The same empire that inspired the essay «Our America».

The considerations and lessons that José Martí outlines in his essay «Our America», published in January 1891, seem to be written for these days when the 47th president of the United States is lashing out with force against the peoples of this geographical area.

The considerations and lessons that José Martí outlines in his essay «Our America», published in January 1891, seem written for these days when the 47th president of the United States is lashing out with force against the peoples of this geographical area.

«The trees must be lined up, so that the seven-league giant does not pass!», stressed the most universal of Cubans 134 years ago as if he knew the package of measures used today by Donald Trump to politically and economically dominate the whole of America.

That is why returning Cuba to the list of countries that sponsor terrorism, more than an isolated sanction against the largest of the Antilles, is a global outrage to which they added provisions -legal or not-, such as the pretension to control the Panama Canal and rewrite the local geography.
Added to this is the onslaught against illegal immigrants, which the empire itself encourages, and their violent and indiscriminate deportation. A measure that has become an instrument of contempt, coercion and blackmail against the peoples. For the governments that have rebelled against this violence, the response of the tenant of the White House is one: to increase tariffs.

Confirmation of the saying that «Men and peoples go around the world sticking their fingers into the flesh of others to see if it is soft or if it will resist, and the flesh must be made hard, so that it will drive out the daring fingers».

The tax or levy applied to imported goods, in addition to generating a direct increase in export costs, raises the final price of the merchandise paid by consumers and affects the competitiveness of domestic industries.

The harsh tariffs on products from Mexico and Canada (not to mention those applied to China) led these commercial neighbors of the United States to agree to tighten border security and take more rigorous measures against fentanyl trafficking.

And although many experts consider that this controversial program could become a boomerang by generating significant costs for the economy of the world’s greatest imperialist power, the Republican magnate is threatening to replicate it in Europe during his second term in office.

It is then worthwhile to resort once again to that clarity with which Martí defines, «Peoples who do not know each other must hurry to get to know each other, like those who are going to fight together».

Thus, the Heads of State and Government members of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America-People’s Trade Treaty (ALBA-TCP), responded to the call for an extraordinary Summit to evaluate the results of the economic-social and political initiatives designed for the region and to outline a common front in the face of the disrespect for human rights, the dignity of migrant populations and peace in all the nations of Latin America and the Caribbean.

Written by Ana González Goicochea.