WORLD SOCIAL FORUM - Chávez: This is the start of a new era

www.granma.cu Havana. January 27,  2003 BY ORLANDO ORAMAS LEON —Granma daily special correspondent—

PORTO ALEGRE.- A new era in Latin America and the world is about to start, affirmed Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, who received numerous demonstrations of support from the authorities, participants at the 3rd World Social Forum (WSF), and the Brazilian people in Porto Alegre.

Chávez met with the president of Río Grande de Sul’s legislative assembly along with the WSF organizers, gave a press conference, and then, from a balcony, addressed a huge crowd of people who had been waiting since early morning.

Venezuela’s head of state explained that the WSF had become the most important political event of the yea, "because the hope of humanity is condensed here and we are building an alternative to the savage neoliberal model that is leading us to suicide."

He called the international economic order, one of the expressions of Third World debt, dreadfully unjust. As an example he cited that his government has paid $20 billion USD towards its debt; nevertheless the total amount it owes to international organizations remains at $26 billion USD.

Venezuela has been placed in the role of precursor of changes occurring in Latin America, he pointed out, commenting that it is the oligarchic groups and their instruments — the television channels and newspapers —opposed to those changes, who are waging a media war.

Responding to a question from Granma he affirmed that he hoped what has been happening in Venezuela does not occur in other countries. "We are making a peaceful revolution, which is also to the benefit of groups with economic power because they need it too. There are 224 million poor people in Latin America, and of those 90 million are destitute and cannot sit back and wait for a solution."

He explained some of the measures adopted by his government to confront the pro-coup mob and protect the population from its actions. In the years of the Bolivarian process land has been given to campesinos, educational resources have been increased to 7% of the GDP, the infant mortality and malnutrition rates gave gone down, as well as the indicator for low weight in minors. Entry to all educational levels has grown and popular participative forums have been established through the National Planning Councils.

Chávez qualified those trying to defeat the legitimate Venezuelan government as fascists applying the same tactics as those used in Chile nearly 30 years ago. "However, they made a mistake this time, because the people are in the streets and the armed forces are with the Bolivarian process," he observed.

Later, in the Porto Alegre legislature, the Venezuelan leader attended an event organized by the Brazilian Committee of Solidarity with Venezuela, where he introduced Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Pérez Roque, whose presence was applauded.

"New processes will appear in Latin America and throughout the world, some of those will be surprise ones, for which reason we need strong social movements to combat neoliberalism," he affirmed.

Outside, hundreds of people carrying flags from various countries and organizations gave him a their welcome to the 3rd World Social Forum. Chávez assured them that Venezuela would resist the fascist mob.