Edited by Ed Newman on August 27, 2024
President Miguel Diaz Canel
Address by Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel at the XI Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America-People’s Trade Treaty (ALBA-TCP) / held virtually on August 26, 2024
Dear President and brother Nicolás Maduro;
Dear brothers and sisters;
Dear representatives of the nations that make up our Alliance;
Dear Jorge Arreaza, Executive Secretary of ALBA-TCP;
And brothers and sisters from all of Our America:
First, on behalf of Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, leader of the Cuban Revolution, of the Party, the Government and the people of Cuba, we reiterate the congratulations already expressed upon the first results to the President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, our comrade Nicolás Maduro Moros, for the victory achieved in the elections of July 28th.
At this time, once again we are called by conscience and solidarity, because I believe that we are and share this idea, that we are very aware of the grave danger that the unitary project that this Alliance represents is running, and also of the value of the statements of solidarity that all of Our America owes to sister Venezuela – undisputed leader of regional independence, since the times of Bolívar and his libertarian campaigns – and that today faces a rude and concerted campaign of discredit that seeks to mask another attempted coup d’état.
They have tried so many times that it is no longer possible to hide the purposes behind the worn-out pretext of making the official election results transparent, practically before the time established for this, while on the other hand the uncivilized, violent, fascist position of a part of the opposition that refuses to accept anything that does not benefit it, is taken for granted and not questioned.
The defiant stances taken by these political groups, warning that they would not recognize any results other than those they had predicted, showed very early on, practically at the close of the polls, that a new phase of all the previous and failed attempts to overthrow a legitimate government with a combination of internal violence and foreign interference was approaching.
It is an absurd claim by those who try to have results based on an electoral platform foreign to the legitimate power considered valid. That, if we accept it, would lead to the electoral systems becoming inoperative. The parties cannot become the arbiters of a contest that involves them.
Cuba, our homeland, our people, recognizes and admires the calm response, the high sense of institutional democracy and the vocation for peace shown by President Nicolás Maduro and his team in responding to these provocations, supported by popular mobilizations and presenting a contentious appeal before the Electoral Chamber of the highest judicial body of the nation, under the provisions of the Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
Just hours ago, the Supreme Court of Justice, after an exhaustive examination of the documents presented by the national electoral body and political parties that participated in the elections, issued an unappealable verdict confirming the victory of President Nicolás Maduro in the elections of July 28 of this year.
As expected, the same extremists who ignored the official results and disregarded the order of the Supreme Court, immediately unleashed their arsenal of deception against the final ruling, trying to deny the legitimacy of the calling power, and consequently, also that of the Constitution.
The will of the majority must be respected. The Venezuelan people voted in full conscience in favor of dignity, sovereignty and peace. And they have backed that vote with massive popular demonstrations in the streets of all Venezuela, even though these events, as Maduro explained, are silenced or diminished by biased reports, openly pro-opposition, from Western media that serve the empire.
It is not the first time that U.S. imperialism and regional and international oligarchies show rejection and contempt for the will of our people.
It is not the first time that they try to stop political processes contrary to their interests, because these processes favor the well-being of the people and the defense of national assets.
It is not possible to remain indifferent to a calculated articulation of regional oligarchies, imperialism, communications empires and digital platforms against Venezuela. Today against Venezuela, tomorrow against any of our countries and peoples.
Today there are attempts to annul the powers of the State established in the Venezuelan Constitution, to be replaced by parallel structures with documentation of dubious origin, which are presented as legitimate.
Many of those who, from abroad, take advantage of the situation created in Venezuela in favor of their political interests, which exacerbate, promote and stimulate destabilization, are the same ones who, without evidence and clearly as excuses to divert attention from their political failures, try to delegitimize the genuine popular movements in their countries with accusations of foreign interference.
Here we say that with absolute irresponsibility, the return to destabilization plans in Venezuela is being encouraged in a concerted manner, and in Our America we cannot allow this. In Venezuela, the conflict between clearly conflicting world views is being resolved. On one side, the emancipatory vision, ours, which defends the future and social justice for the benefit of all. On the other, the interest in preserving the system of injustices and hegemonies that the Bolivarian Revolution has had the audacity to confront prevails.
I remember that on January 28, 2014, in Havana, all the Heads of State and Government of CELAC adopted the Proclamation of Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace. No imperial force or one financed by its hegemony will make us retreat from our responsibility to maintain peace in the region, a vital cause to which we will always strive.
Comrades, sisters and brothers:
On July 10, 2024, we met at the 10th Extraordinary Summit of ALBA-TCP to denounce the attempted coup d’état against the sister Plurinational State of Bolivia.
Today, we meet again in these dire circumstances to condemn the coup and the blatant external interference against the homeland of Bolívar, which is that of all of us, and against the unity of Our America.
The XXIV Summit will be held on December 14, in person, in Havana, coinciding with the 20th anniversary of the founding of ALBA-TCP – and I take this opportunity to invite you all – will be a new opportunity to ratify the commitment to the defense of peace and sovereignty, in the face of the renewed attempts of the empire to interfere in the internal affairs of our countries.
These are times of unity and firmness against imperialism and the oligarchies, which take advantage of the slightest opportunity to attack the triumph and stability of each popular-oriented force, as well as to hinder social development policies and destroy the dreams achieved in the event that they seize power.
We denounce the continuation of imperialist harassment, external interference, the onslaught of the oligarchies, and the media and political manipulation to generate destabilization and promote a coup and attempt to overthrow the legitimate Bolivarian and Chavista government.
Cuba reiterates its strongest condemnation of the systematic aggression against Venezuela, and repudiates any attempt to encourage violence and to disturb the peace that its noble and brave people demand and need in order to confront and repair the profound damage caused to its economy by the criminal policy of sanctions and blockades that the United States uses as its main weapon against nations that do not submit to its designs.
It is up to everyone to act with honesty and justice, in accordance with the principles of International Law and the most basic standards of coexistence. It is up to Venezuelans to resolve and clarify what concerns them.
But we will not remain on the sidelines or silent in the face of the outrages and blatant interference of the empire, its followers or those who prefer not to challenge the imperial line of action.
We stand in solidarity, without a single doubt, with the brother Venezuelan people and with our comrade, Nicolás Maduro.
We will always and unambiguously defend what the peaceful, honorable and beloved people of Venezuela defend and support with their vote. Punished by unjust unilateral coercive measures and in the midst of very adverse circumstances, they have achieved, with much work and effort, the economic and social rebirth of the nation.
Unity is the basis and essence of the invincible strength of peoples in revolution. Cuba, which knows, respects and admires the civic-military, Bolivarian and Chavista unity of the Venezuelan people, trusts that with this strength, the homeland of Bolívar, Chávez and Maduro will continue to demonstrate that it is proof against all threats and harassment.
Ever onward to victory!
Thank you very much.
Source: Radio Havana Cuba