‘Future Network’, an alternative to the São Paulo Forum, is born

By Nitu Pérez Osuna*

According to a note from the UOL news agency on April 5, the Socialism and Liberty Party (PSOL) of Brazil, together with other South American left-wing parties, will start “Rede Futuro” (Future Network) to “have a new discussion forum for progressives”.

The founding meeting will take place next Sunday, April 9, in Santiago de Chile, with the participation of four Brazilian political leaders, but none belonging to Lula da Silva’s Workers’ Party (PT).

Climate crisis, feminism, and human rights will be some of the priority issues of the new network, as well as the migratory crisis, popular economy, and regional integration, reports UOL.

But the review’s most striking information is this:

“In practice, the network will be a counterpoint to the São Paulo Forum.”

“Founded in 1990, the forum is an organization that brings together 123 left-wing parties from 27 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, including authoritarian governments such as Nicaragua.”

“This motivated the leaders to create the new network.”

In other words, there has been a split within the São Paulo Forum since some leftist leaders, such as Gabriel Boric, do not wish to openly identify with the regimes in Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.

This is evidenced by the fact that the United Socialist Party of Venezuela was not invited to the meeting.

This is not the only division in the Marxist camp these days.

There is a public confrontation between the president of Bolivia, Luis Arce, and coca growers’ leader Evo Morales, a dispute in which former vice-president Alvaro Garcia Linera tried to mediate.

Morales responded with a total rejection, describing him as “his enemy”.

Morales also affirmed on his Sunday program broadcasted by Radio Kawsachun Coca:

“In summary: fourteen years my vice-president, it hurts a lot.”

“It could be because I am indigenous or loyal to the principles and values our ancestors left us.”

“Just to say thank you, Alvaro”.

In Honduras, the parliamentary bench of the Salvador Party – until recently in the ruling coalition – moved to the opposition “Multiparty Parliamentary Front for the Strengthening of Democracy and the Rule of Law in Honduras”, leaving President Xiomara Castro increasingly isolated.

In a press conference, the new parliamentary front expressed that “the purpose of the party organization is to oppose the measures that the ruling Libertad y Refundación Libre party wants to take to bring Honduras to be a country in the orbit of Chavism”.

These divisions must be taken advantage of by the democratic sectors to articulate and strengthen themselves.

In this sense, the II Meeting of the Madrid Forum, held in Lima on March 29 and 30, which brought together all the groups and personalities that oppose the São Paulo Forum and the Puebla Group, is good news.

*Venezuelan. A professional journalist, communicator by trade, and activist for the best causes by vocation. She was a columnist and radio and television host in her country of origin. She has established herself as a powerful ‘youtuber’ in “El canal de Nitu” and “Plomovisión 24: horas de opinión”. She is an international organizational communication consultant. She is a freedom fighter and a relentless researcher searching for the truth.

With information from LGI