Solidarity with Latin American and Caribbean Progressive Movements
Working Group Name: Latin America/Caribbean (LA/CWG)
Summary:
LA/CWG will continue its work of the last few years: to counter and reduce US military, political, and economic interference in the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean and to build support in the United States for progressive organizations in these countries that fight for self-determination, for environmentally sound and economically just policies, and for local development that would lessen the need for emigration.
We seek to end exploitative US policies whether military, economic, or political with a growing focus on ending those that are environmentally exploitative while fostering self-determination and respecting sovereignty of countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Policy
Long-Range Policy Goal: Reduce US economic, military, and political interference in the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean while building support among people in the United States for progressive organizations seeking self-determination in these countries.
Achievable Objectives for 2023:
- Continue, in solidarity with other organizations, work to remove Cuba from the US government’s State Sponsors of Terrorism (SSOT) list and to end the US embargo against Cuba, while seeking parallel actions to end sanctions against Venezuela and Nicaragua;
- Continue solidarity work with the Honduran Solidarity Network on ending the exploitative economic practices of US-based corporations, especially those causing environmental destruction such as the Jimalito hydroelectric project;
- Continue collaborative work with country-based solidarity organizations such as CISPES and other Central American solidarity groups (e.g., NISGUA, SOA Watch) to end US military assistance to Central American countries, while building similar relationships with, for example, Brazil, Peru, Colombia, and reactivating the Haiti Subcommittee;
- Continue advocacy in the United States for humane, just, and legal immigration policies (e.g., MIRA, MCAN – Safe Communities Act and Language Access Act);
- Identify the most pressing Latin American and Caribbean issues and promote/provide webinars for MAPA members and the general public to better understand and address them;
- Conduct a survey of interests and concerns of all listed MAPA LA/CWG members as a mechanism to enlarge the number of active working group members.
Getting Involved
The Latin America/Caribbean Working Group (LA/CWG) meets on the 1st Monday of the month at 5 p.m. If you would like to get involved, please email Derek Sexton at lac@masspeaceaction.org.
Cuba Subgroup
Through actions and dialogue throughout the Commonwealth, the Cuba Subcommittee of the Latin America/Caribbean Working Group, works to bring awareness and an end to the 60 year interventionist policy of the U.S. Government to terminate the socialist project and self determination of Cuba and its people through sanctions, embargo, punitive financial measures, misinformation, biological interventions, threats, attempted isolation, and the financing of groups seeking regime change.
Organization
Convener: Derek Sexton.
Cuba Subteam Convener: Merri Ansara
