Argentinean and Uruguayan organizations for the withdrawal of the troops from Haiti called the demonstration, together with groups from both countries that are part of the Social Movements towards ALBA. The action included a demonstration outside the Mercosur headquarters in the morning, while they held a round table in the afternoon with Haitian activist Henry Boisrolin, member of the Haitian Democratic Committee.

The organizations delivered a letter addressed at Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro during the Mercosur summit. Venezuela was handed over the the pro-tempore presidency of Mercosur that day.

The letter delivered by the Haitian activist to Maduro officials mentions the negative impact of the UN intervention in Haiti, which began shortly after US, French and Canadian military troops paved the way for a coup d’état against Jean Bertrand Aristide in 2004.

“The MINUSTAH has only repressed the social movement that is constantly making demands for Independence, self-determination and the withdrawal of the occupation troops”, reads the letter.

It also focuses on the need for the Haitians to decide on their mechanisms for national reconstruction and the ways of accessing international aid.

“Only the Haitian people can choose their form of social organization, nobody can do that for them, and they should do it freely”, reads the letter.

“That is why there is an urgent obligation to withdraw the troops from Haiti. They have to solve their own problems as our own peoples do”, they said. “There are currently 6 out of 10 departments in Haiti that suffer famine. We should withdraw the troops and use the money to help the Haitian people through the institutions they choose for themselves”.

Photo: Real World Radio