The Latin American initiative debates the new stage in regional integration

02/21/2014
09:34

Working to expand and deepen Latin America and relations toward true integration, the Lula Institute’s Latin American Initiative sponsored discussions and gathered information about Latin American integration throughout the year, and ended the year by organizing a large conference in Chile jointly with the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) and the Latin American Development Bank (LADB). Attending the seminar entitled “Development and Integration of Latin America” were the former president of Chile, Ricardo Lagos and 120 other regional leaders including union leaders, politicians, scholars and representatives of multilateral organizations in the region.

Early in 2013, the Latin American Initiative at the Lula Institute organized a wide-ranging discussion with intellectuals from throughout South America meeting in São Paulo, to discuss progressive paths to the development and integration of the region. At the meeting, former president Lula said that “the integration of South America is undergoing a shock of inclusion, and identified bureaucracy and the lack of awareness about the issue as two of the principal barriers.”

In addition to Chile, Lula visited Argentina, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, the Dominican Republic, Uruguay and Venezuela during 2013. He participated in various events where he spoke about the success of programs in Brazil in growing the economy through the fight against poverty, and the importance of expanding the efforts for integration and cooperation among the countries of Latin America even more.

All told, former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva visited 10 countries in the region in 2013. In addition to Lula’s activities, the director of the Latin American Initiative at the Lula Institute, Luiz Dulci, and his team maintained direct contact with leaders, intellectuals, and political, social and union movements in 13 Latin American countries.

Mexico and the Caribbean
In Cuba, Lula participatedd in the Third International Congress for World Equilibrium and demanded and end to the trade embargo of that country. “There is no longer and reason to continue the blockade,” he said. http://www.institutolula.org/nao-existe-mais-nenhuma-razao-de-se-manter-o-bloqueio-diz-lula/#more-2446. In the Dominican Republic, the former president participated in the ceremony for the presentation of the National Youth Award

In Mexico, in April, Lula took part in the ceremony launching the Mexican government’s National Hunger Crusade. The program was inspired by the Fome Zero (Zero Hunger) Program that former president Lula started in Brazil, and Mexican President Enrique Penã Nieto praised Lula for leading the battle to eradicate hunger. “We intend to start to do in Mexico what president Lula did in Brazil and we will do everything in our power to eradicate hunger for the Mexican people,” he said. http://www.institutolula.org/lula-no-mexico-eu-vim-aqui-dar-um-testemunho-e-possivel-acabar-com-a-fome-do-mundo/#.Us_oKPRDseF

Andean Countries
In June, the former president toured various Andean countries, stopping in Columbia, Peru and Ecuador. Lula met with the presidents of the three countries, students, leaders from social and union movements, and participated in meetings with the business community. In Peru, he was awarded City of Lima Medal and he received the title of honoris causa from the Universidad San Marcos, the oldest university in the Americas. In Ecuador, the former president participated in a meeting with social movements at the Teatro Nacional de la Casa de la Cultura, in Quito. He was awarded two doctor honoris causa degrees, one from the Universidad Andina Simón Bolivar and the other from the Escuela Politécnica del Litoral.

To learn more about all the activities on this trip see:
http://www.institutolula.org/lula-reforca-compromisso-com-integracao-apos-viagem-a-paises-andinos/#.Us_oYvRDseE

Argentina and Uruguay
In May, the Lula Institute, through the Latin American Initiative, sponsored a conference on the topic: “Brazil-Argentina: Challenges for Regional Integration”, in Cooperation with the Latin American Council for Social Sciences (CLACSO). On that occasion, Lula made clear that his preoccupation with regional integration did not end with his term of office.

http://www.institutolula.org/instituto-lula-realiza-debate-sobre-integracao-regional-na-argentina/#.Us_rwvRDseF

While in Argentina, President Cristina Kirchner referred to Lula as “the best friend” of the country. The former president participated in the inauguration of the first Workers University on the Continent in Buenos Aires and received nine Doctor honoris causa degrees. In the Senate, he said that the parliaments should pay closer attention to international agreements and that the legislative houses should be more involved in the discussions about integration.

