"US no entry"
The behavior of states in the world in many ways resembles a person’s reaction to circumstances that currently cause him inconvenience. So, let's say, a callus on the foot, which causes pain when walking, temporarily makes you forget about the problems associated with diabetes. Something similar is happening with the United States, which happens to be fixated on private problems that are far from their national interests and miss heavy strategic strikes.So, they missed China's breakthrough and its transformation into a world leader, the emergence of the euro zone with its own claims to a role in the world, the formation of the BRICS group, which includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Yes, missed and much more.
At the same time, the main attention of Washington, a considerable share of resources and propaganda fuse, by inertia, was spent on fighting the phantom adversary in the person of Russia. It was a bustling activity on the closest approach of NATO to our borders, support for all anti-Russian regimes and forces along the perimeter of the Russian Federation, straining attempts to create an organized “fifth column” in our country or to cultivate separatist sentiments.
You can not get rid of the feeling that the policy in Washington is tailored to the patterns of the “cold war” of the distant 60-70 years of the last century. I remember that after the unfortunate entry of Soviet troops into Afghanistan by the United States and at that time more docile European allies loudly and for a long time spent "bazaars" about sanctions against the USSR. We decided to boycott the Moscow Olympics 1980 of the year, and the United States banned the sale of grain to our country, which we bought up to 20 million tons per year. But instead of fear, we then, without hiding it, were happy: “At last, the Kremlin will seriously engage in the development of its agriculture and pay its peasants, not American farmers.” And those sanctions did not last for a year: to my deep chagrin, Washington lifted them.
Then Afghanistan blocked itself, it seemed, the whole world. It seemed that the tragedy forever divided Americans and Russians. And what's the "bottom line"? Nothing. We went there to fill up and went home. Then the brave warriors of the Yankees came, broke off their teeth, and now they are waiting, they will not wait, when they can carry their feet home. It is desirable by airplanes - this is faster, and through Russian airfields - this is cheaper. Neither democracy nor prosperity in Afghanistan behind their backs sees the normal eye.
These memories flooded now, when the recent changes in the fate of the Crimea and the situation in Ukraine again struck the "night blindness" of many Western politicians. Especially overseas, most prone to it. Again, they do not see anything around, except Ukraine and the Crimea. And it would be necessary.
It was at this very time that truly tectonic events took place in Latin America. historical events little noticed by people affected by "night blindness".
The 28-29 January held the II Summit Conference of the Member States of the Commonwealth of Latin America and the Caribbean (without the participation of the United States and Canada), in which 30 Heads of State and Heads of Government from the independent countries 33 arrived. The historical dream of the great patriots of Latin America has come true: to break all the fetters that connected the peoples of these countries with the United States, to create their own political organization, independent of Washington. From the time of Simon Bolivar and José Martí to Fidel Castro and Hugo Chávez, this was the historical goal of all the fighters for the freedom and independence of the continent.
The United States, for its part, for almost two hundred years, with schizophrenic persistence, tried to keep the Latin American countries in subjection, changing the forms and methods of their control over them. It all started back in 1823, when the then US President James Monro in his annual message to Congress proclaimed the thesis “America for Americans”, which later became the doctrine that guided Washington in relations with its southern neighbors. The United States rejected the right of European powers to interfere in the affairs of the American continent.
Decades have passed, and instead of a unilateral statement about their exclusive right to decide the fate of the continent, the United States decided to create the appearance of "collective consent" of all countries in the region to the undisputed US leadership. In 1889-1890, a conference was convened in Washington, which marked the beginning of the existence of the so-called Pan American Union. The diversity of participants in the “union” and, most importantly, the incompatibility of the goals of its members led to what he was called the “Shark and Sardine Union”.
After the Spanish-American War 1898, when the US occupied Cuba, Puerto Rico and bought the unfinished Panama Canal from the French, they stopped camouflaging their policies in the region, President Theodore Roosevelt publicly curled: “Speak quietly, but hold a big stick in your hand, and you will go far! ”
His namesake, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, in 1933, refused to show conspicuous rudeness and cynicism and wrapped American politics in a beautiful candy wrapper called “The policy of the good neighbor”, leaving its essence intact.
As you know, once, when he was reproached for supporting the bloody Nicaraguan dictator Anastasio Somoza, he carelessly let it slip, saying: "I know that he is a son of a bitch, but this is our son of a bitch!"
In 1948, there was another change in the facade of American politics in Latin America. They gathered in the capital of Colombia, Bogota, the same humble herd of political puppets and announced the creation of the Organization of American States. There are no good changes in the fate of the Latin American nations. The OAS gained notoriety for the “voting machine” - for the submissive obedience of the US conductor when expressed in the UN.
The calm in the stale swamp of the OAS was broken by the victory of the Cuban revolution. The speeches of Che Guevara from the rostrum of this organization were deadly exposing for Washington. In a hurry, John F. Kennedy proposed the Union for Progress program, which prompted 20 Latin Americans billions of dollars for the next 10 years. Cuba, as a “troublemaker”, was expelled from the community of American countries in 1962 and they thought it would be forever. An, no!
American strategic engineers were spoiled by global changes that took place in the depths of Latin American countries. We did not appreciate the fact that the sweeping waves of democratic movements with strong national liberation filled the region. They did not notice how Cuba, with its heroic stubbornness, overcame all difficulties and became the banner for all Latin American patriots.
