Latin America celebrated the collapse of neo-liberalism

Latin American Presidents with a left-wing signature participating in the World Social Forum 2009 in Belém, celebrated the collapse of neo-liberalism.

Characterized as the block of the real left-wing Latin American social movements, Presidents Hugo Chávez (Venezuela), Evo Morales (Bolivia), Rafael Correa (Ecuador) and Fernando Lugo (Paraguay) celebrated the collapse of neo-liberalism in ‘Davos’, a reference to the meeting running at the same time as the Social Forum, and collecting the crème de la crème of capitalism in the Swiss Alps. The assembled Latin American presidents gave a clear message to the participants of the World Social Forum (WSF), that was held in Belém from January 27 to Feb. 1: "We need to unite Latin America to cope with the economic crisis", they claimed, while they also called on the ‘left’ world to support their governments.

The Presidents took part in a debate organized by the Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra (MST = Movement of landless farmers) and the umbrella organization of small farmers, Via Campesina. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil was not invited to this meeting.

In the debate with the MST, Rafael Correa set the tone at an early stage, when he said that "neo-liberalism is a perverse system that now crumbles." The Ecuadorian president also said that the Social Forum is part of the solution the world needs and proposed enthusiastically: "The WSF is part of the solution to the crisis. Hopefully, the alternative emerges now from this Forum in Latin America.”

Hugo Chavez argued that the Forum has to leave the trenches of the fight and launch the attack. "The WSF must change its strategy because we are in the phase of attacks and no longer in the period of trench warfare."

During the debate, called "Prospects for the Integration of Latin America”, the Presidents launched numerous attacks on the "North American imperialism.” Chavez proposed an international trial of the former U.S. president George W. Bush for his alleged crimes against humanity. In the same debate, the freedom fighter Che Guevara was honoured. His daughter was present during the session.

With the new American president Chavez was cautious: "We are still waiting for the performance of the new American government, which faces itself a very serious problem within its borders: the economic crisis." But he stated that he was not blinded by the promised changes: "The empire is still intact and the president [Obama] has said that Chavez is an obstacle."

Fernando Lugo, Paraguay’s last year elected President, new in this ‘left’ presidential bloc, welcomed the participation of farmers and indigenous movements as agents of change in the WSF: "Thanks to the social movements in Latin America, we experience a time of change."

Evo Morales expressed his solidarity with the landless and indigenous people and admitted that he can make mistakes, but promised never to abandon “the struggle against North American imperialism."

The Brazilian Minister of Agrarian Development, Guilherme Cassel, said that the MST made a serious “political mistake” by refusing, Lula to taking part in the debate with the Latin American presidents. And concluded with the words: "He, who takes part in a WSF debate is open to dialogue and criticism."
It is clear that the MST is very dissatisfied with the agrarian reforms (or lack there of) during the reign of the Lula administration. And it is also clear that what Cassel said is a farce, because Lula has never been able to handle criticism in a positive way.

Lula will participate in some activities during the last days of the WSF, but none of the MST and Via Campesina, the international organization to which the MST is connected.

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"Bush, meu filho, resolve tua crise" - "Bush, my son, solve your crisis”

During an encounter in Recife(PE) between Brazilian and Mexican businessmen, president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said, that an economic crisis in the USA and the preservation of the self-esteem of the Brazilian entrepreneurs are the only two matters of his concern in relation to the Brazilian economy.

Lula confirmed that he had called the president of North-America George W. Bush twice to tell him to get hold of the crisis, consequently his colleague, as Lula had learned, had been a bit irritated by the comments the Brazilian president made.
“I called him and said, Bush, my son, the problem is as follows, we have been 26 years without [economic] grow. Now as we start to grow, you disturb it. Solve your crisis.”

He continued to state that Brazil has the knowledge to solve the bank crisis, referring to Proer, a programme created to recuperate the financial institutions which faced bankruptcy in the nineties of the last century. “When they need it, we will send them [USA] this technology.” Lula said.

Lula concluded his speech speaking about the expansion of the Brazilian-Mexico trade with an explanation of the PAC (Programa de Aceleração do Crescimento = Program to Accelerate the Economic Grow), which stimulates the home market and compared the Bolsa Família (program for financial support to the poor) with the miraculous multiplication of bread, one of the miracles attributed to Jesus Christ.
“The multiplication of the breads, of which Christ spoke, is exactly that.” he confirmed.

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