MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Two “social” summits in Bolivia.

Heads of state and government from nineteen Latinamerican countries plus Spain and Portugal will be meeting for two days beginning Friday in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, for the Thirteenth Ibero-american summit that on this occasion will concentrate on social issues.

Parallel to the official summit an alternative "social summit" will also be taking place in Santa Cruz de la Sierra organized by Indian associations and groupings that were decisive in the recent ousting of elected Bolivian president Sánchez de Lozada and his replacement by caretaker president Carlos Mesa who is hosting the Ibero-american summit.

One of the outstanding leaders of the Indian movement, Bolivian Deputy Evo Morales will be officially welcomed to address the twenty three dignitaries among which King Juan Carlos of Spain, Cuban leader Fidel Castro, Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez, Jose Barroso, Primer Minister of Portugal.

"We will be taking to the summit the message of all those who want to change neo-liberalism, a system that has ruined so many lives of our peoples", anticipated Mr. Morales.

"We must bury neo-liberalism but also find other alternatives", added Mr. Morales who promised the social summit will evolve peacefully and with no violence.

In reciprocity Bolivian president Carlos Mesa has been invited to participate in an "open assembly" to be held Saturday in a football stadium where 20,000 representatives from Indian organizations, human rights and anti-globalization groupings are expected to concentrate.

Bolivia is among the poorest countries of Latinamerica, a continent that according to the latest UN Economic Committee for Latinamerica, 44% of the population subsist below the poverty line.

Among distinguished guests to the official Ibero-american summit is Mr. Kofi Annan the first time ever that a United Nations Secretary General is present in this kind of events.

Next Saturday the Ibero-american summit will be releasing two documents summarizing the task of the special committee chaired by sociologist and former Brazilian president Fernando Henrique Cardoso which refers to "Social inclusion as the engine for development".

The "Cardoso" report will also address the institutionalisation of the Ibero-american community with the purpose of consolidating its presence in international affairs.