Mercado Justo 12

So darity Economy in Latin America

MERCADO JUSTO

Digital newspaper

of Fair Trade

in Latin America

Year V - N˙ 12 May 2010

Featured Articles • Analysis Solidarity Economy in Latin America

One Successful Decade

Articles • Stories

Bicentenary of the Independence: looking 200 years back Pages. 14 to 16

Towards the strengthening of the verbal communication, territoriality and governance of a Solidarity Economy that is already happening. Pages 3 to 6

Interviews

“If there is no ambition nor courage, we will not move forward” ” Pages 10 to 12

Network Information One movement that grows and consolidates itself organized its own

World Forum Pages 17 to 19

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Institucional

La Asociación IFAT Latinoamérica (IFAT LA/ WFTO LA) IFAT Latinoamérica is the Latin American regional chapter of WFTO/IFAT (World Fair Trade Organization/International Fair Trade Organization), and its conformed by the members of the Latin American region. Our objectives are: to promote Fair Trade principles in the region, to support the development of new markets, and to create a platform enabling the effective interaction and construction of networks to link member organizations.

Contact Asociación IFAT Latinoamérica (IFAT LA/WFTO LA) Gabriela Frers President Estación A - Núcleo Cultural Gral Díaz c / Ricardo Perez Areguá, Paraguay Tels: (595 291) 432 696 e (595 291) 432 258 Email: estacion@hipuu.com.py www.mercadojusto-la.org www.ifat-la.org

This publication is possible thanks to the support Suscripción al periódico digital: of The FORD Foundation. mercadojusto.la@gmail.com

Editorial

n light of the experiences and achievements of 2009, in addition to the progress made during the first months of 2010, we can confirm that the movement of Solidarity Economy and Fair Trade grows and consolidates itself in Latin America.

Undoubtedly, the World Social Forum of Solidarity Economy that took place in Brazil has become a milestone and has significantly contributed to the process of regional integration as well as the positioning of the movement.

The earthquakes in Haiti, in January, and in Chile, in February, were very hard blows that have strongly impacted on all Latin American networks and worldwide, by reason of their dramatic consequences in these brother nations. The unleashed solidarity showed by different individuals, organizations and networks corroborates the underlying brotherhood in our countries.

The Bicentenary of national independence of several countries addresses us as a region, inviting us to reflect on the national and Latin American socio-economic and historical processes, to face the construction of shared projects for the future.

In this Edition, we share the analysis and experiences on these and other issues that are also part of the life and paths of Solidarity Economy and Fair Trade, in the complex and challenging regional and world context, at the same time as we are called to increase our commitments to build that “other possible World”.

Gabriela Frers Director/Editor

estacion@pla.net.py 2

Paraguay

Features Articles • Analysis

Contents 03 Features Articles • Analysis

Solidarity Economy in Latin America:

Solidarity Economy in Latin America: One Successful Decade

07 Interview to Francisca Rodríguez

-Different convergences are taking place around the strengthening of local markets

10 Interview to Antonia Rodríguez

One Successful Decade

Solidarity Economy in Latin America:

“If there is no ambition nor courage, we will not move forward”

13 Articles – Testimonies

Earthquake in Chile

14 Articles – Testimonies

Bicentenary of the Independence: looking 200 years back

17 Networks – Articles

Eduardo Letelier

20 Information of Interest

Economist. Coordinator of “Espacio MERCOSUR Solidario

Activities Letters to the editors

Staff

eduardo.letelier@gmail.com

ADVISORY COMMITTE Fabiola Zerbini FACES DO BRASIL Eduardo Rojo Comercio Justo MEXICO Rubén Tapia RELACC / WFTO LA Pablo Guerra ELAT Carlos López Trujillo CLAC Paola Berdichevsky FUNDACION AVINA Eduardo Letelier ESPACIO MERCOSUR SOLIDARIO DIRECTOR / EDITOR Gabriela Frers EDITORS Vladimir Velázquez Irene Codas DESIGN &COMMUNICATION Vanessa Tio-Groset Jorge Codas CONTRIBUTORS In this edition Eduardo Letelier Luis Matínez Aristides Ortíz Willy Franz Acarapi Sullca Gustavo Aguilera

One Successful Decade

One movement that grows and consolidates itself organized its own World Forum

Solidarity Economy in Latin America:

Towards the strengthening of the verbal communication, territoriality and governance of a Solidarity Economy that is already happening.

en years after the first efforts to articulate and strengthen the Solidarity and Social Economy movements within the framework of the World Social Forum, we take this opportunity to review and to define strategies for the next decade, within the framework of the recently held World Social Forum of Solidarity Economy 2.

This review was carried out based on the principle that another development model is possible and that it is already taking place through the multiple and diverse practices of Solidarity Economy, globally.

Without being exhaustive, this review points out a number of assessments made from Latin America that should be shared.

Firstly, it is important to mention the development of a wide range of Solidarity Economy experiences, locally, regionally and nationally, in the areas of production, commercialization, finances, services and consumption, and that are recognized as part of movement of social transformation. However, and not so much as an obstacle but rather as a potential, there are several similar experiences 2- This activity took place at Santa María, Canoas and PortoAlegre (Brazil), in January 2010.

