During the V Summit of ALBA (2007) in Tintorero, Venezuela, social movements and organizations decided to take a proactive leap and create the construction of a wider space for the integration of the popular sectors of the hemisphere, with ALBA as its horizon.
In 2008, the meetings began and the wills joined forces. At the Belem Social Forum in 2009, the letter of the Americas Social Movements was launched, in which we made clear that we accepted the principles of solidarity, cooperation and complementarities from ALBA, its valorization of our history of resistance and the Martian and Bolivarian dreams to build a Great Homeland.
In 2013, the foundational assembly of ALBA Movements called «Hugo Chávez Frías» took place, with representatives of popular movements from 23 countries, formalizing the Operational Secretariat based in the Landless Movement of Brazil, to which is joined by Argentina (Patria Grande), Colombia (Marcha Patriótica y Congreso de los pueblos), Venezuela (Pobladores) and Cuba (Centro Memorial Martin Luther King).
The Second Continental Assembly «Fidel Castro Ruz» (2016), held in Colombia, had as a framework the social and political situation in the continent, in which stood out the advance of the right. In the space the organic structure was deepened and the bases of the political project were approved.
Our bet is based on ideological axis such as anti-capitalism, anti-imperialism, anti-colonialism, anti-racism and feminism, among others. Regarding the political integration project, six strategic axis of articulation have been reached: integration and Internationalism; ideological battle, culture and decolonization; defense of Mother Earth and sovereignty of peoples; economy for good living; democratization and popular power building; popular feminisms.
Progress and projections
For the next year the Articulation will put its historical and organizational accumulated to integrate into a new world space that will bring together popular movements, parties and processes of our America, Africa, Asia, Europe and Middle East in the International Assembly of Peoples, which will have appointment in Caracas, Venezuela.
The Caribbean Assembly of Peoples to be held in Trinidad and Tobago, will also be accompanied. To the south of the continent, there will be accompaniment and support for the candidacy of Evo Morales in the elections in Bolivia.
ALBA Movements was born thanks to the dream of leaders articulated with great movements and processes of struggle against neoliberalism. Today the scenario is different, Chavez and Fidel are still guiding us, we have received defeats and setbacks, but the progressive cycle is not finished. The peoples continue fighting, defending conquests and proposing new alternatives of life. «If the present is a struggle, the future is ours.»
Alcides García
Communication Secretary of ALBA Movements
Gonzalo Armúa
Coordinator of Operational Secretary of ALBA Movement
