BY JOAQUIN RIVERY TUR AND JUVENAL BALAN—Granma daily special correspondents—

MANAGUA, January 11.—With the official declaration that Nicaragua is to join the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA) and the signing of its founding document, there are now four countries making up this new form of peoples’ integration.

Representatives of the new integration bloc were present at an event in the Rubén Darío Theater that President Daniel Ortega described as historic when he affirmed that Nicaragua had adopted the principles of the ALBA founding declaration, dated  December 14, 2004, and signed at that time by President Fidel Castro and President Hugo Chávez. Then Bolivia, the third member, joined in April 2006 and the Trade Treaty of the Peoples was incorporated.

The principles, as noted by José Ramón Machado, vice president of the Council of State of Cuba, are solidarity, cooperation and complementarity in a region where basic human rights like education, health and social security are problems that have to be solved.

The four signatories of Nicaragua’s incorporation condemned the trail of poverty left by the application of neoliberal formulas. Ortega noted that an emergency situation has been created in Nicaragua over the last 16 years, and Machado Ventura stressed the changes that are needed by the peoples and that cannot be postponed.

“We are going in the right direction, we are already many,” exclaimed Evo. “The hour of the resurrection of the peoples in this new battle has arrived,” stated Venezuelan leader Hugo Chávez.

And Fidel was present. His name resounded in the theater in the voices of the four signatories with acknowledgment, in friendship, with affection. Because his ideas are starting to bear fruit.

The Nicaraguan president decorated Chávez and Evo Morales with the Augusto César Sandino Order in the highest grade of the Battle of San Vicente. Fidel has already received that recognition.

After signing the documents, the four signatories raised them on high and then, as a symbol of unity, extended their arms and placed them one over each other on the copies signed.

Translated by Granma International 

12-01-2007