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Brazilian, Colombian, Spanish and Venezuelan leaders strengthened political alliances, pledged to combat terrorism, drug-trafficking and poverty, and, in words of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, draw a "new geopolitical map…to counterbalance the global dominance of the United States."

Lula asserted that, "all we want to do is occupy our space in the world, show respect for all nations but also wanting to be respected by them."

The Heads of State . . . pledged support for the creation of a multi-polar world, respect for sovereignty and for international human rights treaties.

Zapatero's government is contemplating a 1.7 billion dollar sale of military equipment to both the Venezuelan and Colombian governments. The military equipment includes: ten C-295 transport planes, four coastal patrol corvettes and four smaller coast guard patrol boats, which according to Spanish officials, "will not have any offensive capability," and designed for, "civilian uses and could be incorporated for use by forces such as the coast guard or police."

Although Lula, whose government is selling Venezuela Super Tucano light-attack propeller planes, refrained from specifically mentioning the US, he defended Chávez in the face of "slander and insinuations," asserting that Venezuela, "has the right to be a sovereign country and to make its own decisions."

According to Lula, "poverty is the most powerful weapon of mass destruction that exists in the world." He noted that in spite of scientific and technological advances, and government programs, poverty has yet to be mitigated, let alone eradicated. Upon urging his fellow counterparts to work towards promoting a more just multilateral system of trade, Zapatero proposed creating an education for debt exchange, and Chávez reiterated his suggestion first made at the Monterrey Summit, of creating an International Humanitarian Fund.

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A lot of wisdom in this under-noted event. A new pole of Euro-socialist governments and Latin American socialist governments was beyond contemplation until recent years.

[ 02 April 2005: Message edited by: Wilfred Day ]

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Originally posted by dokidoki:
I think a multi-polar world will come regardless. I certainly like this one better than one with China and a revitalized Russia acting as the other major powers.

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CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez launched a new Latin American television channel on Sunday to fight what his government called "cultural imperialism" from U.S. and European media.

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