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Hope
march opens the 3rd World Social Forum
BY
ORLANDO ORAMAS LEON —Granma daily special
correspondent—
PORTO
ALEGRE.— Hope took to the streets in this southern
Brazilian city when thousands of people from all
over the world marched to affirm that the future is
one of struggle and the victory depends on popular
strength and commitment.
 It was
the peoples’ inauguration of the 3rd World Social
Forum, which turned into a global expression in full
opposition to the forum of the rich in Davalos, and
to the imposed enslaving and uniform norm of
neoliberal globalization, shouted down here.
From
the Porto Alegre public market in the lower part of
the city, a multicolored and multicultural
demonstration moved in marching step along the
Borges de Medeiros Avenue and up to Ipiranga and the
Porto do Sol amphitheater, just as night was falling
over the capital of Río Grande do Sul.
Defeated
were the imperial war decreed in advance by the
United States, the arms build up, capitalism and
neoliberalism, exemplified by placards bearing a
large capital "NO!" and the strongest
slogans of this historic march.
The
victors were peace, justice, socialism, the
Palestinian people, the Bolivarian process in
Venezuela, solidarity among the peoples and other
demands expressed by thousands of voices.
The
march began with drums, but not the drums of war.
Men and women, young and old carried placards
reading: "NO to war," "Down with the
FTAA," "Trade with justice,"
"Solidarity with Venezuela and against the
Coup," and of course, "Cuba Yes, Yankees
No!"
Che
was there multiplied in banners, berets and other
examples of popular imagination to have him present.
The first Cuban flag was borne by a Brazilian woman:
Evangelina Vega, former president of the José
Martí Cultural Association here in Porto Alegre.
She was not the only one. Another giant one, hung in
solidarity, decked the walls of a viaduct under
which the march passed.
"Viva
Cuba, Viva Fidel!" chorused the marchers
passing into the tunnel below. But the volume was
increased when the Cuban delegation, close to the
end of the parade and awaited by many people lining
the sidewalks, marched by.
Little
Lazarito was perched on Teófilo Stevenson’s
shoulders with a megaphone. Félix Savón was at one
point of a large banner: "Freedom for the Five
Cuban Patriots!" and behind him walked their
wives and family members with placards of the
prisoners’ faces.
A
young Argentine pointed out Adriana, Gerardo’s
wife, and said to his girlfriend: "Look, she’s
the one in the photo, she’s the wife of the Cuban
prisoner." René’s younger daughter, little
but vivacious, bellowed out for her father, while
Irma, the elder, lifted up a placard saying:
"They won’t give me a visa to visit
him."
We
sang the national anthem under the bridge, while
people lining the streets supported us. The
"Brazil, Lula, Cuba greets you!" chorused
by our delegation prompted applause while many
people were saying: "What children!" in
reference to the articulateness and profundity of
their messages.
Afterwards,
at the Porto do Sol, the 3rd World Social Forum was
proclaimed opened. Samir, a Palestine, rubbed
shoulders with Matías, a picketer from Buenos
Aires. Close by, a Japanese waved an indecipherable
placard and a Belgian Green supporter spoke out for
the defense of the environment. The fact of being
together, although not in sufficient numbers, was
heartwarming.
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