*ALBA-TCP aims to strengthen true cooperation in different keys areas for the benefit of peoples
*ALBA-TCP commemorates its 20th anniversary
*ALBA-TCP commemorates its 20th anniversary
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NewsTranscript
00:00Let's now go live with our correspondent in Caracas, Belén de los Santos, for all the latest in a run-up to the Saturday summit of ALBA-TCP Heads of State and Government.
00:09Hello, Belén.
00:16Exactly, Luis. We are here in Caracas.
00:19And as we have been covering, this week marks 20 years from the creation of the ALBA integration mechanism.
00:27And we are in the House of ALBA today.
00:30And as we were saying, it's 20 years since the creation of the mechanism.
00:33This was created by Fidel Castro and Hugo Chávez in the year 2004.
00:39And it was intended to be and continues to be a mechanism that wanted to counteract or propose a new way, a new model of building solidarity
00:52opposed to the proposal of a free trade area for the Americas.
00:58So, instead of a free trade area for the Americas that was rejected in the early 2000s,
01:03this mechanism, the ALBA, intends to build on solidarity, on cooperation, on an economic integration that is built towards the mutual benefit of all the member countries.
01:17So, this was started by Venezuela and Cuba, then joined by Bolivia and then many other partners and also associates nowadays.
01:26And this week is key here in Caracas.
01:29Today, we are at one of the first events that is within the week.
01:33The main summit will take place on Friday and Saturday,
01:37specifically on Saturday with the Heads of State and Government here in Caracas
01:42that are coming here to celebrate this anniversary, this 24th summit.
01:47But today, in the House of ALBA, we have a gathering of the ALBA youth.
01:51So, youth representatives from all the different ALBA countries have come here together.
01:58And what they are doing is they are representing and recreating a political council for the ALBA.
02:06So, this is really an activity to foster the internationalism, the cooperation among the youth of these countries,
02:15to model what really an exchange, a cooperation, a discussion among the ALBA countries is like.
02:23Of course, ALBA is not only thinking about the integration today and this week,
02:28as this has been happening during the week and during the year,
02:33but also it's thinking about the future.
02:36It's thinking about how this mechanism can be projected on the years to come.
02:41So, the youth, of course, play a central role in this area.
02:45So, that is what is happening inside.
02:47We are outside the premises of the House of ALBA right at this second.
02:51And while the youth are discussing, sharing their views on a very complex geopolitical world nowadays,
02:59also there are part of diplomatic bodies that come from the ALBA member countries who are observing the activity.
03:07They are looking and assessing and just taking in the activity that is being led by the youth
03:13as a model of how this cooperation mechanism works, has been working for the past 20 years and will continue to work.
03:22So, this is one of the first activities in this week that celebrates the 24th ALBA Summit, as we have been saying.
03:30And, of course, tomorrow we will have more activities here in Caracas.
03:35Also, the social movements that are part of the ALBA movements are also coming and gathering on Friday.
03:43Also, the foreign ministers are going to be gathering during this week.
03:47And the week will have its climax, its main point on Saturday,
03:51when the heads of state and government of these countries are going to come together,
03:57discuss the regional challenges and also all the possible roads for cooperation, for solidarity,
04:04in this mechanism that really tries to show the world that there is a way for the countries to collaborate,
04:11to cooperate and to grow, in which the economy is a means for the development of the peoples.
04:18So, that is what this week is all about.
04:20We will continue to bring you all the information here from Caracas throughout the week.
04:25Today we are at the House of ALBA.
04:27And now I go back to you, Luis.
04:29Thank you, Belén, for the information.
04:32We will stay tuned in the upcoming news brief for everything that is happening today and throughout the week
04:36in the upcoming of the 21st Summit of the Heads of State of Government of ALBA.