In Uruguay, Lula met with the president, José Pepe Mujica, and participated in a discussion of the advancements and new challenges of progressive governments and union movements in Latin America.

http://www.institutolula.org/no-uruguai-ex-presidente-debate-progressismo-na-america-latina/#.Us_pZPRDseF

See the interview with Luiz Dulci, the director of the Latin American Initiative at the Lula Institute, about the work accomplished in 2013 and the outlook for 2014

1) What is the main activity of the Latin American Initiative at the Lula Institute?
A: Our goal is to contribute to the advancement of Latin American integration. All of our activities are devoted to this end: meetings, conferences, seminars, surveys and research, the publication of papers, travels, political contacts, participation in third-party events, etc. We have tried to encourage discussions and practical activities in Brazil and in other countries that strengthen the political, social, economic and cultural unity of the region. Perhaps our principal achievement is that we have managed to create a wide network of interlocutors and collaborators, including political leaders, social leaders and some of the leading intellectuals in South and Central America and the Caribbean. We have promoted various opportunities for the exchange of experiences and creative thinking. Lula has said that what is needed is strategic thinking about integration from which can be extracted a concrete agenda capable of accelerating the process. We now have made reasonable progress from this perspective. In 2014, we will be able to make a giant leap in the quality of this work, presenting the product of these efforts to governments, political leaders and multilateral organizations in Latin America.

Another very important activity in which we engage is to prepare the political groundwork for Lula’s travels to Latin America. Suffice to say that since he left the presidency, he has made 29 trips to countries in the region and in each country, in addition to meeting with the chiefs of state, he has also met with union leaders, scientists, the business community and young people to discuss the challenges of shared development and regional integration.

2) What are the challenges for 2014?
A: The idea is that all of this accumulated thinking and the political articulation that took place as a result, will be consolidated as an intellectual instrument for intervention and political mobilization. Because it is not a governmental agency, the Lula Institute cannot, and does not wish to be a substitute for the national governments and civil society of each country, nor for the multilateral organizations in the region. But it can provide propose, suggest, encourage and induce. Beginning in 2014, our work will be devoted above all to the presentation of proposals to political, economic and social actors.

3) How can the Brazilian experience contribute to the union of Latin American countries?
A: In talking about integration, it is never about exporting models. All national experiences are relevant to the union among countries. And, fortunately, the region has creative public policies in various countries and has a number of chiefs of state and political leaders of great importance. Clearly Hugo Chaves and Nestor Kirchner will be sorely missed, but they have been replaced by progressive leaders committed to the sovereign integration of our peoples. But more than our internal experience, the principal contribution that Brazil can make is through the extraordinary political and economic investment that Lula and President Dilma have made and the recovery of Mercosur and in the creation of Unasur and Celac. The greatest investment by Brazil, in my opinion, was the strategic decision to link its destiny to that of its neighboring countries.

4) The number of leftist governments in Latin American countries has been increasing for several years now. What, in your opinion, is the reason for this?
A: It is true that over the last 10 years the majority of countries in Latin America have come to have governments of the left or the center-left, which is to say progressive; whose administrations strive to assure significant social, economic and political advances for their respective citizens and for the region. I think that this is due to the conjunction of two factors: on the one hand, there is the historic failure of neo-liberalism that weakened the predominant oligarchies; and on the other hand, the belief by the left and popular sectors in democracy and elections. The left in Latin America has evolved a great deal, without changing sides, and has shown itself to be capable not only of winning elections, but also of governing efficiently, with a return to development with audacious policies of income distribution and social inclusion. It is for this reason that in the majority of countries progressive governments are being reelected despite brutal conservative opposition. Never has the left been part of so many governments in Latin America, and this is a triumph for the advancement of integration.

Know more about each visit of former President Lula: (links are in Portuguese)

ARGENTINA
Lula receives his ninth Doctor honoris causa degree in Argentina
Lula is part of the “fundamental” group for the integration of the continent says the Dean of the Universidade de Lanús
The dialog about Latin American Integration should also be taking place in the Legislatures
Lula receives eight honorary degrees in Argentina
“Unions now create universities in addition to leading strikes and demonstrations,” says Lula in Argentina
Cristina Kirchner introduces Lula as “the best friend of Argentina”
Lula participates in the opening of the Worker’s University in Buenos Aires