The Sao Paulo Forum, a mechanism for concertation of progressive forces from 27 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, was created to seek alternative models to the “Washington Consensus”, a set of principles of the neoliberal project such as reducing the role of the State, privatizations, opening of markets and a globalization, without any kind of regulation, which according to Monica Valente, executive secretary of the forum, is “a harmful model for our peoples”.

Valente pondered the value of the event, whose motto is “Regional integration to advance Latin American and Caribbean sovereignty”, and stressed that it will coincide with the 33rd anniversary of the forum (to be held on July 4th), making the integration of Latin America and the Caribbean “the focus of the day.”

She also said that the meeting program includes “a series of very significant debates. The first and most important one is regional integration”, which includes energy integration, “because our region is rich in renewable resources, in the generation of hydroelectric, gas, wind, solar energy”; health integration, since “we would not have become so dependent on foreign companies in the case of the production of vaccines and medicines”, as during the Covid-19 pandemic, if integration had existed; educational integration, “so that our young people can have academic mobility in the region, attend the entire network of universities in our region.”

She added that the event will also include meetings of women, youth and social movements, and on Saturday there will be a debate on communication and social networks, because, in her words, “there is a virtual network ecosystem of fake news surrounding the Latin American left, the Workers’ Party and the Sao Paulo Forum”.

jrr/llp/jha/ocs