El Justo Reclamo

Chavez: Pull reserves from US

By IAN JAMES, Associated Press

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez urged his Latin American allies on Saturdayto begin withdrawing billions of dollars in international reserves from U.S.banks, warning of a looming U.S. economic crisis.
Chavez made the suggestion as he hosted a summit aimed at boosting LatinAmerican integration and rolling back U.S. influence.
"We should start to bring our reserves here," Chavez said. "Why does thatmoney have to be in the north? ... You can't put all your eggs in onebasket."
To help pool resources within the region, Chavez and other leaders launcheda new development bank at the summit of the Bolivarian Alternative for theNations of Our America, or ALBA.
The left-leaning regional trade alliance first proposed by Chavez isintended to offer an alternative, socialist path to integration whilesnubbing U.S.-backed free-trade deals.
Chavez noted that U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice visited Colombiain recent days, saying "that has to do with this summit."
"The empire doesn't accept alternatives," Chavez told the gathering,attended by the presidents of Bolivia and Nicaragua and Cuban Vice PresidentCarlos Lage.
Chavez warned that U.S. "imperialism is entering into a crisis that canaffect all of us" and said Latin America "will save itself alone."
Rice left Colombia on Friday after a trip aimed at reviving a free tradedeal that has stalled in the U.S. Congress. She sidestepped an opportunityto confront Chavez, who accused Colombia and the United States of plotting"military aggression" against Venezuela.
Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega joined Chavez in his criticism ofU.S.-style capitalism, saying "the dictatorship of global capitalism ... haslost control." Three days earlier, Ortega had shouted "Long live the U.S.government" as he inaugurated an American-financed section of highway in hiscountry.
The ALBA Bank is "being born with the aim of boosting development in ourcountries," Venezuelan Finance Minister Rafael Isea said Saturday as he andother officials gathered at the bank's Caracas office for an inauguralceremony.
Isea has said the bank will be started with $1 billion to $1.5 billion.
Chavez welcomed the Caribbean island of Dominica into the ALBA — an acronymthat means "dawn" in Spanish — joining Nicaragua, Bolivia and Cuba.Attending as observers were the prime ministers of Antigua and Barbuda andSt. Vincent and the Grenadines, along with officials from Ecuador, Honduras,Haiti and St. Kitts and Nevis.
Chavez said a new fund created by Venezuela and Iran to support projects inthird countries would have links to the ALBA Bank.
Copyright © 2008 The Associated Press

"Mas vale morir de pie que vivir arrodillado"-

~Emiliano Zapata~

"It is better to die on your feet than live a lifetime on your knees."

~Emiliano Zapata~

"Siendo que las granjas familiares de pequeños productores y campesinostradicionalmente buscan como nutrir y protejer la tierra, las grandesempresas agricolas, exclusivas por naturaleza, buscan como 'minar' latierra, solamente se interesan en como monetizar su riqueza y medir su'eficiencia' por ganancias y su orgullo en el "bottom line." Mientras quelos pequeños productores de granjas familiares miden su eficiencia con surespeto, cariño y contribucion al bienestar, protejer el ambiente y salud delas comunidades y naciones en las cuales ellos viven."

"Al Krebs Jr.[1932-2007]

"Whereas family farming/peasant agriculture has traditionally sought tonurture and care for the land, corporate agribusiness, exclusive by nature,seeks to 'mine' the land, solely interested in monetizing its natural wealthand thus measure efficiency by its profits, by pride in its 'bottom line.'Family farmers, meanwhile, see efficiency in terms of respecting, caring andcontributing to the overall health and well-being of the land, theenvironment, the communities and the nations in which they live."

"Al"Krebs Jr. [1932-2007]