ALBA Is a Counterweight to NATO in LATAM, Bolivia & Russia Say

On Friday, Foreign Affairs Ministers Celinda Sosa (Bolivia) and Sergey Lavrov (Russia) stated that the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA) serves as an alternative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

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"ALBA is an alternative to strengthen the unity and self-determination of the people, to guarantee the free decisions of the states, and to consolidate trade flows," Sosa said, adding that Bolivia seeks to avoid foreign interference in the region.

"The U.S. intentions to generate military bases in Latin America is something that has always been latent and present," she pointed out.

"We do not want that to happen... We hope that there will be mutual respect within the framework of each country's autonomy and self-determination," Sosa added.

The text reads, "Argentine Defense Minister Luis Petri presented a letter of intent to NATO in Brussels for Argentina to enter the alliance as a global partner. They are handing the country over to its executioners, the SouthCom."

Her responses referred to Argentina's approach to NATO promoted by the far-right President Javier Milei, who seeks to strengthen Argentina's military presence on the border with Bolivia.

"It is not beneficial for our countries to have this. The Atlantic Alliance does not generate peace, but rather more insecurity," the Bolivian diplomat said, adding that her country will continue to reject U.S. interference in Latin America.

Meanwhile, Lavrov emphasized that the Global South is aware of NATO's true intentions in its regions, so they seek an alternative to peacefully develop their countries.

He highlighted that Russia maintains a "solid relationship" with ALBA, a political dialogue that serves to "counteract colonial schemes."

"ALBA plays a positive role in supporting regional cooperation... It supports the principles of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC)," the Russian diplomat said, adding that all these countries advocate for the reform of the United Nations Security Council "to more objectively reflect the interests of Africa, Asia, and Latin America."