The Second Summit of the Community of Latin American and
Caribbean States (CELAC for its initials in Spanish) was held on
January 28-29, 2014, in Havana, Cuba, marking the conclusion of Cuba's
presidency of the organization.  CELAC was established in 2010, and it
consists of the governments of the 33 nations of Latin America and the
Caribbean.

     The Second Summit of CELAC represents a further advance of the
process of Latin American and Caribbean unity and integration, which
has been emerging since 2001.  The "Declaration of Havana" emitted by
the Summit expresses goals and values that signify rejection by the 33
governments of Latin America and the Caribbean of US-directed
integration of the region and of the objectives and strategies that
defined US-directed integration.  Find the Declaration at:
http://www.globallearning-cuba.com/community-of-latin-american-and-caribbean-states-celac.html.

     The evident loss of political influence by the hegemonic nation
over its neocolonies is an indication of the erosion of the
neocolonial world-system.  The national bourgeoisies of the
neocolonies are no longer able to function as figurehead bourgeoisies
able to manage and control popular demands.  Ideological penetration
by the neocolonial power has been undermined, as traditional political
parties have become discredited, and new forms of popular democracy
have emerged.  And repression of the popular movements by the
militaries of the neocolonies is not possible in the present political
climate.

     The process of Latin American and Caribbean union and integration
can be seen as an effort by the neocolonized peoples and nations to
by-pass existing exploitative structures of the core-peripheral
relation and to gradually replace them, step-by-step, with alternative
structures for relations among nations, shaped by complementary and
mutually beneficial intraregional commercial and social accords.  At
the same time, the new Latin American political process is proclaiming
the fundamental principles and values for an alternative world-system.

     The process of change in Latin America and the Caribbean suggests
the possibility for the emergence of an alternative civilizational and
socialist project.  And it also suggests the possibility of
fulfillment of Marx's projection of a socialist revolution, but not
with the characteristics that Marx anticipated.

      For further reflection on these issues, please see by recent
blog posts on the significance of CELAC and the process of Latin
American unity and integration.  The posts include:  The dream of La
Patria Grande (3/4/2014); The dream deferred (3/5/2014); The dream
renewed (3/6/2014); The fall of FTAA (3/7/2014); The rise of ALBA
(3/11/2014); Latin American union and integration (3/13/2014); The
Declaration of Havana 2014 (3/14/2014); The erosion of neocolonialism
(3/17/2014); A change of epoch? (3/18/2014); Is Marx today fulfilled?
(3/20/2014).

     Look for the blog at the Global Learning Website, "The View from
the South: Commentaries on world events from the Third World
perspective."  Find it at
http://www.globallearning-cuba.com/blog-the-view-from-the-south.html.

     Charles McKelvey
     Professor Emeritus
     Presbyterian College
     Clinton, South Carolina

     Research Affiliate
     Center for US and Hemispheric Studies
     University of Havana