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Features Articles • Analysis It is important to mention the development of a wide range of Solidarity Economy experiences, locally, regionally and nationally, in the areas of production, commercialization, finances, services and consumption, and that are recognized as part of movement of social transformation.

that are taking place in the continent and that are not explicitly recognized as part of a solidarity economy sector and of a social transformation movement.

In direct relation to the previous paragraph, there is a low politicization of the Solidarity Economy movement, in association with oral communications and positions that are still under construction. This hinders the clear recognition of the movement as a transforming practice, by other social movements with a higher advocacy capacity, such as trade unions, ecology, rural workers and indigenous movements.

Therefore, although Solidarity Economy has achieved a significant public positioning in civil society, public policies and different legislative bodies, it also faces significant risks of cooptation both from governments and from different ideology mechanisms that protect the interests of the economy’s capitalist sector. In the first case, there is an clear risk of emptying the social transformation content

of Solidarity Economy, thereby reducing it to an agenda for social inclusion or poverty relief, orchestrated from some social development ministry or similar state agency 3. In the second case, there is a risk of treating solidarity as a value attribute of specific product lines, but without questioning the logic of the exploitation underlying it; that is, the integration of solidarity within the social marketing technology of capital firms.

However, the oral communication of Solidarity Economy is currently enabling the construction of the civil identity of socially-economically excluded individuals and several support institutions (such as civil associations, foundations, NGO’s) as well as the resignification of solidarity-based practices of economic individuals who have felt the weakening of their ideological referents and the questioning of the logic of their political representation. This is the case of cooperatives and mutualism, where an interesting process of dialog has begun, with some difficulties.

3- Brazil’s situation, where the National Secretariat of Solidarity Economy is a division of the Labor Ministry and that represents the case of higher political recognition, has the challenge to compete for spaces with conceptual and political frameworks based on the capital-labor relation, respect to which other socioeconomic relations are of subsidiary character.

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Features Articles • Analysis In parallel, there is a proliferation of different articulation platforms (both national and continental) joining the historic and emerging forms of Solidarity Economy in the continent. In fact, during the present decade, practically all countries have created instances of national convergence for Solidarity Economy, and networks of solidarity and Fair Trade, popular finances, stores, community tourism and Solidarity Economy in a wide sense have enhanced the historic international alliances such as trade unions, mutualism and cooperatives.

All of this has contributed to strengthen a nongovernmental public space of an international nature, articulated based on logics of interchange and not merely on representation logics, which entails a significant effort to reinvent articulation practices from the civil society and to seek dialogues between political positions and interests as well as between approaches to the construction of social movements.

In direct relation to the previous paragraph, there is a low politicization of the Solidarity Economy movement, in association with oral communications and positions that are still under construction.

Based on this preliminary review, some challenges and strategies should provide answers to the following needs: • Strengthening of the oral communication and political positions of the Solidarity Economy movement with an approach to include and to develop contents such as food sovereignty, ecological sustainability, regional integration and people’s sovereignty.

• Consequently, political and practical dialogue

with other alter-globalization movements, in order to promote the vision of Solidarity Economy territories, where production, commercialization, finances, services and consumption practices are integrated, from an inter-cultural perspective with ecological sustainability and under systems of governance that guarantee peoples sovereignty. In this manner, it is expected that Solidarity Economy will acquire the sufficient depth and scope to have an impact on the every-day life of citizens and to become a solid economic and political foundation in order to start planning reforms that will strengthen this tendency.

• And, finally, the articulation of a system of international solidarity relations with differentiated agendas for regional, continental and global integration and advocacy and with roles agreed by consensus for the different instances of articulation 4. The foregoing not only implies issues regarding the negotiation of positions and interests but also issues related to the transformation of the approaches to the construction of social movements, from representation to participation; this issue being at the core of the renewal of historic expressions of Solidarity Economy in the continent, such as cooperatives and mutualism.

In other words, to the need to strengthen oral communication, territoriality and governance of a Solidarity Economy that is already happening. ●

4 Although this list may not be exhaustive, at least the following Latin American instances of articulation exist at present: Intercontinental Network for the Promotion of Solidarity and Social Economy – Latin America and the Caribbean Chapter (RIPESS LAC); World Fair Trade Organization – Latin American Chapter (WFTO L.A.), Latin-American Confederation of Fair Trade Agricultural Producers (CLAC); Latin-American Confederation of Work Cooperatives (COLACOT), Latin American Communitarian Trade Network (RELACC), Latin-American Network of Stores (RELAT), Cooperatives Without Borders (CSF), Solidarity Space MERCOSUR (EMS). The World Social Forum of Solidarity Economy (FSMES) that was recently launched in Santa Maria should also be included; its continuity and functions is part of the debate.

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Features Articles • Analysis Report: Espacio MERCOSUR Solidario:

An Experience of Regional Integration from Civil Society n January 1996 and within the framework of the “I Fair of Canelones of Solidarity Economy”, organized by the Municipality of Canelones in Uruguay, a group of Solidarity Economy organizations and networks from Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Paraguay and the host country, debated the possibility to create a space in order to share experiences regarding the construction of the Solidarity Economy sector and movement in these different countries.

