Political ally of Maduro and Ortega named CELAC president, replacing Alberto Fernandez

At 76 years old, Ralph Everard Gonçalves You will achieve the dream and remain in charge of the interim presidency of the Group of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) until next year. Prime Minister since 2001 of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, a small island nation in the Caribbean, has arrived by consensus of 33 countries and will succeed Alberto Fernandez in the body that claims to be the counterweight to the Organization of American States (OEA), headed by Uruguay’s Luis Almagro.

Father of five (two girls and three boys) Gonçalves has a Marxist background. He has an excellent relationship with the most radical left-wing governments on the American continent, such as CubaAnd Nicaragua s Venezuela. In Havana he is known as “Comrade Ralph” or “Mini Castro”, epithets that also appear when he is mentioned in the offices of the Russian Kremlin.

On this occasion he also had the support of the “heavyweights” of the continent to gain office because there had to be unanimity in his election. Argentina and Brazil, which rejoined at the initiative of Lula da Silva, and Mexico have added their approval so that a Caribbean country can, for the first time, be in a position of leadership.

You may be interested: Alberto Fernandez once again supported the governments of Nicaragua, Cuba and Venezuela: “All those here were elected by their people”

Gonsalves is currently serving his fifth term at the head of this parliamentary monarchy that integrates the Commonwealth, the British Commonwealth, where he won as leader of the Workers’ Unity Party in elections in 2001 and was re-elected in elections in 2005, 2010, 2015 and 2020. He leads CARICOM, the 15-member Caribbean Community A country from Central America.

Gonsalves holds a BA in Economics and a Masters in Public Administration from the University of the West Indies. In addition, he holds a PhD in Public Administration from the University of Manchester, UK. He wrote several books in which he outlined his ideas on corporatism, Marxism, neo-colonialism, and problems of integration and development, among other topics. The Specter of Imperialism: The Case of the Caribbean (1976); History and the Future: A Caribbean Perspective (1994) and The Non-Capitalist Path to Development: Africa and the Caribbean (1981) are his most important publications.

One of his sons, Camilo, 50, a lawyer by profession, is Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Information Technology. Those who frequent “Comrade Ralph” assure that Camilo will be his successor in power.

You may be interested: Louis Lacalle Poe made a strong accusation against the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States: “There are countries here that do not respect democracy or human rights”

Gonçalves established a great friendship with Ortega and his wife, Rosario Murillo. On July 19 last year, during a visit to Managua, where the 43rd anniversary of the victory of the Sandinista revolution was being celebrated, he was the only foreign leader who took part in the festivities and dared to tell his friend that dialogue should resume. with us. “I invite the United States of America, a country of great achievement, to approach in friendship with the people and government of Nicaragua, is that too difficult?” Gonçalves maintained a diplomacy on that occasion.

“What has been required of us as leaders for thousands of years? The Prophet Micah gave a simple explanation of what is required of a leader who acts with justice, loves mercy, and walks humbly with our Lord,” he stated later in his speech after being awarded the “Order of Augusto Cesar Sandino” at its highest level at the Battle of San Jacinto.” .

These words with biblical references were interpreted as a request for mercy towards the many political prisoners held by Ortega, who after a few minutes completely ruled out the possibility of speaking with Joe Biden because it would mean “putting a noose around his neck” and then stating that “imperialism is unbelievable.” Even a little bit like that because it exhausts you.” Although St. Vincentian’s public statements did not go well, relations between the two countries were not affected.

You may be interested: In the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, Borik called for free elections in Venezuela and the release of political prisoners in Nicaragua.

At the beginning of 2022, Nicaragua, with the support of its other great allies, the Venezuela of Nicolás Maduro, He had already proposed Gonçalves to chair the regional forum. However, this candidacy fell after the agreement between Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and Alberto Fernandez. Mexico managed to twist Ortega’s arm but with the promise that this year the privileged place would go to a representative from the Caribbean.

In November, the prime minister of a group of 32 islands in the Lesser Antilles with an area of ​​barely 389 square kilometers and a population of just over 104,000 inhabitants, also as a sign of the cordial relations he has with the government of Nicolás Maduro, received in Caracas an honorary doctorate from the Bolivarian University of Venezuela (UBV). ) “for his important contribution against the assaults of groups of imperial power.” A few months ago, the Venezuelan government provided 23,000 barrels of oil to the island and canceled a million-dollar debt.

The island, although there are wide white sandy beaches and mountains on its territory, does not depend on tourism. It mainly depends on the cultivation of bananas, which account for 50 percent of its exports.

Gonçalves knows Argentina. The Argentine Foreign Minister, Hector Timmermann, presented him with the Order of the Liberator General San Martin, Grand Cross, at the beginning of October 2013. Every time he meets an official of the Todos Front, he repeats his motto. With a Caribbean smile: “How’s my friend Christina?”

Read on: