Address by the President of Bolivia, General Hugo Banzer Suárez, at the Thirteenth Andean Presidential Council
(unofficial version, transcription of the speech)

Valencia, Venezuela, June 23, 2001

We are gathered in a place and at a time that are auspicious for reflecting on the present and future of the integration movement we launched three decades ago. Here, 180 years ago, the decisive battle was fought for the independence of Venezuela, this country for which we all have a deep affection. Here, we will reaffirm our ideals as the expression of a desire for unity born with the advent of history, of shared aspirations as of the very moment we decided to assume the leadership of our nations’ destiny, a destiny that would be meaningless and impossible if we were to choose to go our separate ways. This is a new, and equally decisive way to consolidate our independence in this age, as in the past, by struggling jointly, confronting the same challenges, and reaffirming the identity of the nations we represent and the existence of the same values.

We cannot ignore the fact that the Andean countries are moving through difficult times, facing adverse circumstances, with different shades of meaning; structural shortcomings are compounded by a complex international situation that reduces our possibilities for growth and postpones the aspirations of our nations. Confronted by this situation, the protests of Andean societies take different forms, unfortunately, on some occasions with attitudes that turn back advances we have been able to make at great sacrifice. Despite this complex panorama, the fact that our Community endeavor does not hesitate is an encouraging sign, as it moves toward deeper levels and, what’s even more important, into new dimensions.

During the initial years of Andean integration, any disruption in our countries halted our progress, if it did not set it back considerably. Today, the situation has changed; vulnerability to national problems has abated, for our movement has undoubtedly matured, taken on greater autonomy and a strengthened identity. This trend is growing stronger as Andean integration assumes a greater importance internationally and our capacity for negotiation increases. The steps we are taking may appear to be insufficient; it is comprehensible that our countries are still finding the responses of Subregional integration to our demands weak. What is important here, however, is to continue moving toward the goals we set ourselves more than three decades ago. Our Community will will continue to grow at this Meeting, through the decisions we adopt: we will approve a plan for cooperation in controlling drug trafficking, based on the experience we have acquired and to which Bolivia has made an exemplary contribution. There are other significant resolutions, as well, on the Agenda for this Thirteenth Andean Summit: in the first place, the decision to be approved regarding the recognition of national identification documents, for I consider that this will produce a series of benefits: it will facilitate the trade and development of our fellow countrymen throughout the Subregion, spurring them to assume an Andean identity which, in turn, will benefit integration by consolidating the social underpinnings of the process.

I would also like to draw attention to the decision to create the Andean passport, which could be considered a complement to the previous decision, for while the former will promote Andean citizenship, the passport will project this citizenship to the rest of the world. We must also emphasize that we will take extremely important steps toward implementing our border development policy at this Meeting. Our borders, fellow Presidents, should become true integration zones. I am convinced that we are on the right path to reach the goal we have set ourselves of forming a Common Market around the year 2005.

The rapid evolution of international relations, leading to the creation of economic and political blocs, makes it necessary for us to move ahead rapidly if we intend to maintain and consolidate an Andean profile. I believe that the political will with which we support the Andean Community is the obvious proof of that aim.

Messrs. Presidents:

Bolivia comes to this Meeting, as we have attended the past summits, determined to commit its maximum efforts. We know that we have a difficult task ahead of us. No truly great accomplishment is an easy feat. We must firmly establish the trends toward the growth of our trade by safeguarding and perfecting the operation of the Free Trade Area. We must progress in liberalizing services and reinforce our external efforts but, above all, we have the unavoidable duty of taking sound and decisive action on our Social Agenda.

We attach great importance to our Meeting of Carabobo, to which that historical past, the grandeur of its present, and the prospects of its future correspond. We are convinced that this is the appropriate scenario for continuing to strengthen our joint efforts to secure a comprehensive independence that offers the appropriate formal, economic, and social elements. Integration is the irreplaceable instrument for making us the crafters of our own future –so we Bolivians understand it to be, so we Bolivians wish it to be. Thank you very much.