The Honduran leader sent affectionate greetings to the leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro, to President Raúl Castro, and to the people of Cuba, who have always extended their solidarity, he said.

Speaking at the significant event, Cuban Vice President Carlos Lage noted that the

Honduras joins the ALBA

By Alberto Núñez Betancourt—special correspondent—

TEGUCIGALPA.—“Honduras has inherited sufficient independence and sovereignty from our national heroes, as well as the daily efforts of many decades, to be able to say to the whole world that we are not asking for permission from imperialism to join the ALBA (Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas), out of patriotic and pro-Latin American sentiments. We are doing so armed with ideas of liberty.”

Honduran President José Manuel Zaya affirmed this to a large representation of his people who began to arrive from the country’s 18 departments in the early hours of the morning and filled the Presidential House esplanade, now known as Plaza de la Libertad (Liberty Plaza), thanks to the dignified step taken this August 25.

ALBA was initially the inspiration of Chávez and then a project of Fidel and the Venezuelan president and is now the hope of the Latin American peoples. Today, one can talk of both ideas and accomplishments.

The words of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez came as the finest argument, demonstrating that the ALBA is the road to independence, equality and the honor of our nations.

“We are resolved to be free, whatever the cost,” he stated, emphasizing the need to work minute by minute for unity, as “life shows that every time that the enemy divides us a new colonial period is imposed.”

He mentioned the positive leap experienced by Cuba and Venezuela, countries that in barely four years have increased their trade exchange from $200 million to $6.5 million.

President Evo Morales of Bolivia noted that the ALBA is the just counterpart of the FTAA (Free Trade Area of the Americas), that instrument thought up by the empire to promote neocolonialism, which he also called the culture of death, for being the depredator of our resources and national identity.

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega asked where the virtues of capitalism were, given that, over the centuries, that system has only provoked the impoverishment of our nations. “For that I greet every new incorporation into the ALBA, as I understand it as an emancipatory step.”

The ceremony for Honduras’ entry into the integration bloc was attended by representatives of Dominica, a full ALBA member; Ecuador, Uruguay, the Dominican Republic; and other countries in the region.

In the context of the ceremony, Lage met with Evo Morales and greeted other leaders present at the historical event.

The island delegation headed by Carlos Lage is currently meeting with dozens of Cuban cooperation program personnel at our embassy in this capital.

Granma 26-08-2008