withdrew Venezuela's ambassador to Israel over last year's invasion of Lebanon. She also praised the Cuban medical brigades that brought aid to the people of Pakistan after the 2005 earthquake. The councillor said:

The people of Pakistan regularly asked the Cuban doctors: 'Why are you doing this?’ They answered: 'Because you are our brothers and sisters’. This is the humanity that we are all fighting and struggling for.

Keith Sonnet, deputy general secretary of Unison, chaired the final session and said:

A couple of years-ago Hugo Chavez received Cuba’s Jose Martí award in la Plaza de la Revolucíon and said ‘Cuba is an inspiration to me. It’s been an inspiration to all of us. I just wish our Government would stop providing military aid to Colombia and get into proper dialogue with the Cuban Government.

Tony Benn summed up Latin America’s recent achievements by saying they left him feeling “exhilarated”, which obviously struck a chord with the audience who gave him a heart-felt reception.

This has been a wonderful day, it’s given us the opportunity to learn what you cannot learn from Jeremy Paxman or the Daily Mail. We have heard some horrific things, not least about the Miami Five’s trial and the US attitude to law, but the main impression is of exhilaration. It’s vitally important we don’t see what’s happening in the world as a story of doom and gloom, but regard it as a turning point, and that’s why the phrase ‘another world is possible’ is so important.

He called upon the audience “to be absolutely clear” that the US empire is in decline and added:

Go away absolutely determined to carry on with the struggle and send our support to those who have got a harder job than we have in facing New Labour, and to never be deflected by the thought it cannot be done.

And the final speaker, Respect MP George Galloway, praised Cuba for withstanding almost half a century of US brutality, including: terrorism, airplane hijackings, hotel bombings, the killing of an Italian tourist and setting up transmitters to beam illegal propaganda into the Caribbean country. He added:

And above all the Cuban economy has been under siege for almost 46-years. Not only has Cuba survived the Special Period, it is now flourishing. And people like you in countries across the world are proud to come to conferences like this and express solidarity with the people of Cuba. We thank the Cuban people and the Cuban Revolution for keeping the flag of humanity held high all of these years.

Latin America 2007 Speaker Videos

Tony Benn, Latin America 2007


Osiris Oviedo, Latin America 2007


Cllr Salma Yaqoob, Latin America 2007


George Galloway MP, Latin America 2007

Latin America 2006 Conference Report

Latin America 2006 was held at Congress House, headquarters of the TUC in December. 500 people came along and heard from an impressive range of speakers including celebrated author Tariq Ali, Nobel Prize winner Harold Pinter, former US diplomat Wayne Smith, journalist Victoria Brittain and Colin Burgon Member of Parliament.

The conference came at a very special moment for Latin America. The same weekend witnessed the historic elections in Venezuela that were to see Hugo Chavez returned as President with such a massive public vote. The very same day as the conference saw the double celebrations in Havana for Fidel Castro's 80th birthday and the anniversary of the Granma landing.

All these events can be seen as a massive affirmation of the sweeping political changes that are changing the continent. In fact the mood of optimism infected the conference in central London and discussions were very much focussed on the future developments for the region and the need to defend the gains being made.

In a unique and exciting plenary session conference heard from voices from across the continent: Zelmys Dominguez Cortina, Political Counsellor from the Cuban Embassy, spoke about the positive feeling that despite the threats from the US in the guise of the report of the Commission for a Transition to a Free Cuba, the Cuban people were united in their determination to defend their revolution. Cesar Navarro, Head of the MAS group in the Bolivarian parliament brought greetings from the people of Bolivia and made an impassioned speech urging international solidarity with the Bolivian people and the Government of Evo Morales.

In a special video message, Augusto Montiel, brought greetings from the Venezuelan National Assembly on the eve of the elections. In contrast to the developments being seen in many countries of the region, Aida Avella, former Colombian Congresswoman from the Patriotic Union, highlighted the severe problems her people are facing in their struggle for social justice.

The conference covered a broad range of themes and the key issues facing the peoples of Latin America in their struggle for sovereignty and against the effects of neo-liberal economic policies, which have so impoverished the continent over recent years. In doing so it has helped to strengthen the various solidarity campaigns in this country.

Francis O'Grady, Deputy General Secretary, TUC brought greetings from Britain's trade unionists and expressed the position of solidarity with the struggles of the people of the region. Huge thanks must be given to Southern & Eastern Region TUC who did so much to make this event possible

One of the most interesting contributors was Wayne Smith, former Head of US Interests Section, Havana. It was both refreshing and inspiring to hear a former US diplomat being so outspoken and honest:

US policy (on Cuba) is so stupid, so counter-productive and against the interests of the US that it’s an embarrassment. I was determined to help my country to find its way back to a sane policy.

Wayne Smith contributed to a session on Cuba, USA and the War on Terror where he explained the hypocrisy of US policy.

In 2001, after 9/11, Cuba offered to open its air space to US planes and expressed a willingness to work with the US against terrorism. I hoped that this would lead to a more harmonious approach by the US. But this was not to be.

Colin Burgon MP reported on a recent visit to Cuba by the All Party Group on Cuba.

The mood of the Cuban people was absolutely solid in the face of the celebrations taking place in the streets of Miami” (in response to Castro’s ill health). .... “There was a calmness and a readiness to face the future with confidence.

In probably the highlight of the day, Harold Pinter, Nobel Prize Winner, author, playwright and political activist, gave a thought-provoking lesson in the absurdity of US foreign policy over many years. He read out a statement by US General Smedley Butler made in 1933 after 33 years of active military service in the Marine Corps.

War is just a racket, conducted for the benefit of the very few at the expense of the masses….I was a racketeer and gangster for capitalism. I helped to make Cuba a decent place for the nationalists to collect revenue. I helped with the raping of half a dozen Central American republics for the benefit of Wall Street.

In doing so he showed just how US policy has not really changed in its constant recourse to military action to protect the profits gleaned from imposing policies favourable to US business interests in other people's countries.

Pinter ended by making clear his admiration for the people of Cuba and the example they have set.

Against that background we can measure Cuba’s remarkable achievement and pride. Cuba is the inspiration of the spirit of independence and resistance which exists in Venezuela, Bolivia and Ecuador.

The programme for Latin America 2006 can be viewed here.

Latin America 2006 Speaker Videos

Harold Pinter, Latin America 2006


Wayne Smith, Latin America 2006


Colin Burgon MP, Latin America 2006