Opinion: Chavez’s Bolivarian Alliance Social Movements, A Front for Terrorism?

By Joel Hirst

Published April 23, 2011

Fox News Latino

In March of 2011, and in response to President Obama’s trip through Latin America, President Hugo Chávez of Venezuela visited Cochabamba, Bolivia. During a large rally held with ideological ally Evo Morales, both presidents called for the reinforcing of the social movements as a mechanism to strengthen the Bolivarian Alliance of the Americas (ALBA).

The ALBA, for those who don’t know, is President Chávez’s plan for a regional confederation of Latin American countries to counter the power of the United States.

According to the ALBA’s website, the organizational structure for this confederation consists of a presidential council, with four technical councils: social, economic, political, and social movements.

Narciso Isa Conde, president of the Bolivarian Continental Movement (formerly CCB), one of the ALBA social movements stated, “The ALBA assertively created its Council of Social Movements with the same ranking (within the hierarchy) as the council of ministers. That demonstrates an integration project that goes beyond simply the state or commerce."

"That is very positive and the MCB should give support and seek participation in the Council of Social Movements and in extra-governmental projects supported by the ALBA," he continued. "While more support and participation the people give to the ALBA, much better will that formidable integration mechanism be.â€