From the perspective of the field of action that we proponed and with the motivation to build a process of regional economic and social integration from the peoples, we believed that the scenario of a Southern Common Market of a solidarity nature, that would resignify the actions performed to date by government and capital firms, would constitute the most significant challenge. Likewise, we thought that the concept of “space” was best adjusted to the need to converge of organizations, networks and movements having different degrees of maturity.

In this manner, Espacio MERCOSUR Solidario (EMS) was created, and initially conceived as a cycle of meetings that would rotate from country to country, following and making the most of a calendar of fairs previously organized by national organizations. In this manner, each meeting would be used to understand the history, culture and economic and political situation of the host country; the ideological referents and the articulation strategies used; the stakeholders of Solidarity Economy as such and their immediate concerns. But above all, to build bonds based on friendship and a Latin American and integrationist feeling and approach.

Following the conclusion of this cycle of meetings and once these objectives were fulfilled, in April 2008 we agreed to build the vision, mission and minimum strategic objectives for EMS, providing basic structure and functions, in accordance with the capacities of our organizations to sustain international actions.

At present, the EMS is integrated by the National Coordinator of Solidarity Economy (CNES) from Uruguay, the Brazilian Forum of Solidarity Economy, the Solidarity Economy and Fair Trade Space of Paraguay, the recently created National Space of Solidarity and Social Economy of Argentina and the Space for Solidarity Trade and Economy from Chile.

In conclusion, we may say that, in addition to its initial objectives, EMS was useful to diffuse and enhance the oral communication of Solidarity Economy, by including the support of indigenous peoples, social movements and academics from different countries. In the same manner, it was able to provide exposure and public legitimacy to the concept of Solidarity Economy and to awaken the interest of new organizations and Networks to participate of a global movement to build a different economy, inspired on solidarity values. It has also facilitated the articulation of networks and the creation of networks around thematic areas such as Fair Trade, community commercialization, traditional and local fairs, handicrafts, and community and responsible tourism. And, lastly, through our participation of the Specialized Meeting of Cooperatives of MERCOSUR, EMS was able to start a process of individual and collective learning regarding the processes of regional integration that are incubated in the institutions of MERCOSUR, with its progresses, contradictions and setbacks, with its possibilities and limitations. ●

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Interviews Interview to Francisca Rodriguez

By Eduardo Letelier ECOSOL Chile

Different convergences are taking place around

the strengthening of local markets

Francisca Rodríguez

Interview to Francisca Rodriguez, national leader of the National Association of Rural and Indigenous Women from Chile (ANAMURI) and the Latin American Confederation of Rural Organizations (CLOC).

ow did Via Campesina participate in the recently held World Social Forum in Porto Alegre?

There was no participation of Via Campesina as a movement, beyond the invitations received by some CLOC leaders to participate of specific seminars. The rea-

son for this is that the activities carried out correspond rather to the commemoration of 10 years of World Social Forum (WSF) and that it was organized by Brazilian NGOs. In fact, there was a debate around the name of the event “World Social Forum 10 Years” as it created confusion.

It is important to recall that the WSF Council has agreed to organize it every two years.

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Interviews The main objective of the Congress focuses on the construction of an agenda of continental struggle.

That is, one year of World Social Forum and another of thematic and/or regional forums, in order to decentralize and bring the WSF closer to the continentals. In this manner, the priority of Via Campesina’s International agenda in Latin America for this year is: Social Forum of the Americas (Asuncion, August 2010); World Conference of the Peoples on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth (Bolivia, April 2010) and CLOC Congress (Quito, October 2010).

What are the opinions of Via Campesina regarding the Solidarity Economy movement in Latin America?

There is a perception that the Solidarity Economy movement is becoming more consolidated. In the

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same manner, the contributions towards the construction of strategies that go beyond the political times are valued, as well as the proposals of core issues linked to the change of economic system.

In the same manner, our opinion with reference to the future of Fair Trade is a little critical, due to the certification given to food transnational firms but, in general, the fact that the Solidarity Economy movement is one step ahead, regarding politics, is valued.

In practice, there are several convergences with Via Campesina, especially in Ecuador, regarding the strengthening of local markets. It is exactly here that rural workers converge not only with a supply of products, but also with their knowledge and

proposals and with common perspectives concerning what we want as a society.

This also enables us to meet other sectors of society.

Is there a dialogue between CLOC and the Solidarity Economy Networks at a continental level?

Not to date. However, different organizations have proposed convergence activi-

Interviews It is important to mention that Via Campesina was created due to a convergence between rural workers, consumers and European ecologists 15 years ago, and that it evolved until it reached its current conformation. ties and events, prior to the CLOC Congress.

A specific proposal of convergence may become possible with the organization of a continental fair organized within the framework of the Congress itself.

This should be resolved in Ecuador next week, where the local organizations are making strong proposals for a dialogue.

It is important to mention that Via Campesina was created due to a convergence between rural workers, consumers and European ecologists 15 years ago, and that it evolved until it reached its current conformation.

And on the same topic, what are the main objectives of the CLOC Congress?

The main objective of the Congress focuses

on the construction of an agenda of continental struggle. To date, the regionalization of Latin America was followed

by CLOC, recognizing the existence of the Andean Zone, the South Cone, Central America and the Caribbean and North America. However, this perspective partitions and weakens the struggles. In this manner the CLOC Congress seeks to reinstall a continental perspective and to make progress towards a continental social alliance and shared agenda.

