SI Secretary General, Luis Ayala, on democratic socialism at the UNT anniversary event in Venezuela
13 March 2013
To mark the 6th Anniversary of the party Un Nuevo Tiempo in Venezuela, and in their designated year for political education, the Secretary General of the Socialist International, Luis Ayala, delivered a talk on the history and ideological foundations of social democracy, and of the Socialist International as a political model, offering as well his best wishes to a Venezuela in transition.
Ayala began by congratulating and warmly welcoming Un Nuevo Tiempo at having recently joined the family of the Socialist International. He referred to the big challenges that lie ahead for Venezuela. He gave a special emphasis to the role of democratic socialism confronted with the model of Socialism in the 21st Century. He was unable to understand, he said, the warm welcome that the Venezuelan national government had extended to Lukashenko, the ruler of Belarus, which he described as dictatorial, stagnant and dangerous. He underlined that the only way to overcome poverty in Latin America was through an economy where money is not there just to produce more money but is at the service of the people, to produce employment and wellbeing.
He concluded that the new model Venezuela must now establish should be based on the progressive currents that are more democratic and modernising, and where the principles of freedom, social justice and solidarity are placed at the same level. This is the model that will create equality and which will lead to the true path of democratic socialism.
Caracas, Venezuela, 15 March 2013
