ALBA Summit Concludes in Caracas

HAVANA TIMES, feb 6 — The regional trade and cooperation organization the Bolivarian Alternative for the Peoples of the Americas (ALBA) yesterday concluded its eleventh ordinary summit in Caracas, Venezuela.

Representatives of the bloc announced prospects for continued growth in the number of member countries, the creation of an economic zone, the establishment of permanent positions within the body, and they reaffirmed their support for Cuba, Argentina and Syria.

Also suggested was the possibility of member countries conducting joint military exercises in the future.

According to the EFE report, St. Lucia and Suriname have applied to begin the process of joining the regional mechanism, which is currently composed of Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Bolivia, Ecuador, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Dominica, and Antigua and Barbuda.

Read the speech to the ALBA Summit by Cuban President Raul Castro in Spanish.