With which other social movements is CLOC seeking to create this continental social Alliance?

In wide terms, with all movements that are struggling against the neo liberal capitalist model and that take Food Sovereignty as

their battle flag. Here in America there are referents such as the World March of Women, Friends of the Earth, and the World Forum of Fishermen and Fishing Workers.

However, there are also emerging expressions such as the Manglar Network that fights against shrimpers, and several networks with which we converge in terms of common proposals and plans.

This diversifies the proposal of Food Sovereignty in terms of its general approaches, but is also makes the convergence more complex.

In this perspective, there is a priority towards popular movements for which these issues are a part of their every-day life. The foregoing does not exclude diverse social movements that are articulated around similar issues. .â—?

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Interviews Interview to Antonia Rodríguez

By Wylly Franz Acapari Sullca Periodico El Cambio

“If there is no ambition or courage, we will not move forward” Antonia Rodríguez

Cambio Magazine interviewed Antonia Rodriguez, the new Bolivian minister of Production Development and Plural Economy, shortly after she took office. This leader, woman, artisan and participant of Fair Trade and the Solidarity Economy movement integrates Evo Morales’ Presidential Cabinet, receiving expressions of enthusiasm and satisfaction in her country and the continent 1.

n t o n i a Rodríguez was born in a small rural community in the province of Linares, department of Potosí, canton of Duraznos. During her childhood se attended to sheep grazing and agriculture. 38 years ago, she emigrated to the city of El Alto, where she started producing handicrafts and textiles.

The first reaction of the exporters’ directors when the name of the minister of Production Development and Plural Economy, Antonia Rodriguez, was released was of support

and approval because they knew of her experience, mainly due to the role that she had in the negotiation commission of the ATPDEA. Rodriguez acknowledges this support and, for this reason, she proposes a program to support the entire production sector.

She also believes that large, industrial businesses which manage large investments must transmit their knowledge and work experience to small entrepreneurs that seek to consolidate their operations in national and international markets.

In the following interview,

Rodriguez recalls her origin and experiences as an active participant of medium, small and microenterprises, in addition to her actions to maintain for Bolivia the benefits of the Law of Andean Tax Preference and Drug Eradication. (ATPDEA).

Where was Antonia Rodriguez born and how did her life pass?

Antonia was born in a community in Potosí, province of Linares, it is quite far. I grew up in the countryside taking care of sheep, the farm, all that is agriculture and cattle raising. When I was 11, I migrated to the city of Potosí

7 We are grateful for the collaboration of “Cambio: periódico del Estado Plurinacional, Boliviano” (http://www.cambio.bo/), and to Willy Franz Acarapi Sullca (willyaquitane@hotmail.com) the author of the interview, for their authorization to publish this interview.

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Interviews as a domestic servant to take care of a teacher’s daughter. You know that poor, humble people are always relegated, marginalized, exploited, but I believe that this game me the strength to be in contact with women.

How did you arrive to La Paz and at when did you decide to start a production activity?

I emigrated to El Alto 38 years ago and in this city I joined women of the Quechua and Aymara culture, in order to carry out the strengthening of work through sustainable organizations, within the framework of Fair Trade and Solidarity Economy.

I became part of an association called Khantati, and afterwards I was invited to become part of a (producers) network with headquarters in Ecuador, that was managed by father Graciano and Ruben Tapia: They invited me to share this movement, which involved networks of organic and ecological products.

You come from the artisans sector, where did you start this activity?

La parte de textiles viene The textiles part comes from the legacy that my father, my mother, my grandparents left me and because in the countryside, as you know, we dress with hand-made clothing, that is, we make our own from raw materials that we find such as alpaca and sheep wool, and this stays in the memory and history of each person living in rural areas.

In this sense, we created an organization and we started to strengthen ourselves through that entity, the Bolivian Artisanal Association “Señor de Mayo”. It was created in the city of El Alto in 1985 thanks to an NGO (Non-Government Organization) that provided training only with respect to the quality of production. However, the trained groups kept saying that they were being exploited by intermediaries and smugglers (...) then I told them that, divided, we would not achieve anything, but that united, we would conquer the market.

At present, the Association “Señor de Mayo” is recognized in the whole world and it is a certified member of the Fair Trade movement at World level (WFTO). This experience

strengthened me: to be the leader of the organization and to participate of conferences and congresses worldwide in order to build a strong production body through Fair Trade.

You participated of the gas war in 2003, what was the impact of this event in your organization?

The city of El Alto went through a depression since 2003 due to social problems caused by gas issues during the government of Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada. Despite these facts, the organization (Señor de Mayo) did not break up, it continued with the production and commercialization, it kept its image.

Women participated of this struggle in different instances, by preparing

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Interviews a work agenda from March onwards and we are also receiving petitions of all social and production organizations.

Did you know that exporters feel identified with your appointment?

food and providing refreshments. Of course, as a leader, I had to be present in all the planning phase and I participated during all this period.

What is the situation of the production sector?

