São Paulo Forum in Havana, with representatives from 112 participating organisations and 25 observer organisations, demonstrates the vitality of the political forces of anti-imperialism, popular democracy and the socialist left in Latin America and the Caribbean. These are forces that are taking part in the profound changes on our continent. The participation and presence of 43 observers from political organisations in North America, Europe, Asia and Africa demonstrate the significance that the Forum has acquired.
### Vindication
The decision, at the third meeting in Managua, to hold the fourth in Havana has been vindicated. We have incorporated 30 anti-colonial, popular and democratic organisations from the Caribbean, strengthening our unity. We have observed for ourselves the difficult situation facing the fraternal people of Cuba and the grave effects of the blockade and the systematic policy of aggression carried out by the government of the United States. Equally, the Cuban people remain firm in their resolve to defend their social and economic conquests. When more than 180 million Latin Americans and Caribbeans live in poverty, and another 88 million live in extreme poverty, these revolutionary gains are even more significant.
The fourth meeting reaffirms our condemnation of the immoral imperialist blockade against Cuba and assumes the commitment to deepen political actions demanding its lifting, as well as the unconditional integration of Cuba into the continental community.
The São Paulo Forum has continued to develop. Advanced political forces 18 from the region, of diverse political and ideological orientations, can meet to discuss the difficult changes that have occured, our historical role, the cultural and ethnic mix of the continent, our potential for creating a society that is based on justice and solidarity.
Latin America and the Caribbean are inserted in a uni-polar world that conforms to hegemonic economic blocs - that re-define the function and parameters of technological change and the international division of labour. We resist the application of the neo-liberal
In the last year, there has been evidence of a split in the neo-liberal project, its hegemony fragmented. The change of presidents in Brazil, Venezuela and Guatemala shows the force of social mobilisations, the peoples desire for change, the struggle against corruption. In Uruguay 72% voted against privatisation of public services.
### External debt
The consequences of neo-liberal policies are clearly visible. An indiscriminate economy; the blind reliance on the market under the control of the oligarchies and the transnationals; the organisation of the economy in order that payment of the external debt is guaranteed and so that politics are defined by the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. This has produced the destruction of the industrial sector especially the nationalised industries; disequilibrium between the different sectors of the economy; the creation of a deficit in the commercial balance of payments; the return of an economy based on primary exports.
Poverty is increasingly difficult to hide. Today, governments and interand intelligence services outside democratic control, the impunity of the States terror-ism. All of these constitute grave threats to the construction of democratic politics in Latin America.
The Forum emphasises the importance of the struggle for political democracy, in the knowledge that it is a historical product of the peoples' fight. We also affirm the necessity of an extension of democracy, a combination of mechanisms, representative, participative and direct, integrating institutional and social struggles. It is also necessary to recognise and incorporate ethnic and cultural plurality, generalised equality in the exercise of democracy.
The defence and extension of demo-
International Viewpoint #248 September 1993
) FORUM cratic conquests corresponds with the struggle against corruption, transforming the daily practice of the ruling elites in Latin America in their traditional and neo-liberal forms. Corruption is a political and ethical problem. We have the evidence of the dominant classes intentions to "privatise" the State and reap the
Democracy is incompatible with the survival of a colonialism that subjugates the diverse peoples of our continent, restricting sovereignty and independence.
It is evident that the present state of the economy and politics on the continent are conducive to a persistent violation of the human rights of our people, provoking social instability and desperate actions leading to an increased mobilisation of the reactionary and neo-liberal layers. It is necessary that our political forces contribute to the orientation and organisation of the social struggles with a political perspective that transcends history.
For victory over social misery, ethical crisis, social and political instability, authoritarianism, it is necessary to pass beyond denunciation and resistance and propose concrete alternatives.
A number of the organisations integral to the Forum will be facing the challenge of elections, for president or government, in the remaining part of 1993 and in 1994, for example in Brazil, Chile, El Salvador, México, Panama and Uruguay. The Forum demands fair and democratic elections in all cases.
We urgently need to formulate and implement a political project that will express the interests of the popular movements, that can build a sustainable and independent economy with equitable distribution of wealth and a marked extension of democracy in all areas. The great majority must have the right to work, consumer goods, property and citizens rights. We must challenge the ecological degradation on our continent.
We do not accept the formula "first growth - distribution later" but rather that we should begin to define a strategy that links growth with distribution.
We need a model of development that combines the existence of the market with the regulatory function of the State and the energetic promotion of the necessary structural changes that will create democracy with social justice and, in particular, guarantee social policies:
education, salaries...
We are living through a process of the globalisation of the economy. In this process, the United States behaves as if
Latin America and the Caribbean are simple appendages of their economy, to be used by big capital.
New relationship The military presence in Panama, the illegal occupation of the Guantánamo base, the maintenance of the Cuban blockade, military interventionism associated with the struggle against drug trafficking, as well as all the economic and political measures that affect our countries; all point to the need for a radically new relationship between Latin America and the
Caribbean and the United States. It is necessary that this ultimately respects the exercise of self-determination of our peoples and consequently the plurality of socio-economic systems on our continent.
The Forum registers its opposition to the continued colonial status of Puerto
Rico, French Guyana, Martinique, Guadeloupe and other colonial territories.
We demand national independence and self-determination, as well as the recognition of Argentine sovereignty over the Malvinas.
We express our respect for the achievements in Central America that have been made by the Sandinista National
Liberation Front (FSLN), the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN) and the Guatemalan Revolutionary National Unity (URNG), for their role in the peace process in the area and for their flexibility and reconciliation. Likewise, we hope negotiations recommence in Colombia in the search for a political solution and an end to the armed conflict. We condemn the authoritarian, military, pseudo-constitutional regime in Peru. This regime contributes nothing to the grave problems faced by such coun tries.
### Democracy
We support the struggle of the Haitian people to restore democracy and prepare the conditions for the return of the legitimate president. But we would warn against the use of the New York Accord as a pretext for external military intervention.
The Forum considers that it is valid and necessary to record the origins of these previous conflicts and relations: the systematic violation of human rights, dependency, social injustice and dictatorial atrocities. The definitive eradication of these depends on the indefatigable struggle of the all democratic, progressive and patriotic forces in the Americas.
Finally, in the international arena, the
Forum declares that it is necessary to fight for the construction of a new world order, as defined by our third meeting in
Managua.
At the level of supra-national organisations, in the light of world reality, we are faced with unjust organisational forms and the lack of guarantees. International law, the United Nations and the
Security Council are invoked and used and the sovereignty and independence of
States is trampled underfoot. This has resulted in the recent aggression against
Iraq, the military occupation of Somalia under humanitarian pretexts, the imperialist nuclear threat to North Korea, the sanctions against Libya. Likewise the
Security Council resolutions with regard to Israel and their responsibilities have been ignored. Israel continues its aggression against the Palestinian people and their struggle for an independent state.
Following the frustrations of the last few years, the Forum sees the possibility of a rise in popular struggles that could renovate the Latin American and Caribbean left.
We resolve to find new and creative ways to advance our struggle and win! *
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SÃO PAULO FORUM