Caracas, Venezuela.- Cuba”s President Raul Castro arrived Monday in Maiquetia, Venezuela, to attend the 15th Summit of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America-Trade Treaty of the Peoples (ALBA-TCP).

The Cuban leader was welcomed at Simon Bolivar International Airport by Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino. After the honors, the Head of the Cuban State left for Miraflores Palace, seat of Venezuela’s Government, venue of the high level meeting that is taking place on the 5th anniversary of Commander Hugo Chavez’ death.

Ahead of Raul Castro, Bolivia’s President Evo Morales and Nicaragua’s dignitary Daniel Ortega arrived in Caracas to also participate at the Summit that among its objectives it will ratify the bloc members’ support to the Bolivarian Revolution Chavez spearheaded and the government of President Nicolas Maduro.

The United States and allied governments in the region have hardened threats, political confrontation and economic war against the Maduro administration.

In recent statements, ALBA-TCP has repeatedly condemned the administration of Donald Trump for its aggressive policy towards Latin America and the Caribbean in an attempt to return to the Monroe Doctrine, the most notorious instrument of intervention designed to take over the region’s riches.

This regional group of nations is made up of Cuba, Bolivia, Nicaragua, Dominica, Ecuador, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Antigua and Barbuda, St. Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, Grenada and Surinam.

ALBA-TCP member nations have called on the international community to abstain from exerting pressures of any kind against the political independence and territorial integrity of Venezuela, practices that are incompatible with the principles of International Law and the Charter of the United Nations.