Ecuador: Alternative Forums Held Ahead of Summit

Two alternative forums are currently underway in the Ecuadoran capital ahead of the 7th Summit of the Americas, scheduled to begin tomorrow. The Alternative Peoples' Summit has brought together thousands of grass roots activists from social organizations across the region. Among its main concerns is the defense of the region's sovereignty against outside interference, with special emphasis on Venezuela. The Business Summit, meanwhile, is considering market solutions to the region's problems. At yesterday's forum, the Cuban and Venezuelan civil society delegations walked out to protest the exclusion of some of their delegates representing mass organizations and the presence of so-called Cuban dissidents from outside the country. teleSUR