The Peoples Summit is an alternative meeting to the Summit of Heads of State and Government of the European Union, Latin America and the Caribbean, which begins on Tuesday in the Spanish capital. The Biregional network Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, which organizes Linking Alternatives, comprises civil society representatives from those regions in a space for action and reflection that seeks to contribute to building “another world”.

A world which, according to the organizers, should be based on peace, participatory democracy, social justice, human rights, food sovereignty, environmental sustainability and self-determination of the peoples.

The social movements and organizations reject the trade policies that Europe aims to impose in Latin America and the role of big European transnational corporations in that region. They criticize the “European capital” promoted by the European Union and question the Association Agreements that the EU reached with Colombia and Peru, and the ones that the EU aims to negotiate with Central America. The activists believe these agreements are like Free Trade Agreements, very similar to the ones negotiated by the US with the region.

The agenda of Linking Alternatives 4 does not only cover trade issues, but it also includes a wide range of issues such as militarization, human rights, water, food sovereignty, migrations, climate change, etc.
14 cases filed against European corporations for their actions in Latin America and the Caribbean were considered on Friday by the Permanent Peoples Tribunal that began sessioning that day as part of the Peoples Summit. The total number of cases reaches 27.

Although the Tribunal is not legally binding, it is a tool for the social movements to raise awareness about the actions of big European transnational corporations.
Some of the cases filed before the tribunal is against Mexican water corporation Aguas de Saltillo, a subsidiary of Spanish corporation Aguas de Barcelona (which is owned by Suez), for overexploiting the water layers in the Mexican town of Saltillo, for damaging the drinking water and for the poor conditions in the distribution network. The corporation is also accused of violating the national Constitution.

Swiss mining corporation Holcim was also accused of the death of 11 peasants by water pollution in the Mexican municipality of Atontonilco de Tula, of violating Convention 169 of the International Labour Organization in the Guatemalan town of San Juan Sacatepequez and of using up all the water of the sub-basin of the Colombian capital, Bogota.

Meanwhile, agribusiness transnational corporation, which is dedicated to agrofuel production, was accused of violating the indigenous peoples’ rights in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso. Dutch-based corporation Agrenco is funded by European banks. This case also accuses the European Union of promoting the drive for biodiesel and ethanol.

The PPT’s sessions were resumed on Saturday, including cases filed against Swiss company Nestle, German corporation Bayer, British Petroleum and Spanish corporation Repsol YPF.

Photo: Radio Mundo Real