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• 11 / 29 / 2008

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Speaking during the 2nd Extraordinary Summit of the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA) in Caracas, Venezuela, Cabrisas said that regional integration is essential in these times of crisis and recalled that the leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro, predicted this situation a decade ago when he said that the world economy could not continue working as a casino for speculators.

    According to Prensa Latina, Cabrisas added that the situation is more serious now because it is associated to food and energy shortages and the worsening of social conflicts.

    “Today’s crisis takes place when economic globalization is more intense and it goes beyond neo-liberal policies to become a challenge for the human species’ capacity to survive,” he stated.

    He noted that the so-called ‘rescue plan’ suggested by US President George W. Bush and Europe gives priority to speculators and bankers.

    The Cuban official stressed that while for decades they were unable to contribute 0.7% of their Gross Domestic Product as assistance to development, they have now earmarked 3,000 billion dollars to save a failed financial structure.

    He also described the current international monetary system, based on the US dollar, as the main element of contradictions.

    Finally, Cabrisas recalled that, for almost 50 years, successive US administrations have unsuccessfully tried to destroy the Cuban Revolution through a brutal and genocidal economic, financial and trade blockade and other aggressions.

 (Adelante.cu)