{news} Fw: USGP-INT US member report on Federation of the Green Parties of the Americas Meeting, Iquitos, Peru

[Justine McCabe]

Dear Greens,

A report from GPUS International Committee co-chair Julia Willebrand who 
represented GPUS at the recent Federation of the Green Parties of the 
Americas (FPVA) in Peru.

 Justine
-------------------------------

REPORT
Oct 12 to 15, 2005 Annual Meeting of the Federation of Green Parties of the
Americas (FPVA) in Iquitos, Peru.

Submitted by
Julia Willebrand, USGP delegate FPVA

At the September 2004 Federation of Green Parties of the Americas (FPVA)
annual meeting in Curitiba, Peru was chosen as the locus for 2005 meeting.
The meeting organized by Alex Gonzales, President, Partido Alternative Verde
de Peru and Flor de Maria Hurtado, International Secretary was held in
Iquitos October 12th to October 14th. Our gracious hosts, Alex and Flor,
were assisted by many young Greens from Iquitos and nearby Amazonian
villages.

FPVA member countries, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru, and the
United States, were represented. The European Green Party and the newly
formed Venezuelan Green Party sent observers.

On Oct. 12th prior to the Business meeting, member and observer countries
were invited to present their Green Vision at a public Forum attended by 200
people.  City officials, a broad array of representatives of NGOs, including
the Chamber of Commerce were present.

Nicaragua and Venezuela gave scientific presentations on climate change.
Mexico described their restructured party formation and showed a video of
the large provincial assemblies held subsequent to the restructuring. Chile
and the European Green Party described their respective parties Green
political vision.

As to my Green Vision, the first advertisement I saw when I stepped off the
plane at Lima¹s Chavez International airport was for Clear Channel.
Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts dominate the airport food court.  Searching for
a breakfast place I found a city awash in Pizza Huts, Kentucky Fried
Chickens, and Blockbuster Video stores.  Struck by the incredible visibility
of US cultural imperialism in Lima, my presentation partially focused on US
Green opposition to the destructive work of transnational corporations.
Despite the necessity of translation (I do not speak Spanish) the talk was
received with great enthusiasm. I was interrupted by applause many times.
The rest of my talk was a call for the audience to join the Dec. 03rd
worldwide demand that the US sign the Kyoto Protocol. The young people in
the audience responded to the call by committing to organizing a
demonstration in Iquitos on Dec. 03rd.

FPVA Business Meeting 10/13-14
The meeting began with country reports.

PERU
The Peruvian Green Party grew out of the environmental movement and
opposition to the Fujimori dictatorship. Peru Greens supported Toledo in the
last election but the party and the vast majority of Peruvians are alienated
by the corruption and his failure to keep campaign promises. For Greens this
includes his promise to provide Green candidates with a competitive
positions on the list for the general elections
This disappointment, however, led to a Green mobilization in which Flor de
Maria Hurtado of Iquitos was elected a Regional Council member.
In Iquitos and the Amazon region Greens will campaign autonomously. But, in
the other regions, e.g., Lima and Cusco, discussions are ongoing with both
the Christian Democrats and with Social Democrats. The issue of rainforest
logging linked to the Indigenous rights will be major issues for the party
in 2006 regional elections.

BRAZIL
Despite a successful 2004 election cycle in which 775 Green local council
people and 55 Green mayors were elected, the Brazilian Green Party is
experiencing problems.  Green Party support helped bring the PT and Lula to
power. But, Lula¹s subsequent policies relative to the Amazon rainforest,
nuclear power and GMOs have been a disaster.  The Green Party broke with
Lula, not so much on the issue of corruption but on political differences.
His economic policy is that of full support to industry whatever the
consequences. Marco Mroz, Brazilian delegate to the meeting said, ³The
country is paralyzed: no laws have been voted for the past three months.  He
[Lula] has killed all our dreams ²
Despite having 8 Federal MPs and 14 Regional Deputies, Greens see no other
coalition options for the coming 2006 elections. They expect to run an
autonomous campaign.  If the party does not elect 5 % of the total MPs it
will lose its public financing.

NICARAGUA:
The Nicaraguan Green Party that is small hopes to grow in influence by
supporting the efforts of a very popular dissident ex-Sandanista, Herty.
Edward Cruz, President of the Nicaraguan Greens has kept the USGP well
informed of progress in this coalition building effort.

MEXICO:
In 2000 with Greens (PVEM) support, Fox of the conservative party PAN was
elected President. However, Greens left the coalition when Fox did not keep
commitments on environmental issues.

In 2003 70 % of Green candidates ran independent campaigns while 30 % ran in
coalition with the PRI when there was the risk of the PAN winning.  The
Greens won 17 deputy and five senate seats in this election cycle.
Presidential elections will take place in 2006.  The Green candidate,
Bernardo de la Garza, recently elected to Congress and at 6 % in the polls
will most probably be the candidate.

