This ALBA-TCP summit is being held within the framework of the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Carabobo in Venezuela. | Photo: Presidential Press

Caracas, June 24 (RHC)-- Representatives of the member countries of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America - Peoples' Trade Agreement (ALBA-TCP) arrived Thursday in Venezuela to participate in the XIX Summit of Heads of State and Government.

In the morning, at the Simón Bolívar International Airport, in the state of La Guaira, the guests were received by Venezuelan authorities, headed by Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza.  

The theme of the summit will be "Alliance for Life and Independence", in which "the regional political situation and the progress of its revitalization process during 2021, in view of the challenges of the post-pandemic stage" will be discussed, according to the Alliance's website.

This ALBA-TCP summit is being held within the framework of the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Carabobo in Venezuela, which consolidated the path to independence from the Spanish empire.

In this regard, the executive secretary of the entity, Sacha Llorenti, said on his Twitter account that "commemorating Carabobo is to recognize our identity as free men and women.  Ours is an Alliance for life and independence."

During his speech, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez thanked the ALBA-TCP member states for "their unconditional support and backing for the resolution against the economic, commercial and financial blockade" imposed by the United States, after 184 countries voted in favor of putting an end to it before the United Nations General Assembly.

"The international community rejected the illegal, criminal and genocidal policy that attempts to crush the heroic resistance of the Cuban people," the diplomat said, adding that the Caribbean island "maintains unchanged its solidarity with the peoples" to continue confronting the pandemic.

Rodríguez expressed his solidarity with Venezuela's struggle "against imperialism and the oligarchy that seek to impede the progress of the work initiated by (Simón) Bolívar, forged by Commander (Hugo) Chávez, heroically defended by the Chavista people in civic-military union under the leadership of constitutional President Nicolás Maduro Moros".

In addition, he reiterated Cuba's firm support to the Nicaraguan people and to the Government of reconciliation and national unity presided over by Comandante Daniel Ortega. 

For his part, the President of Bolivia, Luis Arce, assured that "it is undoubtedly a significant date not only for Venezuela, but for all the children of the great Homeland -- la Patria Grande --  the bicentennial of the Battle of Carabobo."