CARACAS, Dec. 15 (Xinhua) -- Leaders from Latin American and Caribbean countries gathered in Caracas on Saturday to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America-People's Trade Treaty (ALBA-TCP) during its 24th summit.
The summit opened with a private meeting of the heads of state from the bloc's 10 member nations, followed by a public plenary joined by guests Haiti, Honduras, and Palestine. A key focus of the event is adopting a declaration reaffirming the alliance's principles and long-term goals.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Telegram called ALBA-TCP the "vital core of independence, dignity, and sovereignty."
"We are here to ensure that its strength is invincible through unity," Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel wrote on social media platform X.
Ahead of the summit, delegations met on Friday to discuss strategies for achieving the 2030 Strategic Agenda. Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil highlighted the need to navigate political uncertainty and enhance regional security.
Founded in 2004, the 10-country ALBA-TCP bloc aims to reduce Latin America's reliance on Western aid by promoting intra-regional alliances and cooperation in key sectors such as energy and trade. ■
