This morning the 17th Ibero-American Summit of Presidents and Heads of State began with Chile's president Michelle Bachelet welcoming all leaders present. Bachelet began the Summit with a call to adopt the social cohesion agenda to better deliver social welfare protection and social inclusive plans.
The presidents spoke in favour of the concept and the implementation of social cohesion. But there were comments made by Argentina's Kirchner, Ecuador's Correa and Venezuela's Chavez that the region has to put an end to the Washington Consensus and develop the region's own consensus.
Here is a list of quotes taken from the speeches, beginning with the Summit host Chile's president Michelle Bachelet.
Bachelet:
-The democratization and modernization programs have not fulfilled the historical social debt.
-These policies have been unable to give effective response to the new social demands.
-The lack of effective social policies weakens solidarity, a feeling of belonging and social identity.
-The failure of these policies have given room to a disenchantment with democracy and politics.
-We cannot only call for universal access to social programs, but we have to build social protection systems that ensure the delivery of the social services and that they are inclusive and protect the rights of citizens.
Kirchner said:
-We have to build a political and social inclusive model.
-Do away with the IMF policies
-Stop the IMF's concept of good or bad students
–Need to develop an alternative discourse
-We must have our own opinion, lose our fears so we can have a voice on events like Iraq.
-Build the structures to change things.
Correa:
-The long free market night of the IMF is ending and it will end
Chavez:
–The dead at a Caracas University was caused by the imperialist forces, promoted by CNN and private media organizations. The dead are just another attack by the fascist opposition.
-We need to develop a social and democratic transformation plan.
-We won the battle against FTAA (Free Trade Agreement of the Americas).
-FTAA opposition was the result of the rebirth of the social movements in our countries.
-Before talking of social cohesion we must talk of social transformation, we cannot have cohesion when our societies are destroyed.
-Put on the table the transformation of the free market system and being the walk towards social justice.
-We need greater integration in programs like Petro-America, Telesur, The Reconstruction Bank of the South.
-The Reconstruction Bank of the South will start shortly. (The Bank has 10 members who have signed their intention to participate and pledge funds. It is expected to have an initial starting capital of US$10 billion) .
Saludos from Summit Town.