The party structure has recently been democratized with large assemblies
held in many states. The strategy for the 2006 general elections the will be
voted upon by the Council. The debate now is between a faction wanting to
stand autonomously everywhere (Bernardo de la Garza¹s group) and those
wanting an alliance both to guarantee continued representation in the
congress and because Greens could be decisive in determining who will be
president.

CHILE
After trying for 10 years to take part in elections on their own and not
attaining the necessary 5% threshold, Greens in Chile have opted for a new
strategy.

In 2006 they will support Michele Bachelet, Socialist candidate for
President with whom they have reached a programmatic agreement that includes
a temporary moratorium on nuclear power, 10% of the energy in renewables,
GMO labeling  (GMOs are already on the market), and the institution of a
Ministry of Environment.

The strategy for 2006 is expected to be coalition support for a Presidential
candidate and autonomous Green candidates for the general elections.

UNITED STATES

I reported on 2004 election results and problems resulting from the
divisions relative to the Nader and Cobb campaigns. I offered a positive
view of party growth and expectations for change as the Iraq war becomes
increasingly unpopular.

2005 FPVA Decisions

* The Federation agreed to initiate a call to the UN to establish a protocol
to stop the destruction of the world¹s forest. We will be asking the UN to
create a mechanism similar to the Kyoto Protocol to sustaining the priceless
asset, the lungs of our planet, The Amazon rainforest. This work was
particularly timely because as the meeting began on Oct. 13th, BBC
International News was reporting a severe drought affecting the Amazon.  And
the following day during an Amazon boat trip arranged for us by our Peruvian
colleagues, we scrambled up a multi story river bank landing then walked 30
minutes to visit a butterfly reserve,
http://www.amazonanimalorphanage.org/pilpintuwasi.htm. This reserve can
normally be reached directly by boat.   But, the water in the Amazon River
is so low now that navigating the river has become difficult to perilous.
Iquitos, a city of 500,000 population often ³ under water ², has no water
supply in many districts as the pipes no longer reach the riverS Food
supplies are threatened. The indigenous people can no longer fish for food
and river banks on which many straw houses are built on wooden posts are
collapsing.


* Because of the extreme climate situation in the Amazon FPVA issued a call
for a delegation of elected Greens to meet in the Amazon with the objective
of publicizing the consequences of Global Warming and the destruction of
Amazonian rainforest that contributes to the warming.

* In 2006 general elections will take place in four countries (Mexico,
Nicaragua, Brazil and Chile). Greens hope to jointly garner as many as 5
millions votes. The FPVA asks for the backing and support of Greens from the
rest of the world. The Federation supports the decisions of member countries
in relation to electoral coalitions.

* Officially known as the Eleventh session of the Conference of the Parties
to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, ³COP 11² is
the first Conference to be held since the Kyoto Protocol came into effect.
The Conference ­ to be held in Montreal in November/December 2005 ­ is a
strategically important event. Representatives from over 180 countries will
be attending the conference to discuss new measures to be taken in the fight
against climate warming. The participation of public interest organizations
and mobilization is critical. All FPVA countries attending the meeting have
agreed to sign on the ³Call to Action. US Join the World² and each country
will sponsor demonstrations on Dec. 03rd in solidarity with Green Parties
around the world. The attention of the world will be focused on this
conference.

*    Global Green Coordination (GGC) Congress:
At the 2004 meeting in Curitiba the FPVA affirmed its wish that the next
Global Green meeting be held in Africa.  The Federation is very pleased by
the choice of Kenya in 2007 for the next Global Green Congress. Some
discussion took place as to date for the meeting with Chile expressing a
preference for the congress to be held in conjunction with the World Social
Forum. The Federation has offered to begin a fund raising effort to provide
financial support for the congress.  The federation wishes to have an active
representative on the congress preparation steering committee.

*Bogota Solidarity Meeting

During the last week in October Green Parties from many countries will meet
in Bogota in solidarity with Ingrid Betancourt. Leonardo Alvarez, PVEM
Congressman will represent the Federation.

*New member countries
    VENEZUELA:
Gabriele Rojas and Manuel Diaz, leaders of an environmental NGO have gained
recognition for a new political party, Partido Verde de Venezuela that is
based on Green principles and values. They have applied for membership to
the Federation. Their goal is the building of a third political force
between the right and Hugo Chavez¹s Bolivarian party. The federation has
decided to offer them observer status.

   DOMINCAN REPUBLIC (DR)
The Dominican Republic Green Party was unable to attend the meeting. Miguel
Angel Pimental, President, sent regrets. During a meeting in NY on September
26th, 2005 leaders of the Partido de la Unidad Democratica (UD) and the
Green Party of DR provided documents relative to merger and formation of a
new Green/UD party.  I provided the federation with a copy of this material.
After a lengthy discussion the federation decided to offer observer status
to the newly forming Partido Verde de la Unidad Democratica (PVUD).

*    No decision has been taken on the location or date of the 2006 FPVA
meeting.




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