Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas

The Bolivarian Alternative for the People of Our America (Spanish: "Alternativa Bolivariana para los Pueblos de Nuestra América" or ALBA - which also means 'dawn' in Spanish) is an international cooperation organization based upon the idea of social, political, and economic integration between the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean.

The agreement was initially proposed by the government of Venezuela as an alternative to the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA or ALCA in Spanish) proposed by the United States. Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua and Bolivia have entered into this Peoples' Trade Agreement (Spanish: "Tratado de Comercio de los Pueblos" - TCP) which aims to implement the principles of ALBA between those four nations. However, Nicaragua is also a member of the Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA).

The adjective "Bolivarian" refers to general Simón Bolívar, who is revered as a hero throughout Spanish speaking South America for his leadership of independence movements against Spanish colonial power. In addition, Bolívar's thought about justice and equality in all America are the major axis in the ideology of Bolivarianism.

Unlike neoliberal free trade agreements, the ALBA represents an attempt at regional economic integration that is not based primarily on trade liberalization but on a vision of social welfare and mutual economic aid.

The Cuba-Venezuela Agreement [http://www.mltoday.com/Pages/NLiberation/Cuba-VenezPact.html/ initial Cuba-Venezuela TCP] , which was signed on December 14, 2004 by Presidents Hugo Chávez and Fidel Castro, was aimed at the exchange of medical resources and petroleum between both nations. Venezuela delivers about 96,000 barrels of oil per day from its state-owned petroleum operations to Cuba at very favorable prices and Cuba in exchange sent 20,000 state-employed medical staff and thousands of teachers to Venezuela's slums.

President Evo Morales of poor but gas-rich Bolivia joined the TCP on April 29, 2006, only days before he announced his intention to nationalize Bolivia's hydrocarbon assets. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4959008.stm BBC NEWS | Americas | Leftist trio seals Americas pact ] ] Newly elected President Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua, signed the agreement in January 2007; [ [http://venezuelanalysis.com/news.php?newsno=2190 venezuelanalysis.com | Venezuela News, Views, and Analysis ] ] Venezuela agreed to forgive Nicaragua's $31 million debt as a result. On February 23, 2007 Ortega visited Caracas to solidify Nicaragua's participation in ALBA. [ [http://www.plenglish.com/article.asp?ID={C7A2EA96-4C6C-4B7C-BAFA-C3798EB6D0F1})&language=EN Prensa Latina ] ] . Rafael Correa, the president of Ecuador, signed a joint agreement with Hugo Chávez, to become a member of ALBA once he becomes president, [ [http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/news.php?newsno=2181 Venezuelan and Ecuadorian Presidents Seal Friendship with Joint Declaration | venezuelanalysis.com ] ] but as of 2008 Ecuador has not joined the organization.

The Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Baldwin Spencer, has hailed the signing of the trade agreement with Venezuela as a significant historical milestone in relations between the Caribbean and Latin America. He along with the Prime Ministers of Dominica and St. Vincent and the Grenadines signed onto ALBA.

In January 2008, Dominica, a small island in the Caribbean, joined ALBA. [cite news | first=Mike | last=Fuller | coauthors= | title=Dominica Joins ALBA Revolution | date= | publisher= | url =http://www.plenglish.com/article.asp?ID=%7B9D9EFB74-D8F5-493D-AC42-4A31C4B86D4D%7D)&language=EN | work = | pages = | accessdate = 2008-01-28 | language = ]

On August 25th, Honduras' President Manuel Zelaya signed an agreement to join the ALBA, with a rally in front of the Presidential House that was attended by many of the presidents of the countries that are part of ALBA, including Chavez and Morales. [http://www.plenglish.com/article.asp?ID={572E71EE-08F1-4328-A8C2-83D8840AC033}&language=EN] . Congress approved ALBA on October 9, 2008. [ [http://www.laprensahn.com/Inicio/Ediciones/2008/10/10/Noticias/Bajo-presiones-Congreso-ratifica-adhesion-a-la-Alba Bajo presiones, Congreso ratifica adhesión a la Alba] ]

ee also

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col1 =
* Free trade
* Free trade area
* International trade
* PetroCaribe
* Trade bloc
col2 =
* Mercosur
* Andean Community of Nations
* North American Free Trade Agreement
* Union of South American Nations
* Latin American Free Trade Agreement

References

External links

* [http://www.alternativabolivariana.org/ AlternativaBolivariana.org] es icon
* [http://www.focusweb.org/index.php?option=com_remository&Itemid=105&func=showdown&id=21 Venezuela's Answer to "Free Trade": The Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas] (December 7, 2006) - Focus on the Global South
* [http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/html/20060429T180000-0500_103616_OBS_CUBA__BOLIVIA__VENEZUELA_CELEBRATE_ALTERNATIVE_TO_US_LED_TRADE_PACTS.asp Cuba, Bolivia, Venezuela celebrate alternative to US-led trade pacts] (April 30th, 2006) - "Jamaica Observer"
* [http://www.stabroeknews.com/index.pl/article?id=52345276 Venezuela and the Caribbean] (April 21st 2006) - "Stabroek Newspaper" Guyana.
* [http://www.stabroeknews.com/index.pl/article?id=19157088 Editorial: Hugo Chávez and the Americans] (May 12th 2005) - "Stabroek Newspaper" Guyana.
* [http://www.stabroeknews.com/index.pl/article?id=3914495 Commentary: Is Mr Chavez's Bolivarian Alternative attractive?] (February 26th 2004) - "Stabroek Newspaper" Guyana.
* [http://www.mltoday.com/Pages/NLiberation/Cuba-VenezPact.html/ Text of December 14, 2004 agreement between Venezuela and Cuba for the application of ALBA]
* [http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/news.php?newsno=2181 Venezuelan and Ecuadorian Presidents Seal Friendship with Joint Declaration] (Dec 22nd, 2006) Venezuela Analysis