1,000 protest U.S. policies at OAS

When the 35th General Assembly of the Organization of American States opened June 5 at the Fort Lauderdale Convention Center in Florida, over 1,000 protesters marched two miles from a local union hall to the convention center in defense of three countries under attack by U.S. imperialism.

The United States repeatedly threatened Cuba, Haiti and Venezuela throughout the three-day assembly. Cuba is the only state in the Americas denied a seat in the OAS.

The Haiti Solidarity Committee, in conjunction with a number of progressive organizations, called the demonstration to protest Washington’s military and trade policies in Latin America and the Carib bean. The Bolivarian Circle of Miami, Bro ward Anti-War Committee, and the Committee to Free the Five Cuban Heroes also endorsed the actions.

Protesters shouted slogans demanding President Jean-Bertrand Aristide’s return to office in Haiti, the extradition of terrorist Luis Posada Carriles to Venezuela, and defeat of the Bush administration’s “free trade” program for Central America, called CAFTA.

Jack Lieberman of the HSC demanded that the OAS “live up to its rhetoric and refuse to seat the criminals who are here claiming to represent Haiti.” These remarks came in response to OAS recognition of the interim Haiti regime.

Lieberman further castigated the Bush administration: “Condoleezza Rice goes around Latin America talking empty phrases about freedom and democracy while she supports terrorism in Haiti. We say to Condoleezza Rice and George Bush, you are hypocrites.”

As protesters voiced their disillusionment with Washington’s policies outside the convention center, rancorous disputes between Washington and progressive Latin American administrations emerged inside. The meeting illuminated increasing divisions between the United States and the other countries in the hemisphere. These countries are fed up with U.S. interference in their internal politics and encroachment on their sovereignty.

U.S. Ambassador to the OAS Roger Noriega initiated a heated exchange when he accused Venezuela of instigating the popular uprising that ousted Bush’s ally, Bolivian President Carlos Mesa. Vene zuelan Foreign Minister Ali Rodriguez countered, “It seems that he [Noriega] goes around seeking to throw fuel on the fire” rather than seeking to find common ground as diplomats are suppose to do.

Rodriguez correctly pointed out that “the problems in Bolivia are problems that belong to Bolivia and it is up to Bolivia to solve them … . Venezuela is scrupulously respectful of the sovereignty of all countries.“

Venezuela’s respect of other countries’ sovereignty stands in stark contrast to Wash ington’s record of interference. Pres i dent George W. Bush used his assembly address to push the Declaration of Florida. This proposal calls for punitive sanctions against any democratically elected government that Washington determines to have overstepped its constitutional boundaries.

Venezuela, Brazil and many other countries rejected Washington’s meddling in their internal politics and constitutional practices.

OAS skepticism of Washington’s plan is understandable. The Bush administration used the occasion of the General Assembly to push for increased corporate control of the Americas and U.S. domination of hemi spheric politics. But progressive leaders in the region have grown weary of the poverty and unemployment forced upon their populations by U.S. imperialist policy. As this most recent General Assembly indicates, the Bush agenda is meeting increased resistance at home and abroad.