During the inaugural ceremony, Roberto Verrier,
president of the Association of Latin American and Caribbean
Economists, sent a message of solidarity to Chile and Haiti for the
recent earthquakes that hit these two nations, natural disasters
that are added to the social problems suffered by the poorest in the
region.
Before one thousand specialists and personalities, he pointed out
that the two catastrophes place participants in front of the mirror
of daily events, and force them to be thorough and creative at the
time of moving on from analyses and diagnosis to proposals for
solutions, as is right for committed social scientists.
He said that there are optimistic stances which hope to demonstrate,
by taking
macroeconomic indicators and excessively encouraging predictions as
a starting point, that the worst part of the crisis is over, while
others affirm that recovery is just a mirage.
Verrier, who is also the president of the National Association of
Economists and
Accountants of Cuba, insisted in the fact that this matter goes
beyond theoretical debate.
Facts are conclusive with regard to the persistence of important
problems affecting the performance of economies and the standard of
living of the population, he expressed, and made reference to the
existence of millions of jobless people and the low levels of bank
loans to finance consumption and productive activity.
He also focused on topics like climate change, the effects of the
crisis in the United States and Latin America, the US blockade
against Cuba and its assistances to the Haitian people with 1,429
voluntary health workers amid the difficult conditions caused by the
January 12 earthquake.
He considered that there have been significant advances over the
last 12 months, among them the historic decision of creating the
Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, recently adopted
in Mexico.
As explained by Cuban President Raul Castro, integration is a must
to face the generalized crisis triggered by the capitalist system,
he specified.
Taking part in the meeting, which will run until Friday, are about
1,000 experts in Economy and other social sciences from 40 nations,
as well as representatives from 39 international organizations and
some 20 ministers, senators and parliamentarians from various
countries and members of 23 associations of economists.
The opening of the event highlighted the importance of the meeting,
characterized by its plurality and deep interest in paving ways in
political economy. Also during the ceremony, a tribute was paid to
Ernesto Che Guevara in his capacity as economist.
Marino Murillo, vice-president of the Council of Ministers
participated in the session, during which Monsignor Marcelo Sanchez,
Chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences of the Vatican,
offered a conference entitled El Evangelio del Trabajo (The Gospel
of Labor).