There are instances of production, the large firms, the medium-size and the small size firms, where there are microenterprises. We have this energy, this willingness to get our products to the markets, but it is necessary to strengthen capacities in the area of quality control, to maintain the raw materials with responsibility. I see that there are initiatives in all 9 departments; therefore it is necessary to strengthen the sector with an ambitious vision, because without ambition and courage, we will not move forward.

In this sense, from the ministry, we are making plans to strengthen the sector.

Several embassies have come forward in the last few days to offer economic support. We will implement

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Several (businessmen) have come forward and they are eager to export, to obtain quality, they need this and this is why, from the Ministry of Production Development and Plural Economy, jointly with the vice-ministries, we will perform the activities to strengthen organizations, but not individually, rather in a joint manner in order to penetrate the national and international market within the framework of the ethical code, as it is established in the new Political Constitution of Government.

In the small sector we cannot offer large production volumes (...) I have asked large producers to show solidarity towards small producers, to transmit to small and mediumsize producers how they became large producers.

They have accepted and are willing to share their experience.

Therefore, we will work emphatically in this, through awareness raising activities, so that small producers may appropriate the larger producers’ experience. This work must be done jointly; it will be a little difficult. In a short period of time, we will try for all sectors to know each other,

to reach understanding between the monster and the small worm; if we unite, this will strengthen us.

As leader of an organization, you interceded to maintain ATPDEA I am part of a negotiator commission for ATPDEA, but the proposal was always made from the Bolivian instances that if they give us ATPDEA again (the Government of the United States) it must be without conditioning, without pressure, this must be very clear. Then, (negotiations) are not necessary from Government to Government, but rather from commerce to commerce, because presidents will not buy from us, the population is the one that buys.

This must be very clear, with adequate strategies to keep negotiating. I understand that from Chancellery to Chancellery some processes are facilitated, but what we need is (a negotiation) from commerce to commerce, and I know that people over there (in the United States) are quite convinced of this. The thing is that we have talked to two instances; there are congressmen on one side and on the other side. For example, some were in our favor and others were not, therefore we have to wait for them to solve their positions and then we will be willing to negotiate.

“I have asked large businessmen to show solidarity towards small producers and to transmit their experience to them”. ●

Articles • Testimonies Earthquake in Chile

// There, at the beginning of the marine spring, when afraid and hungry the bird pursues the ship and in the gentle salt of the sky and the water appears the aroma of European forests, the scent of terrestrial mint, we have learned, my love, that Chile was suffering broken by an earthquake.

My God, rung the bell, the ancestor’s language in my mouth, once again, once again the fuming horse kicks the planet and chooses the thin homeland, the shore of the Andean moor, the land that gave in its narrowness the celestial grape and the absolute copper, once again, once again the horseshoe in the face of the poor family that is born and suffers again to see fright and the crack, the floor that separates the feet and divides the volume of the soul until it is transformed into a handkerchief, a handful of powder, a moan.

For the fallen walls, the weeping in the sad hospital, for the streets covered with rubble and fear, for the bird that flies without a tree and the dog that

In the midst of the tragedy that recently happened in Chile, Mercado Justo Magazine expresses its solidarity to the Chilean people, through a poem written by Pablo Neruda in 1960, on the occasion of the 9.5 degrees earthquake that shook his country at that time and that became known as the Valdivia earthquake.

howls without eyes, homeland of water and wine, daughter and mother of my soul, allow me to blend with you into the wind and the weeping and let the same furious fate annihilate my body and my land.

Oh sing southern guitar in the rain, in the lacerating sun that caresses the burnt oaks painting them wings, oh sing, cluster of forests, the soaked land, the fast rivers, the unembraceable silence of the wet spring, and let your song restore to me the endangered homeland: let the strings of the song run in the foreign wind because my blood circulates in my song if you sing, if you sing, oh terrible homeland, in the center of earthquakes because in this manner you need me, resuscitated because your mouth sings in my mouth and only love resuscitates. /

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Articles • Testimonies Bicentenary of the Independence:

looking 200 years back Aristides Ortiz Member of the team of Periódico E’A

aristides1311@gmail.com

http://ea.com.py

Bicentenary of the Independence:

looking 200 years back

Paraguay

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Historical memory resembles a mirror where we look back on our past; a mirror that projects us towards the future, according to how we see and interpret this past. This invitation to recall the political and military events that triggered the declarations of independence of the American countries from the Spanish Empire intends to look at the landmarks that happened more than 200 years ago during the unfinished process of American independence, within the framework of the Festivities in Commemoration of the Bicentenary of the Independence of American countries.

n this historical sense, I would like to review two American revolutions.

The “black” revolution

The original taitino people, who lived on the island of Haiti, had been exterminated by the French conquerors. In order to replace that annihilated “labor”, the French monarchy “imported” African slaves. The slave population of the colony then known as Sainte Domingué (today Haiti) started to feel the winds of freedom of the bourgeois revolution that was exploding in Paris in 1789. They made contact with the revolutionaries and unsuccessfully tried to become part of the Popular Assembly, the answer was: there is no room for blacks. An individual named Toussaint Louverture

started to act as a catalyst for the aspirations of freedom of the Haiti population until he became the island’s governor. Louverture fought for the independence of Haiti from that chair, with pro-independence ideas and policies of conciliation in his relation with the French metropolis. He was thrown into jail and condemned to life sentence by the recently created republic of the Jacobins.

