On Saturday 2nd Dec 2006, a conference entitled ‘Latin America 2006: making another world possible’ was held at Congress House, organised by the Cuba Solidarity Campaign, Justice for Colombia, Venezuela Information Centre and the T&G Latin American Workers Association. The conference brought together trade unionists, academics, NGOs and progressive movements from Latin America and the UK to explore recent political and social developments across Latin America. In particular, it explored the effects of US policy on the region and the current wave of progressive changes seen most notably in Venezuela and Bolivia.

 The discussion centered around the so-called ‘leftist swing’ in Latin American politics, which many of the speakers saw as signaling a rejection of the neoliberal policies of the past two decades and of US imperialism more broadly. The electoral success of radical leaders such as Hugo Chavez and Evo Morales and the progressive reforms they have implemented was heralded as evidence that ‘another world is possible’ and many speakers expressed their solidarity with these governments.

 Overall, the general mood was one of optimism and solidarity. It revealed how the left wing in Britain is looking to Latin America as a source of inspiration and political alternatives, while Latin American movements are actively seeking support from international sympathizers. Yet, aside from voicing well-founded and well-versed criticisms of US policy and the failures of neoliberalism, the conference offered few original insights and little serious analysis of current political trends. Simplistic depictions of the current global order as a ‘US Empire’ prevailed, limiting the possibilities for a more nuanced discussion about global power relations. By painting a picture of an alliance of progressive forces engaged in a common struggle against neoliberalism, the discussion obscured important differences between progressive movements in Latin America.

 Perhaps most frustrating, though, was the failure to look beyond the rhetoric of leaders such as Chavez, Castro or Lula and offer a more critical perspective on their failings, limitations or the challenges they face. While many observers on the left share this optimism about progressive changes in Latin America, solidarity should not impede our ability to criticize these movements or challenge their discourse. In doing so, we risk falling into the same polarized positions as exist in some of these countries.

To view a full summary of the conference click here.

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