Webster Malido
23 November 2005
Vargas, Venezuela — AFRICAN intellectuals meeting in the coastal city of Vargas, Venezuela have vowed to defend the country's Bolivarian Revolution, stating that the revolution is also a patrimony of Africa and the rest of the world.
In their final declaration after five days of discussions around the geopolitical relations between Africa and Latin America, the more than 50 intellectuals from different African countries stated that they believed that the most vital task at hand was to defend the Bolivarian Revolution, led by President Hugo Chavez.
They stated their support was in view of the revolution's broad social and humanistic scope and its relevance to the integration and to create conditions necessary to provide opportunities for all Venezuelans.
"The very nature of the Bolivarian Revolution and its genuiness has given rise to hatred and to the resulting threat from the government of the United States of America," the declaration stated. "In view of the above, we, the intellectuals of Africa, have determined and indeed, shall make every effort to disseminate information on the social achievements of the Bolivarian Revolution and shall condemn the threat of any possible attack by the United States against Venezuela and attempt to assassinate its leader, Hugo Chavez."
The delegates condemned efforts by the United States to re-colonise Africa, the Middle East and Latin America with the sole purpose of taking control of the strategic energy and mineral resources abundant in the three regions.
They condemned attempts by the United States to take control of the Amazonia, the largest biosphere and drinking water reserve on Earth.
They agreed that Latin American countries should collaborate with Africa in the development of its health infrastructure through the training of doctors, health specialists and technicians.
The delegates agreed to promote new channels of information in order to meet the needs of the peoples of Africa. They acknowledged the creation of Telesur, a Latin American television network, as a highly positive first step to that end.
The African delegates reaffirmed their commitment to conduct and maintain an exchange of the historical and cultural values of the countries of Africa and Latin America on the basis of the similarities and roots established more than 500 years ago.
They also committed themselves to ensure that the theft of intellectuals systematically practiced by imperialist powers against Africa and Latin America is punished internationally.
They further called on the International Monetary Fund to write off the external debts owed by African countries.
Generally, the delegates stated they supported the right of the peoples of Africa and Latin America to free determination with regard to their social, economic, political, environmental and cultural affairs.
They condemned interference of any kind that may constitute a threat to the independence of the countries of the two continents and to their systems of government.
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