After the death of Louverture, the leader of the black and mixed-race Haitian slaves was Jean Jacques Dessalines. After years of war battles, of defeats and increasing victories, on November 28, 1803, Highest General Dessalines definitively defeats the French troops at the Battle of Vertierres. And on January 1, 1804 the independence of Haiti is proclaimed.

The slogan of the Haitian revolu-

A premature Nation State On the night of May 14 and dawn of May 15, 1811 the destitution of the Spanish governor Velazco was consumed.

The fall was executed by a group of young military officers, with the support of the population of Asuncion and the army. Doctor Jose Gaspar

Rodriguez de Francia took up the political direction of the event. Francia was in favor of “Absolute Independence”. He perceived the strong national identity that already existed at the time and he acted consequently. With the support of the majority of rural workers and the middle social class from Asuncion, he started to leave behind his political adversaries, some of them in favor the submission to Buenos Aires and other in favor of going back to the Spanish yoke, whose cattle and agricultural export interests prevented from being in favor of a national independence, Finally, a Congress of one thousand congressmen declared him “Supreme Dictator of Paraguay”. Since this event, Francia, a voracious reader of the ideas of the French revolution, increased the speed of

:ecnednepednI eht fo yranetneciB

tionaries: “We swear to destroy the white people. And their possessions. It is better to die than to fail this oath”, had triumphed. Considering that the Haiti revolution was the first and the most radical in the continent, the question remains: Why do the Festivities in Commemoration of the Bicentenary of the Independence that are organized by governments omit it?

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Articles • Testimonies

construction of a popular and politically liberal State. Upon his death in 1840, he left in Paraguay a State governed by national and non-colonial ideas: without intervention whatsoever of the European core states, and with an economy with strong foundations.

This Nation State would later be destroyed by the oligarchic and colonial Argentinean state and by the Brazilian Empire, allied to British interests.

Since the Paraguayan state of that time was the first to cut Europe’s colonial policies, why, to date, are there so few reviews of it?

In-dependences

The specific experiences of independence of Paraguay and Haiti mentioned above reveal only two cases that may be used by the American his-

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Colonialism and coloniality El filósofo e historiador peruaPeruvian philosopher and historian Anibal Quijano states, when he analyzes the American historical process, that beyond the political and military events led by the movements in favor of independence against the Spanish, Portuguese and French empires, the continent’s nations and states suffer until today the phenomenon of power coloniality. This coloniality reveals,

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according to Quijano, that the ideas developed by Europeans in American countries during colonial times, are still bearing fruits for the former colonial empires and current Capitalist Central States of occident, in terms of unequal economic exchange within the framework of the relations of global power. But, isn’t colonialism equal to coloniality?

No. Porto Rican sociologist Ramon Grosfoguel pinpoints the difference between these two Concepts. “Colonialism is the territorial occupation with weapons and administration of a country by another (the case of the American colonies occupied by Spain, or the present case of Iraq, occupied by the north-American empire); coloniality is cultural: there is no need for weapons or administration in foreign territories to dominate”.

A new historical perspective Now that the festivities for the Bicentenary give us a good opportunity, it is necessary to ask ourselves how to address the historical thinking of America when facing the challenge of coloniality of power. Argentinean anthropologist Walter

Mignolo has one answer: “As the American that I am, my first historical reference must be the conquest and colonization of America, and not the Bolshevik revolution or the French revolution, simply because I enter into the capitalist system of the world in 1492.

Only in this manner will I be able to properly understand the place where I am located today”. Perhaps then the answer lies in returning to the studies of our countries’ colonial history, but with a new historical approach. This is the proposal of the Paraguayan anthropologist and linguist Bartomeu Meliá, when he says: “If Paraguay does not understand its colonial process, it is in danger of for ever being colonialized.” Going back to this review’s introduction: it is necessary for Paraguayan social movements and intellectuals (historians, journalists, sociologists, philosophers, political scientists) to take the initiative and to create debates and studies within the framework of the Festivities for the Bicentenary of the National Independence, on May 14 and 15, 2011, with the objective to keep progressing in the country’s emancipation process. ●

Bicentenary of the Independence:

toriography for debate within the framework of the commemoration of the Bicentenary of the independences. A debate that, in fact, is already happening. With respect to the striking omission of the Revolution of Haiti in these festivities, Costa Rican historian Pedro Alexander Cubas points out that it “constituted a process which originality was sustained in its anti-colonialist and anti-slavery nature, which contributed to reveal the euroFrench falsehood imposed by the canon of the bourgeois revolutions that preceded it.

None (of the bourgeois revolutions) took into account nonwhite men and women”.

looking 200 years back

Articles • Testimonies

Networks - Articles One movement that grows and consolidates itself organized its own World Forum

Solidarity Economy, leading role at the World Social Forum in Porto Alegre Luis Martínez pipo@tau.org.ar

he first World Social Forum of Solidarity Economy recently took place, as a confirmation of the importance of this movement worldwide, and specifically in our Latin-American continent. It started on January 22 in Santa Maria, approximately 300 km from Porto Alegre, the capital of Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil, to resume later on within the framework of the World Social Forum, in the city of Canoas.

