Sao Paulo leftists oppose US

2003-10-29 12:15

Sao Paulo, Brazil - Leftists from around the world finalised a declaration against US-style regime changes and the spread of unfettered capitalism as they entered the last day of the 22nd Socialist International Congress.

Delegates on Wednesday were expected to approve their "Declaration of Sao Paulo," aimed at changing a new world order where rich countries and corporations benefit while the planet's legions of poor only grow larger.

Many of the draft document's points echoed ideas espoused for years by anti-globalisation activists and for months by opponents of US military intervention in Iraq.

Although the draft did not cite the US administration of President George W Bush by name, it blamed conservatives for trying "to undermine multilateral institutions, to promote unilateralism and the consecration of the market, and to impose the will of the powerful to decide the future of mankind".

And it reiterated the decades-old idea of forgiving debt owed by the planet's poorest countries, "subject to conditions of good governance".

Delegates attending the three-day congress acknowledged that many of the draft's points are not new, but said they are important to help centre-left politicians guide future policy.

Antonio Gallicchio, of Uruguay's centre-left Nuevo Espacio party, said the document resonates because it comes after mounting worldwide public opinion supporting issues important to the Socialist International.

The group "appears slow in deciding, but acts on pressing current issues," he said.

But Italy's former premier, Massimo D'Alema, warned that socialists face an uphill battle to reach their goals. Centre-left political parties have recently lost power in former strongholds like France and Italy, and suffered a huge defeat when Bill Clinton was succeeded by Bush.

"The balance of power between 'us' and 'them' has changed," D'Alema said. "The balance of power between the progressive parties and the right has changed and the right has got its confidence back on both sides of the Atlantic."

Antonio Guterres, the group's current president and a former socialist prime minister from Portugal, was re-elected on Tuesday evening after facing no opposition.

A Nicaraguan delegate mounted a late move on behalf of Latin American members to prevent the re-election of British Prime Minister Tony Blair as one of the group's 23 vice presidents because of his decision to back the US and send troops to Iraq.

"We are sending the wrong message to the world because we are saying utopia can be militarised," said Sandinista party member Hernan Estrada.

But Guterres blocked the effort, and the list of vice presidents was approved.

- AP