June
22
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ALBA recommends expulsion of USAID
Image credit: Uhurunews.com
In a positive step for international anti-imperialism, the Political Council of Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our Americas (ALBA) called for the unconditional expulsion of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) from its member countries.
A resolution passed on June, 22nd, signed by representatives of the governments of Cuba, Bolivia, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Ecuador and Dominica, accuses USAID of using “different organizations and disguises” to illegally fund opposition media, NGOs, and political leaders in order to “limit the legal authority of our states” and “loot our natural resources.” ALBA representatives argue that democracy cannot be promoted in their countries by agents tied to the US, but is part of the grassroots mobilization of their people for national self-determination and social justice.
As of yet, the resolution is merely a request by an international organization to which these member countries belong. If fully adopted by the member countries, the expulsion of USAID, while not removing every imperialist agent from their countries, would limit their operational capacity.
The move would provide a hedge against US-supported coups inside member countries. Yet for the people of Latin America to be successful against US-led imperialism, a more internationalist strategy must be applied. ALBA countries must not only expel USAID from their own countries, but they must work to remove the influence of US imperialism from their region and across the globe. Even if ALBA countries removed every imperialist agent inside their borders, they would still be faced with the problem of encirclement from regional partners of US imperialism such as the reactionary Columbian government. Thus, it is important for ALBA countries to set up their own institutions and logistical networks to aid progressive movements throughout the region. As well as expanding their positive influence in Latin America, ALBA member countries must reach out and forge economic and political alliances with anti-hegemonic states such as Iran.
US imperialism can be defeated, and expelling USAID and other imperialist agents from ALBA states would be a step in this direction. Yet, for peoples’ struggles to be successful, US imperialism must be defeated internationally. This means anti-imperialist states must co-operate with each other to expand the scope of anti-imperialist struggle globally. By joining together in heightened struggle against imperialism, and alliance of progressive states can cut off imperialism from the source of its profits, expose its larger contradictions, and hasten its demise.
Notes:
The military and parliamentary systems controlled by landed, capitalist class people get more reactionary with presidents moving too far to the left like in Paraguay and Honduras. Governments who removed presidents Lugo and Zelaya by suspect means. These are coups that have a veneer of legality. The ALBA unity in denouncing and isolating such governments is needed to dissuade and reverse such actions. Latin American unity has also put pressure against the British occupation of the Malvinas.