In 2009, Cuba was even invited to return to the Organization of American States, but she proudly refused, thus making it clear that the time of US domination in the region was over, and there are now completely different winds blowing here.
In the capital of Venezuela, Caracas 3, December 2011 of the year, largely due to the charisma and titanic energy of Hugo Chávez, a constituent meeting of representatives of most countries in the region was held. It laid the foundation for the existence of a new political organization called the Commonwealth of Latin America and the Caribbean - CELAC. There was no longer the United States and Canada. That says it all.
Two years later, the first CELAC summit conference was held in the capital of Chile, Santiago. The new organization was just getting on its feet, the entire 9 Heads of State and Government of the region arrived at the forum, but as they say, the ice has broken. As if challenging Washington, the conference participants chose Havana as the venue for their next congress and, to the dismay of the United States, elected Raul Castro as CELAC chairman on a rotational basis. It was already a public slap in the yesterday’s “overseer” of the Western Hemisphere. But nothing could be done anymore. Indeed, in CELAC united states, the total population of which is 600 million people. These countries occupy 15 percent of the entire Earth. They have 30 percentages of all world freshwater reserves, 21 percentages of the world's forests, 12 percentages of arable land, 20 percentages of oil resources are stored in the region. Some countries in this part of the world, such as Brazil and Mexico, have overtaken Russia in their economic potential, not to mention their rapidly growing demographic parameters.
The quantity in the eyes grows into quality, even such a country that was considered to be forever backward as Bolivia has already launched its communications satellite into a space orbit with the help of a Chinese rocket.
And now, in January of this year, CELAC held its II summit conference in Havana, 90 miles from the USA, whose leadership did not receive an invitation to this continental holiday. But 30 presidents and heads of government of all countries of the region gathered in the Cuban capital. Only three could not come: the Panamanian president referred to the need to urgently solve problems related to the reconstruction of the canal, and the President of El Salvador and the Prime Minister of Belize were unwell.
The main report, which set the tone for the entire work of the conference, was delivered by Raul Castro. Almost all the topics touched upon by him were supported by the participants and entered into the final documents. In the adopted declaration, the basic principle of the new organization is formulated as follows: “We confirm that the unity and integration of our region should be built gradually, flexibly, with respect for the principles of pluralism, diversity and sovereign right of each of our peoples to choose their own form of political and economic organization.”
The forum participants expressed their support for the peace process for the return of Argentina, belonging to her according to the law of the Malvinas (Falkland) Islands.
Puerto Rico was recognized as a Latin American country located in the Caribbean and still under foreign occupation.
In the documents and speeches that were heard at the conference, the United States was almost never mentioned, but it specifically emphasized the role of the PRC and Russia - as CELAC partners. In Beijing, by the way, the permanent representative office of this organization is already open, and Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a message to Raul Castro, congratulating him on the successful holding of the forum.
The main task is to work to eradicate poverty, hunger, social inequality and create conditions for improving the quality of life of the population in the region. The historical significance of the conference lies in the fact that it was not limited to the adoption of a declaration, but also approved a practical “CELAC Action Plan for 2014 year”. It provides organizational, technical and scientific measures to implement the approved principles. Emphasis will be placed on the development of family forms of organization of agricultural production, by 2025, the region must get rid of hunger. The question of the creation of a regional food reserve for emergency.
It was decided to bring the literacy rate to 90 percent of the total population in the most backward countries. The whole educational system should be based on the upbringing of a healthy, civil, patriotic generation. To create a “culture of peace” in the region, to eliminate the remnants of aggressiveness and conflict.
When you read the documents of the meeting, you do not leave a sense of respect for the political leaders of the region gathered in Havana. They have significantly surpassed their colleagues in other parts of the world with wisdom and the ability to concentrate all their efforts on solving the real problems of their peoples.
The conference adopted a Declaration on proclaiming the region a zone of peace.
Back in 1968, under the impression of the cruel Caribbean Missile Crisis lesson, Latin American countries were the first in the world to declare the continent free from nuclear weapons.
Now they went further: they banned all armed conflicts in their half of the Western Hemisphere. Countries voluntarily refused to use the threat of force when solving emerging problems, declaring only peaceful, political means acceptable. The presidents of Chile and Peru, countries with unresolved problems along the maritime border, served as practical proof of their commitment to these principles. They stated that the matter had been submitted to the International Court of Justice in The Hague, and the parties would unconditionally accept the decision that the court would make. That would be like that everywhere!
It is curious that small groups of Cuban dissidents, posing as “opposition”, tried to use the situation to declare themselves and their ambitions. They appealed to the arriving heads of state and government for meetings, but received widespread rejection.
At the same time, almost all conference participants sought to get a friendly audience with Fidel Castro, who, due to medical requirements, followed the work of the forum on television. He received almost all heads of state and government - despite the lack of time and medical rigor.
Fidel himself, the speakers at the conference, was invariably called the "moral leader of the continent." He really recalled his words said in the 1953 year, during the trial of the assault on the Moncada barracks: “History will justify me!”
During the days of the conference in Havana, practically no words appeared in the Russian media. As the main News the Internet offered reports that the mayor of Toronto was fined $ 93 for crossing the street in the wrong place, as well as the news of the death of Hollywood actor Philip Seymour Hoffman in his apartment in New York ...
Therefore, few people here know what is happening in the former “backyard” of Washington.
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