This forum not only focused on criticisms against the dominant system, it was an abundant source of experiences and ways of self-improvement that are alternative to capitalism, and that enable millions of persons to improved their quality of life, based on values such as

self-management, solidarity and cooperation, with a strong conviction to protect the environment. The mystique and festivity were also present.

The city of Santa Maria is located at the center of the state of Río Grande do Sul, the southernmost state of Brazil. Mainstay of important movements such as the Base Ecclesiastic Communities or the Landless Movement, Santa Maria overflows militant mystique, enough to make it into the capital of Solidarity Economy in Brazil.

For 16 years now, “Cooperativa Cooesperanza” has organized the traditional Fair of Cooperatives in Santa Maria in July, a mandatory meeting place not only for Brazil, but also for the entire Solidarity Economy Movement in Latin America.

Last year, the fair was suspended by local authorities, using Influenza A as an excuse (in odd coincidence with a change in local gov-

ernment: the opposition was elected after 8 years of governance by the PT).

Nevertheless, the organizers increased the stakes and organized a World Social Forum and a World Fair of Soli-

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Networks - Articles

darity Economy, that proudly opened on January 22, with all the festive and militant mystique originating from the spirituality of the Base Ecclesiastic Communities (and where the mystic figure of Don Ivo Lorscheider, the late bishop of Santa Maria and one of the referents of Liberation Theology continues to be of significance). These events took place for three days in Santa Maria and relocated to the city of Canoas, sub-headquarters of the World Social Forum, and 40 km from Porto Alegre.

During three days, 600 Mercosur initiatives, and representatives from 26 countries of 6 continents were present at the fair and the forum, which received 100.000 visitors. These participated of workshops based in five work areas: food security, solidarity finances, culture and education, solidarity production, trade and consumption and international solidarity integration. The workshops took place in classic circus-like tents.

With reference to the Workshops of international solidarity integration, significant progress was made towards a common regional agenda, involving Solidarity Economy and Fair Trade networks and organizations, especially from America, such as COLACOT, RELACC, WFTO-LA, Espacio Mercosur Solidario, CLAC, and Ripess-LA. Beyond the plenary sessions, several inter-network meetings made it possible to trigger specific projects linked to advocacy, commercial networks, as well as initiatives

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to promote and support the movement in the continent.

In the area of production, trade and consumption, the main debates revolved around Fair Trade by addressing innovative initiatives, such as the imminent launching of the Brazilian System of Solidarity and Fair Trade, to be subscribed

by President Lula, and that would be the first Fair Trade public system implemented at a public level in the World.

In accordance with the foregoing, other issues were also debated, such as certification systems, the inclusion of large commercialization chains in the Fair Trade system, the difficulties to promote and to organize the responsible consumption of peoples, the need to make progress regarding production quality and quantity, as well as the legal frameworks within and amongst countries in order to facilitate southsouth trade.

Words from some of the leading actors Rogero Dallo, president of the Latin-American Confederation of Workers’ Cooperatives and Mutual Companies in Latin America (COLACOT), shares enREDando’s vision regarding the current situation of Solidarity Economy. In this sense, Dallo expressed his expectations that “we are exiting the employment era, and there are new ways to work, which must cease to be precarious, and become more established types for workers,

such as work cooperatives.

In addition, the issue of trade should be widened and, as a strategic campaign, Solidarity Economy should face the logistics of production and reproduction of its system, in order for production to reach consumption in a solidaritybased manner”. With respect to his presence at the forum, he mentioned that “COLACOT traditionally participates of networks, in Santa Maria and the World Social Forum.

This first forum is a strategic step, but it is not enough yet, each network does its own thing, in an isolated manner.

However, it still is a historic step because a common agenda is being created here, and this fully justifies the creation of this forum”, he says with enthusiasm with reference to the conclusions reached on international integration.

Networks - Articles Economy. According to Ademar, the Base Ecclesiastic Communities inspired Caritas to start an emancipation process and to join the Solidarity Economy movement.

This is one of the promoter organizations in Brazil, resulting in 10 years of national and International articulated construction.

Ademar Bertucci is a member of “Caritas Brasileira” and represents this entity at the Brazilian Forum of Solidarity Economy (FBES). He tells us that 30 years ago, especially in the country’s north-eastern region, the Church of Brazil chose to change its assistance system and to create a strategy of self-managed revolving funds which lead, at the end of the 1990’s, to the need to develop alternative community projects. With the assumption that these projects would fail if they were isolated initiatives, they began a process of articulation called Solidarity and Popular Economy. At the same time, the World Social Forums started to meet with other movements, and began the construction of Brazil’s Social Forum of Solidarity

These events took place for three days in Santa Maria and relocated to the city of Canoas, sub-headquarters of the World Social Forum, and 40 km from Porto Alegre.

With respect to the Forum itself, Bertucci agrees with Dallo, and predicts that “we will obtain a more precise agenda regarding actions for the international coordination” of Solidarity Economy movements.

Following the work sessions in Santa Maria, the Solidarity Economy movement continued to participate of workshops and debates in the city of Canoas, 40 km from Porto Alegre, within the framework of the World Social Forum.

The giant flag carried by all the movement’s militants during the opening march

highlighted the presence of this active movement, filled with mystique and hope for another possible world, which showed energy and significance, displaying a larger presence than other movements in comparison to other forums.

