Leftist Network Calls for Regional Unity Against Neoliberalism

Representatives of a newly-founded network promoting regional integration and sovereignty has called on countries of Latin America and the Caribbean to unite to confront the threat of neoliberalism in the region.

The Parliamentary Network for Latin American and Caribbean Sovereignty and Unity, officially founded earlier this week at the CELAC Summit in Quito, Ecuador, by lawmakers from 17 countries in the region, stressed the importance of unity to protect progressive achievements in the face of a right-wing resurgence and the “threat of a neoliberal agenda” in the region.

#Celac crea red parlamentaria en defensa de las democracias de la región. https://t.co/4swtMIOwEW pic.twitter.com/IExoKyuqlD

— Cancillería Vzla (@vencancilleria) January 27, 2016

“CELAC creates parliamentary network in defense of democracies of the region.”

Ecuadorean National Assembly Chief Gabriela Rivadeneira presented the new Parliamentary Network’s manifesto on Thursday to the newly elected pro-tempore presidency of CELAC, Dominican President Danilo Medina.

The manifesto lists 25 points of common interest for the Latin America and the Caribbean and declares the organization’s commitment to “defending and deepening the achievements aimed at strengthening the region as an area of peace.”

The points touch sovereignty and the right to non-intervention, democratic institutions, regional integration and solidarity, economic cooperation, media hegemony, corruption and impunity, and right-wing assaults on progressive movements, among other issues.

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The manifesto also rejects “any attempt to resume a neoliberal agenda in the region, taking into account the destructive effects this policy had in the region in the 1990s,” including austerity programs, privatization, and subordination to IMF policies.

According to Ecuador’s Rivadeneira, the manifesto was developed by 30 lawmakers from different countries with a progressive vision for the region.

.@GabrielaEsPais entrega manifiesto a Presidente Pro Témpore de @CELAC #RedParlamentaria https://t.co/THO6hTKibi pic.twitter.com/cqSfLjWAj6

— Asamblea Nacional (@AsambleaEcuador) January 28, 2016

“Gabriela Rivadeneira delivers manifesto to pro-tempore presidency of CELAC.”

The new Parliamentary Network and manifesto comes on the heels of right-wing victories in the region. In Argentina, 12 years of progressive Kirchnerismo ended with a right-wing win by President Mauricio Macri, who began to roll out a series of neoliberal reforms within days of taking power. In Venezuela, the opposition swept the parliamentary elections for the first time since Hugo Chavez came to power in 1998, taking control with a right-wing supermajority in the National Assembly.

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Meanwhile, right-wing opposition groups in Ecuador and Brazil have been organizing for months to destabilize the governments of presidents Rafael Correa and Dilma Rousseff.

The next meeting of the Parliamentary Network for Latin American and Caribbean Sovereignty and Unity is set to take place in Buenos Aires.

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