国际英语新闻:Cuba, Venezuela vow to revive regional socialist alliance

HAVANA, Dec. 15 (Xinhua) -- Cuban leader Raul Castro and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro vowed Wednesday to revive the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA).

At a political rally for the 12th anniversary of ALBA in Havana, Raul Castro and Maduro declared their commitment to the ideas and principles of the ALBA founders -- late Cuban revolution leader Fidel Castro and late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

"Solidarity, consensus in our ideas and unity in actions is what our peoples and the Americas need in times of difficulties and growing challenges," said Raul Castro in a short speech.

Appearing in public for the first time since his brother's funeral 10 days ago, Raul Castro said that Caracas is a victim of "neoliberal and imperialist offense" and that it is an important moment to support Venezuela in these difficult times.

He said the founding leaders of ALBA have created a new type of cooperation based on complementarity, solidarity and social welfare.

"Fidel and Chavez set the goals and ideas and with their examples showed us the path to continue. It is our responsibility to turn their legacies into the invincible trench for the defense of the American homeland," said Raul Castro.

Maduro stressed that the ALBA bloc is the only integration mechanism in the region that can effectively develop social and economic projects that meet the needs of the people.

"Cuba and Venezuela found two great executors of these dreams: Fidel and Chavez. They assumed and joined the ideas of (Simon) Bolivar and (Jose) Marti to bring it to reality of what has been the revolutionary project of our America, our peoples," he said.

Chavez and Fidel Castro left "a united and free continent to continue their legacies for several decades," said Maduro.

He announced that an ALBA summit will be held next month, where member nations will relaunch the bloc after the death of Fidel Castro.

The Bolivarian Alliance was founded by Fidel Castro and Chavez in 2004. It is based on socialist ideology and also includes Antigua and Barbuda, Bolivia, Dominica, Ecuador, Grenada, Nicaragua, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.