IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF BOLIVAR AND GUEVARA

The process of integration in various parts of the planet has long become one of the most important attributes of world politics. It is quite intensive in Latin America, but only with the spirit of revolutionary romanticism that is typical of this region. This was quite clear at the Latin American and Caribbean Summit in the Brazilian resort of Costa do Sauipe. On the sidelines of the forum, the leaders of three regional organizations - the Rio Group, the Common Market of the South (MERCOSUR) and the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) - held meetings as well.

Integration with a socialist face

The processes unfolding in this region can be regarded as the beginning of comprehensive American integration which was the dream of one of the most outstanding heroes of the continent, Simon Bolivar. In the early 19th century, he intended to unite the territories liberated from Spanish oppressors into one state and even called a continental congress in Panama to this end. However, separatist sentiments in the whole of Latin America upset his plans.

Nevertheless, the idea of Latin American unity survived and was embodied, specifically, in the socialist movement of the second half of the 20th century, symbolized by legendary Che Guevara. Since then, the process of integration in this region has been dominated by leftist political views. Decades of liberal economic policy and "shock therapy" considerably exacerbated the situation of millions of people in Latin America amid the unprecedented enrichment of the oligarchic elite in most of its countries. For example, social demand arose for the revival of the socialist movement, which brought leftist governments to power in many countries of the region over the last decade.

The most outstanding politician of Latin America is certainly the president of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez, who has proposed "a new ideology of the future" for the region. In his address to the World Social Forum in the Brazilian city of Porto Alegre in 2005, he called it "the socialism of the 21st century". Chavez tried to substantiate the attractiveness of his platform by the achievements of his own policy which is distinguished by the use of a considerable amount of oil revenues in the interests of most of the Venezuelan population. Oil dollars fueled the country's economy anyway, but before Hugo Chavez came to power, almost all the money went into the pockets of the oligarchy and corrupt officials. However, Chavez's efforts to establish a fair public system have yet to become systemic. In essence, we are talking about a common vector of social policy which provides for the mobilization of the country's resources to solve social requirements. However, in order to secure full success, it is necessary to implement fundamental programmes which are capable of leading to a significant cut in the level of poverty and eliminating the monstrous abyss between the elite and the grass roots. Another matter is that the policy of mobilization, as always, presents the state which has undertaken to solve it with a difficult dilemma. Its essence is that revolutionary reforms, under which the toughening of political control is often inevitable, comply with the principles of democratic leadership.

Breakthrough 2008

The beginning of a new page in the history of Latin American integration is linked to the establishment of the Union of South American Nations in 2008. The UNASUR project, initiated by Brazil, was first mentioned eight years ago. However, the agreement on the establishment of the Union of South American Nations was signed only on 23 May 2008. It was signed in the Brazilian capital by the presidents of 12 states - Argentina, Bolivia, Venezuela, Guyana, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru, Surinam, Uruguay, Chile and Ecuador. The main tasks of the new regional union are to strengthen political cooperation, secure economic integration, protect common interests and make effective use of the process of globalization in order to create an equal world order. Moreover, the aim is to form a single economic, currency, judicial and parliamentary system in the region. Of course, the community of historical fates and two kindred languages - Spanish and Portuguese - which are spoken by most of the population of the continent, serve as an objective basis for the process of integration in Latin America. As for the economy, it is important to note that two models of integration have been struggling in Latin America for two decades. One model, promoted by the United States, envisages Latin America's entry into a zone of free trade, which would also include the USA itself - as a dominant power, of course, because 70 per cent of the GDP of such an organization would belong to this country. However, after leftist leaders, who reject the neo-liberal ideology of Washington which they see as a means of political and economic pressure, came to power in Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela, Uruguay, Chile, Bolivia, Paraguay and Nicaragua, prospects for the implementation of this plan came to naught.

The other model is the Common Market of the South which was established in 1991. It includes Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela. On the basis of the structural base of MERCOSUR which is a significant factor in the consolidation of the continent's national economies against competition by the USA and the European Union, it is planned to expedite the process of Latin American integration.

"MERCOSUR's voice can already be heard at international forums, and now we need to expand our proposals to overcome the effects of the international crisis," Brazilian President Lula da Silva said at the opening of the summit in Costa do Sauipe.

"Not to be sidelined"

The participants in the summit placed responsibility for the world economic crisis on developed states, which, according to the final declaration of the forum signed by the leaders of Latin American and Caribbean countries, "must cover expenses to overcome it". The heads of state also noted the need to make urgent efforts to secure energy integration between the countries of the region against the background of the growing imbalance between supply and demand on the world energy market. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez called for the establishment of a single financial system in the whole Latin American and Caribbean region. "We should not waste even one day on these discussions," he said. "We must create our own system which will not rely on the dollar as the main currency and will not depend on institutions like the International Monetary Fund." This statement was backed by the leaders of Brazil and Argentina - countries which are locomotives of regional integration. It is exactly these states that initiated the rejection of the dollar in mutual settlements which are already being carried out in Brazilian reals and Argentinean pesos.

Such decisions seem to be an important factor in overcoming American hegemony which was established in Latin America almost two decades ago. As a matter of fact, the Costa do Sauipe summit was the first impressive forum in the history of the region to be held without the participation of US representatives.

"No-one wants to stop doing business with the USA and the EU," the Brazilian leader said. "But we need to set some conditions for these relations so that they can be real, fair and appropriate". Otherwise, he thinks, Latin American countries "will always be poor and sidelined".

Based on this position, the participants in the summit confirmed their intention to protect the sovereign rights of each regional state and "to build their own political system that is free from threats, aggression and unilateral actions". They also spoke out in support of the principle of territorial integrity, non-interference in the internal affairs of other states and the strengthening of a multilateral approach to international affairs.

An important step which fits into the logic of sovereignty was the appeal of Latin American leaders to the USA to lift the embargo on Cuba. "We urge the US administration to fulfill the measures stipulated by 17 UN General Assembly resolutions and end the economic, trade and financial blockade of Cuba," they said in a joint statement.

This action is another move to prioritize the integral sign of Latin American unity - the fight against imperialism which the USA embodies for the countries and peoples of the continent. Hence, the rejection by most Latin American and Caribbean countries of the unipolar world and the growing cooperation of the leading countries of the region with Russia which has been playing in recent years the role of the main proponent of the idea of multipolarity in the international arena. Meanwhile, to all appearances, not just the United States, but also the whole global political and economic system which seems to have experienced the biggest trials and tribulations of the 21st century cannot ignore the new Latin American movement which can be regarded as a fait accompli.