Venezuela and ALBA: Counterhegemonic regionalism and higher
education for all
ESRC-ECCC
23 Jan 2009
Thomas.Muhr@bristol.ac.uk
Centre for Globalisation,
Education & Societies (GES)
Ricardo Cabrizas (Cuba, 2004)
Rafael Correa (Ecuador, associate)
Roosevelt Skerrit (Dominica, 2008)
Manuel Zelaya (Hondura, 20008)
Evo Morales (Bolivia, 2006)
Hugo Chávez (Venezuela, 2004)
Daniel Ortega (Nicaragua, 2007)
Regionalism and Regionalisation
Regionalism = “a state-led or states-led project
designed to reorganise a particular regional
space along defined economic and political
lines” (Payne & Gamble, 1996: 2).
Regionalisation = “the process whereby a
geographical area is transformed from a
passive object to an active subject capable of
articulating the transnational interests of the
emerging region” (“regions in the making”)
(Hettne, 2003; Hettne & Söderbaum, 2000).
Levels of Regionness
(Hettne, 2003; Hettne & Söderbaum, 2000)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Regional space: a region is rooted in territorial space (a
geographical unit).
Regional complex: widening trans-local relations, but
constrained by the nation state system.
Regional society: complex, multi-dimensional interaction
of state and non-state actors.
Regional community: the region becomes an active
subject with a distinct identity. Convergence and
compatibility of ideas, organisations and processes.
Conflict resolution by non-violent means.
Transnationalised regional society. Social equality
mechanisms. Regional collective identity.
Region state: cultural, ethnic heterogeneity - forced
standardisation impracticable (e.g. Soviet Union).
[the concept of ‘grannacional’]
Regional Governance Framework
(Jayasuriya, 2003)
1.
2.
3.
4.
A stable set of international economic strategies
(open regionalism vs bloc regionalism).
A distinctive set of governance structures which
enables regional economic governance (rules-based
vs informal governance structures).
A set of normative or ideational constructs that
define the region (regional identity) and make
possible a given set of regional governance
structures.
(ALBA: cultural, historico-political; solidarity)
A convergence of domestic coalitions and political
economy structures across the region, that
facilitate the coherent construction of regional
political projects.
(ALBA: political and economic simultaneously)
Geo-political project and strategy, and
a counter-hegemonic idea
ALBA is the only genuine LAC regionalism.
Venezuelan Foreign Policy Objectives (CBRV; NESD-2001/2007):
• LAC integration leading to a community of nations, a common foreign and
defence policy, under the principles of solidarity, complementarity,
cooperation (‘fair trade’), for “regional sovereignty”, a “democratisation
of the international society”, and the construction of a multi-polar world
order (“international equilibrium”).
• International promotion of participatory democracy.
• Redefining MERCOSUR.
• Oil as “an instrument of liberation and cooperation”.
Two pillars of foreign policy:
– South-South cooperation (solidarity, e.g Mali, Malawi, Vietnam)
– Diversification of international relations (geo-strategic pragmatism,
e.g. Iran, China, Russia, Belorussia)
Declaration 3rd Extraordinary
ALBA-PTA Summit 26 Nov 08
…towards the institutional consolidation of ALBA...appointment of permanent
representatives in the ALBA Coordination Headquarters in Caracas as well as
of the executives of the ALBA Bank…
…to construct an ALBA economic and monetary zone that protects our
countries from the depredation of transnational capital…through the
establishment of the SUCRE Common Currency Unit and a Chamber of
Payment Compensation … the creation of this Monetary Zone is accompanied
by the establishment of a Reserves Stability Fund …
…study the creation of a World Monetary Council that coordinates the
realisation of monetary agreements between regional blocs and whose
principal functions would be international monetary, financial and banking
regulation and the creation of a world currency that guarantees transparency
and stability in the flotation of capitals, providing resources for development.
PETROAMERICA
Estrategia Internacional de la Nueva PDVSA
Caso: Integración Latinoamericana
Acuerdo
Acuerdo de
de San
San José
José
Acuerdo
Acuerdo Energético
Energético de
de Caracas
Caracas
PETROAMERICA
PETROCARIBE
PETROCARIBE
Integración Energética a través de:
• Distribución de productos
• Remodelación de refinerías existentes
• Construcción de nuevas refinerías
PETROANDINA
PETROANDINA
Comunidad
Comunidad de
de
Naciones
Naciones Andinas
Andinas
PETROSUR
PETROSUR
MERCOSUR
MERCOSUR
The ‘open’ sub-regionalisms are disappearing (G-3), in decline (CAN, CARICOM),
and a redefined MERCOSUR may be absorbed into the emerging counterhegemonic structures (ALBA/UNASUR). The case of PETROAMERICA illustrates
that ALBA and UNASUR are overlapping projects.
ALBA Dimensions and Institutions
Emerging institutional geography:
ALBA Bank Headquarters in VEN.
Bank of the South Headquarters and sub-offices in VEN, ARG, BOL.
UNASUR Permanent Secretariat in ECU.
Inter-/multi-/transnational processes:
regionalising the Venezuelan
(revolutionary) state
•
•
•
•
–
–
–
–
–
Formal regional bloc (de jure region):
BOL-CUB-DOM-HON-NIC-VEN + ECU (associate)
Sub-regional: PETROCARIBE, -SUR, -ANDINA
Multi-/bi-national: Argentina, Paraguay, Brazil,
Uruguay, Caribbean states, etc.
Trans-national: state + non-state actors
Federal states, e.g. Paraná (Brazil).
Municipalities, e.g. in Nicaragua, El Salvador.
Social-popular movements, e.g. Movimiento Sem Tierra
(MST), Brazil.
Organised society, e.g. Venezuela’s Community Councils.
Transnational production networks: SPCs, cooperatives,
recuperated factories, grand-national projects (GNPs),
grand-national companies (GNCs) (regionalisation of capital)
ALBA Organisation Chart
Two pillars of counter-hegemonic
regional integration
The state
(revolutionary)
formal regionalism
(de jure region)
The (transnational) organised society
social processes of regionalisation
within and beyond the formal region
(de facto region)
↕
direct and participatory construction
of counter-hegemony depends
on local organisation
↑
Higher Education For All (HEFA):
a culture of solidarity and cooperation
(the two pillars cannot be separated: the revolutionary state organises the popular
classes and depends on community organisation. The state also extends out into the
de facto region, e.g. through GNPs/GNCs)
Higher Education For All (HEFA)
Free state-provided HE as a public good and constitutional
right with a social, cultural (collectivist culture vs
entrepreneurial-competitive), political, and economic
role for social transformation, rather than
specialisation for ‘the market’ and individual social
mobility.
Dimensions:
1. The quantitative: access for all.
2. The philosophical: a “new socialist ethics” (moral, ethical
and social conscience).
3. The qualitative: social relevance
a) Scientific & technical capacities for the social popular economy.
b) Social development in the local, i.e. for exercising citizenship
and direct democracy (generating “popular power”).
PAR in the communities through the municipalised UBV.
Municipalisation: about 2000 HE spaces since 2003
1st UBV-Community Meeting
Participatory Student-Community Action Research day
Barrio Cruz Verde, Coro, 12th Aug 2006
Barrio Cruz Verde
Collective action after the
PAR day: squatting to
move the clinic and use
the thus freed space for
a community centre,
complying with the legal
requirements through
support by the UBV law
students.