The Anti-imperialist Meeting of Solidarity, for Democracy and against Neoliberalism will take place in Havana from November 1 to 3, 2019, organized by the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP), the Cuban Chapter of Social Movements and the Continental Day for Democracy and against Neoliberalism.

The Continental Day was founded in Cuba in November 2015 when different social movements gathered to commemorate the 10^th anniversary of the defeat of the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA). It is centered around democracy, integration, the struggle against neoliberalism and free trade agreements and is made up by approximately 40 organizations and social platforms.

After organizing several events these past years, the Continental Day will meet again in Cuba to strengthen the message of unity of social movements and organizations to create a regional action plan with which to face neoliberal policies of adjustment, repression and blockade that have affected human rights.

Several organizations that are part of the Continental Day shared with Real World Radio why they think it is important to participate in this meeting.

“The meeting will take place amid great social upheaval in the region and the progressive forces of the continent will need to draw on it to build the responses that will be necessary against the crisis and the delicate situation we are experiencing. TUCA is willing to join this path to build a society that is more just and inclusive”, said Jordania Ureña, Union Policy and Education Secretary of the Trade Union Confederation of the Americas (TUCA).

From the Martin Luther King Jr. Center of Cuba, Joel Suárez warned that neoliberalism 2.0 “is taking cynical policies and exclusion to the limits, building on the advance of the right-wing, the alliances of national oligarchies and transnational capital with their offensive on the territories”. The neoliberal model “has allies in the evangelical fundamentalism and the imperialist policies of the US, and particularly, it has intensified the genocidal blockade against Cuba, with recent measures such as: preventing the entry of fuel into the country, limiting the procurement of aircrafts for our airlines, limiting remittances and the arrival of cruise ships to Cuba”, as a consequence of the Helms Burton Act.

“They want to suffocate us with hunger and discontent to undermine the support and consensus in favor of the revolution. That´s why this event is so important in this current context, to strengthen solidarity with the Cuban revolution”, added Suárez.

Meanwhile, from Brazil, the comrades of the World March of Women joined to “build popular resistance and confront the imperialist, neoliberal, authoritarian, patriarchal and racist attacks with solidarity and internationalism in the struggle for the defense of life against the advance of capital”, stressed Tica Moreno, member of the WMW Brazil.

Martha Flores, of Jubilee South Americas gave a message of comradeship and solidarity in a broad sense of the word, “supporting the countries which have taken to the streets to defend their rights”, as Nury Martínez of the Latin American Coordination of Rural Organizations (CLOC-Via Campesina) added.

Lastly, Friends of the Earth Latin America and the Caribbean (ATALC) reaffirmed the need to articulate with the different popular initiatives and alternatives, with unity “and a common agenda against neoliberalism and military regimes in Latin America”.

Silvia Quiroa, member of CESTA-Friends of the Earth El Salvador and ATALC, stated: “We will come to Havana to reaffirm our spirit of struggle, our principles of solidarity and internationalism, our commitment to change this capitalist, patriarchal and racist system. We will continue fighting strong against the imposition of the neoliberal, privatizing and looting agenda which has impoverished our countries”.

The Continental Day for Democracy and against Neoliberalism is calling to stand strong and not take a step back in the struggle for rights.

The people will continue the fight for our integration, self-determination and sovereignty against free trade and transnational corporations!