During one of the opening panels in Porto Alegre, the person in charge of Brazil’s National Secretariat of Solidarity Economy (SENAES), Paul Singer, highlighted the significance that millions of workers, especially rural workers, have in the simple production of goods for the global economy. He also mentioned that, since they are the majority, they should also have the majority in political decisions, especially considering the work content of most of the experiences that are a part of Solidarity Economy. Since their actions are oriented towards the preservation of the environment, the production of food for the food sovereignty of peoples, and the construction of a democratic society, they emerge as the main promoters that the planet needs today. Singer highlighted, in addition, that these initiatives not only have positive results in terms of economic gains, but fundamentally in terms of human happiness.

In contrast to summits such as Copenhagen, that was critically present in the discussions during the entire forum, the proposals and projection of this movement are a significant hope for change.

Therefore, they could not be absent in the capital of the other possible world.. ●

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Information of Interest Activities carried out Future activities

APRIL 2010

Fair Handeln 2010

April 15 - 18, Stuttgart, Germany German International fair for responsible trade at a global level. Inscriptions are opened for interested exhibitor.

See the web site: www.messe-stuttgart.de. Contact: daniel.sechert@messe-stuttgart.de

MAYO 2010 World Fair Trade Day

May 8 This day will be celebrated with diverse activities in different regions of the world. For further information, please contact: comunicacion@hipuu.com.py ●

Regional Secretary, the Commercial office with the support of the Peruvian Platform. 27 member Latin American organizations of WFTO and 3 representatives of organizations of Europe will be participating in the event.

More information: secretaria@ifat-la.org

JUNIO 2010 Fair Trade International Market and Regional Assembly of WFTO-LA 01 to 03 of June of the 2010 - Peru Lima The Regional Assembly is being coordinated by the

JULIO 2010

RIPESS LAC – Medellin 2010

IV Latin American Meeting of Solidarity Economy and Fair Trade. July 22 – 25, 2010. Medellin. For further information: http://www.ripesslac.net/home.php ●

HIGHLIGHTS OF FUTURE ACTIVITIES Towards the IV Social Forum of the Americas The organization of the IV Social Forum of the Americas has started. It will take place in Asuncion (Paraguay) from August 11 to 15, 2010. From the dynamism of our real life and accompanied by its main figures, the confluence of a wide range of issues and themes is expected: the memory and essential presence of the peoples originally from that Southern area jointly with those of the entire continent, the strength of rural workers for the definition of alternatives of living for all, the escalation of re-militarization, the struggles the urgent need for other production and life models in order to overcome extractivism: our experiences when facing the crisis and our approaches to exit it, the interrelation and conflicts between movements and government in order to build

change, the innovation offered by young proposals, by urban culture, and much more.

Asunción 2010 Paraguay will host the IV Social Forum of the Americas, a meeting to update and deepen visions and a common agenda for struggle in the Americas, showing openness to an exchange which will modify the little foreign knowledge of its impressive history and its present reality, already marked by change. The South Cone, with all its diversity and its solidarity bonds amongst peoples and movements, becomes the central point in the preparation of this IV FSA. The organization of this IV Forum, in its continental scope, represents a journey until August 2010 when

specific meeting times are scheduled for the preparation, with multiple initiatives of thought, mobilization, solidarity, resistance that are already registered in the abundant calendar of actions of movements and entities that are part of process, and that will join in the collective construction of the Forum program, of its continuities, innovations and strengthening.

We extend an invitation to become part of the continental process of preparation and to be present in August in Asuncion with your transforming initiatives, experiences and proposals.

Another America is Possible! ¡Our America is on its way!

Source and further information: http://www.forosocialamericas.org/

Letters from our readers We would like to hear from you.

Please share your experiences and send your comments, opinions, and suggestions to: estacion@hipuu. com.py

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Dear friends : On this occasion, I extend an invitation to watch two series of VIDEOS that we have recently recorded and uploaded in the PHILOSOPHY Section of the site www. luisrazeto.net.

The first series is made up of 4 conferences (20 - 30 min. duration each), on the topic “Towards a new structure of knowledge” (regarding the relation between ethics and economy).

The second series is made up of 9 conferences where I made comments on the text “Debate on Needs and the Question of Human Nature (in the setting of the question regarding the possibility of a new civilization)”.

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I also take this opportunity to inform you that the Video “About Haiti: Solidarity Economy in the face of disasters” has achieved a remarkable diffusion, with a total of 3554 visits in seven days; of these, 18 were from Haiti and 420 from Dominican Republic. This was possible thanks to your cooperation, and to a special diffusion campaign that we have implemented amongst the support and information networks for Haiti. In this manner, we believe that we are contributing to planning and seeking the best ways to act when facing the tragedy that happened to our brothers from Haiti.

Regarding the site in general, the information to date (October 6, 2009 to February 2, 2010) is the following: Users: 13715, from 56 countries, who visited 48387 pages of content.

Lastly, I extend an invitation to participate of a diffusion campaign that is currently being organized by “the group for site support and development”. More information is available on the link News and Innovations.

Luis Razeto

MERCADO JUSTO Periódico digital del Comercio Justo en América Latina

mercadojusto.la@gmail.com