Manifesto from Latin America

Due to various events that occurred following the tragedy of September 11th terrorist attacks, and due in part to the unusual world climate resulting from the interventionist war in Iraq, a number of dangerous structural processes have become evident. We are disturbed by what we see as the advancement of authoritarian policies that do not accept criticism nor dissident opinions, and that grant the right to construct and declare that certain nations and groups of people asking for security are unviable, while sidelining supranational or multilateral opportunities for conflict resolution. At the same time, professors, journalists and defenders of human rights in the United States have seen their right to voice dissenting opinions threatened in a climate of persecution against any expression or statement considered "anti-American." In Latin America, the persecution of social movements is growing as well, and this is leading to the destruction of vital institutions and spaces to exercise critical analysis.

To let intolerance occur, to admit that even in supposedly democratic environments people are harassed more and more for their dissenting opinions and to remain silent in the face of the growing "universal thought" that does not allow for criticism or for response, increases the risk of a historic return to the incarceration of thought and to the subservience of intellectuals to systems of power. In Latin America we have experienced first hand the consequences of dictatorial powers whose purpose was to destroy any vestige of internal criticism and manufacture local enemies to justify their excesses and their lack of legitimacy. We do not want this to reoccur.
Faced with this reality, a group of men and women, intellectuals, journalists and cultural specialists in Latin America condemn the military advance that has not respected lives or cultural patrimonies, and today form a group to assert:

a. Our commitment to remain active in society and to make visible the repressive acts against those who exercise their rights to free thought. In particular, to unify efforts so that no one is persecuted for having opposed or for having condemned this horrific war.

b. Our decision to continue exercising critical thought and analysis on a daily basis in classrooms, publications, in forums in which we participate and on electronic media, providing reflexive elements to further develop a committed citizenry.

c. Our determination to encourage academic institutions across the continent to review and adjust their research agendas in the face of the new realities and crisis situations across the globe. Moreover, we invite academic communities to become active promoters and defenders of free and responsible thought and of local and world patrimonies, tangible and intangible.

Signed

Hugo Achugar (Uruguay)
Rosa María Alfaro (Perú)
Jorge Alonso (México)
Silvia Alvarez Curbelo (Puerto Rico)
Mirta Antonelli (Argentina)
Benjamín Arditi (Paraguay)
Claudia Briones (Argentina)
Nicolás Casullo (Argentina)
Eliseo Colón Zayas (Puerto Rico)
Evelina Dagnino (Brasil)
Silvia Delfino (Argentina)
Ticio Escobar (Paraguay)
Anibal Ford (Argentina)
Néstor García Canclini (México)
Marcial Godoy Anativia (Chile)
Mercedes González de la Rocha (México)
Alejandro Grimson (Argentina)
Martín Hopenhayn (Chile)
Elizabeth Jelin (Argentina)
Norbert Lechner (Chile)
Jesús Martín Barbero (Colombia)
Marita Mata (Argentina)
Daniel Mato (Venezuela)
Nora Mazzioti (Argentina)
Carlos Monsiváis (México)
Guillermo Orozco Gómez (México)
Renato Ortiz (Brasil)
Carlos Ossa (Chile)
Antonio Pasquali (Venezuela)
Rossana Reguillo (México)
Germán Rey (Colombia)
Nelly Richard (Chile)
Muniz Sodre (Brasil)
Raúl Trejo Delarbre (México)
José Manuel Valenzuela (México)
George Yudice (USA)
Diana Taylor (USA)

Adhesiones
1. Sergio Chejfec (Argentina)
2. Doris Sommer (USA)
3. Marisol de la Cadena (Perú)
4. Gaston Gordillo (Argentina)
5. Mabel Grimberg (Argentina)
6. Amy Robinson (USA)
7. Elsa Patiño Tovar (México)
8. Jaime Castillo (México)
9. Federico Schuster (Argentina)
10. Damián M. Loreti (Argentina)
11. Osvaldo Leon (Presidente de ALAI)
12. José Blanco-Gil (México)
13. Guillermo Rodríguez (México)
14. Raúl Delgado (México)
15. Sergio García (México)
16. María Soledad Cruz Rodríguez (México)
17. Silvia Bolos (Argentina)
18. Leticia Alvarado Fuentes (México)
19. Tonatiuh Castro Silva (México)
20. Eloy Mendez (México)
21. Juan Carlos Hernández Esquivel (México)
22. Cristina Sánchez Mejorada (México)
23. Alfredo Cesín Vargas (México)
24. Mario Gutiérrez Valencia (México)
25. Norma Giarraca (Argentina)
26. Ines Izaguirre (Argentina)
27. Rita Segato (Brasil)
28. Alfredo Alfonso (Argentina)
29. Florencia Saintout (Argentina)
30. Nancy Diaz Larrañaga (Argentina)
31. Cynthia Pizarro (Argentina)
32. Edgardo Garbulsky (Argentina)
33. Clara Schejtman (Argentina)
34. Morita carrasco (Argentina)
35. Nidia Areces (Argentina)
36. Rodrigo Sepúlveda (Chile)
37. Héctor Díaz-Polanco (México)
38. Luis Díaz Molano (Argentina
39. Elmer S. Miller (USA)
40. Sergio Contreras Prado (México)
41. Margarita Bolaños Arquin (Costa Rica)
42. Martha González (México)
43. Ricardo Domínguez (USA)

To add your signature send an email to
rossana@iteso.mx