CARACAS, Venezuela — South American independence hero Simon Bolívar once dreamed of unifying several nations as a counterweight to their powerful hemispheric neighbor, the United States.
Two centuries later, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez tapped into that legacy Friday as he hosted leaders from across the Americas at a two-day summit. Chavez described the new regional bloc that excludes the U.S. as a tribute to his idol Bolívar, saying the time has come to put an end to U.S. hegemony.
“Only unity will make us free,” Chavez said at the opening ceremony. “This is the path: unity, unity, unity!”
Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega echoed Chavez’s sentiments, saying Latin American and Caribbean countries should ensure that the policy of U.S. intervention to protect the region’s nations, declared by President James Monroe in 1823, is never revived.
