{"article":{"id":15595,"heading":"ANSWER TO \"PLAN COLOMBIA\": MEXICO CONFERENCE DEMANDS U.S. OUT","author":"Militante","created":"2002-03-18 04:44:07","modified":"2005-08-15 00:55:17","last_modified":"Mon, 15 Aug 2005 07:55:17","article":"

By Teresa Gutierrez

Mexico City

This historic conference reflects the growing

worldwide movement against U.S. intervention in

Colombia, specifically against the menacing Pentagon \"Plan Colombia.\" It also reflects the deepening solidarity of the progressive and revolutionary movements in Latin America and the Caribbean that each day is growing stronger and bolder.

The Second Encounter had significant support from a

broad and prominent sector of anti-war, peace and

progressive elements. Conveners included Nobel Peace

Prize winner Adolfo Perez Esquivel; Ahmed Ben Bella,

former president of Algeria; Archbishop Federico

Pagura, president of the World Council of Churches

from Argentina; Professor James Petras, U.S.; National

Autonomous University of Mexico Professor Heinz

Dietrich, Mexico City; former U.S. Atty. Gen. Ramsey

Clark; Prof. Henry Veltmeyer, St. Mary's University,

Halifax; and, in absentia, U.S. political prisoner

Mumia Abu-Jamal.

Countless organizations, activists and prominent

leaders from Latin America and the Caribbean endorsed

the Encounter and sent delegations. The FMLN and other

mass organizations in El Salvador organized a bus of

more than 30 students and other activists to attend

the conference. The bus was to arrive on March 3, but

was held at the border for hours in, what was seen as

harassment by the Mexican authorities.

Other delegations came from Venezuela, Peru, Chile,

Argentina, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guatemala, Nicaragua and

the Dominican Republic. Representatives also came from

Basque Country, Spain, Greece, Canada and Australia.

The Cuban Women's Federation from revolutionary Cuba

called on the Encounter to dedicate International

Women's Day to the women of Colombia.

The Mexican progressive and revolutionary movements

were well represented. Groups in attendance included

the Workers Party of Mexico, the Mexican Communists

Party, the Popular Socialist Party, and many labor and

mass organizations.

Students from throughout the area, including from

UNAM--the National Autonomous University of

Mexico--gave a revolutionary feel to the event.

These students, along with youth from Colombia, El

Salvador and elsewhere, organized the Simon Bolivar

Youth Encampment that was located on the UNAM campus.

For several nights, students and other youths camped

out at the tent city to meet, sing revolutionary songs

and work together.

The students passed a resolution calling on the

movement to continue education about and organizing

against Plan Colombia, support self-determination for

all oppressed peoples, press for a negotiated solution

to the conflict in Colombia, and participate in the

Latin American Seminar for Peace organized by the

National Youth Assembly from Colombia on May 2-5 in





















































































































































































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