In presence of Chavez, social movements release document

20/04/2006 - 11h36

Lúcia Nórcio
Repórter da Agência Brasil

Curitiba – Taking advantage of the presence of Hugo Chavez, president of Venezuela, who was visiting the city last week, representatives of the Via Campesina and the coordination of social moviments of Paraná, an umbrella group, released a document entitled Letter of the Americas in Defense of Nature and Biological and Cultural Diversity (Carta das Américas em Defesa da Natureza e da Diversidade Biológica e Cultural).

In the document, which was endorsed by 32 social movement groups, and signed by Hugo Chavez, the governor of Paraná, Roberto Requião, the Nobel Peace Prize winner, Perez Ezquivel, and Catholic religious thinkers and leaders, Leonardo Boff and Dom Pedro Casaldaliga, among othes.

The document repudiates the introduction into the Americas of foreign species, transgenic organisms and the so-called "terminator" seeds, which do not germinate more than once.

It also says it "opposes the imperial government of the United States and its transnational companies." The signatories oppose the Free Trade Agreement of the Americas (FTAA) and other bilateral trade agreements which threaten natural resources.

In conclusion the document calls for the recognition of land rights for rural workers, Indians, fishermen and descendents of slaves.

Translation: Allen Bennett