In the transition from resistance to neoliberalism to the counter attacks against this model, media plays a central role. For this reason, today more than ever, we take a stand against the unrestrained and undemocratic power, which the mainstream media wield with total impunity, as they try to impose their viewpoints and values. These oligopolies only serve to defend the political and economic interests of shareholders, financiers and advertisers.

However, transnational media corporations are losing credibility and the myth of their invulnerability has lost ground. In Latin America two opposing poles are evident in this regard: on the one hand, sovereignty is being strengthened, while on the other, public space is being given up. In Mexico, for example, the public sphere is being handed over in perpetuity to two media consortia, while in Venezuela the broadcasting licence is being reclaimed from RCTV, which practiced editorial dictatorship in its transmission of ideas and images. In the words of President Hugo Chávez, we are not fighting against freedom of the press, rather we are re-establishing it.

In Defence of Humanity, as a network of networks, underscores the right to information and communication as a fundamental human right. To that end, the illegitimacy of the current system within which media are only serving the powerful must be emphasized. We point out that this has resulted in an incredible, anti-democratic media concentration overwhelmingly controlled by financial capital.

The media allies and enemies of the people need to be identified. We denounce all intellectual mercenaries who have sold out their ideas to transnational corporations. We also denounce communication groups and institutions that in the name of a distorted idea of the freedom of expression are serving economic and imperialist structures, such as Reporters Without Borders and the Inter-American Press Association. At the same time, we condemn the assassination, persecution and exclusion from the media of journalists and social communicators dedicated to continuing the tradition of struggle within journalism to work in the best interest of their peoples.

In order to confront the dominant system, we can count on alternative media as well as the possibility of strengthening the voice of peoples within traditional media. Alternative does not mean to compromise excellence. Rather, to ensure standards of truthfulness, rigor and professionalism is essential, as is to avoid reproducing the alienating concepts and practices often used by transnational media corporations that are classist, sexist and racist.

Every nation-state has the duty to guarantee the right to information, democratization of the media and access for all social groups. This guarantee can be achieved by ensuring public use of the radio spectrum and other forms of social ownership of the media.

Real communication with the people, that encompasses the plurality of their aspirations, is essential. This is distinct from the model under the former "real socialism". We recognize that neutrality does not exist: all information carries an intention, whether it is acknowledged or not.

We advocate socialism. However, we realize that the word socialism has many interpretations and as a result often encounters public resistance. In order to legitimize this idea, it needs to retrieve its tradition of struggle for social justice, peace and happiness for all peoples. Additionally, an ongoing and strategic fight to de-legitimize capitalism must be carried out that makes connections with a range of issues from environmental problems to social destruction.

In Defence of Humanity as a network of networks identifies socialism’s current core values as: the sustainable use of natural resources and public control over those which are non-renewable; putting people’s needs before market demands; the defence of democracy in all group and gender relations, and also, interculturality as well as the possibility of accessing all forms of knowledge, philosophy and religion.

We recognize the key role that native peoples play in contemporary revolutionary movements and their contribution to the practice of participatory democracy, that views government as a service, ruling in obedience and in solidarity, ensuring the collective interest through its institutions. We also value the protection and advancement of community media.

We stand in solidarity with peoples against the occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as interventions in the Middle East, and unite our efforts to the advancement of current revolutionary movements throughout the world that are weakening imperial power.

We condemn the double standards of Washington, the Europe Union and media empires which promote the doctrine of good and bad terrorists, as can be observed in the contrast between the case of Luis Posada Carriles and prisoners detained illegally in Guantánamo and around the world in other secret prisons upheld by imperialism today.

We support the revolutionary processes taking place in Latin America and the presence of the legitimate voice of peoples within national constituent assemblies. In particular, we support the processes of change taking place in Bolivia, which is fostering the leadership of peoples. We also underscore the outstanding role of native peoples, women and youth in ongoing struggles today.

The network of networks, In Defence of Humanity, must broaden and strengthen its reach; we must promote translation initiatives in order that language is no longer a barrier between peoples, and we must encourage legal action against mainstream media which are violating the right to information. Our struggle is for truth and justice!

May 23rd, 2007 in Cochabamba, Bolivia.   (Translation:  ALAI)

Signatures:

Harald Neuber (Alemania. Periódico Junge Welt,)
Anamaría Díaz (Alemania. Politóloga,)
Stella Calloni (Argentina. Premio Latinoamericano de Periodismo)
Luis Bilbao (Argentina. Revista América XXI)
Víctor Ego (Argentina. Observatorio de Medios de APM)
Marita Couto (Argentina. Red de Comunicadores del Gran Chaco)
Juan Quintar (Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Comahue)
François Houtart (Bélgica. Consejo Internacional del Foro Social Mundial)
Michel Collon (Bélgica. Periodista)
Pablo Groux (Bolivia. Viceministro de Desarrollo de Culturas)
Félix Gutiérrez Matta (Bolivia. Red de Comunicadores Indígenas Apachita)
Clotilde Márquez Cruz (Bolivia. Centro de Mujeres Candelaria)
Rafael Puente (Bolivia. Red de Intelectuales y Artistas en defensa de la Humanidad)
Carmen Guardia (Bolivia. Antropóloga)
Gastón Núñez (Bolivia. Dirección Nacional de Comunicación Social)
Iván Maldonado (Bolivia. Red Patria Nueva)
Arturo Cruz Arancibia (Bolivia. TV Boliviana)
Hugo Moldiz (Bolivia. Periodista. Coord. Estado Mayor del Pueblo)
Miriam Suárez Vargas (Bolivia. Radio Alternativa de Santa Cruz)
Andrés Gómez Vela (Bolivia. Coordinador Nacional Red Erbol. Columnista La Prensa)
Carlos Mamani (Bolivia. Asociación Mundial Radios Comunitarias)
Jorge Claros (Bolivia. Oficial Superior de Culturas de Cochabamba)
Jorge Sanjinés (Bolivia. Director y Guionista de Cine)
Iván Sanjinés (Bolivia. Cineasta. Plan Nacional Indígena de Comunicación)
José Andrés Laguna (Bolivia. Editor del Suplemento Cultural Ramona)
Miguel Angel Aranda (Bolivia. Premio Nacional de Poesía)
Santiago Espinosa (Bolivia. Diario Opinión, Cochabamba)
Vania Sandoval (Bolivia. Coord. General del Observatorio Nacional de Medios)
Wilson García (Bolivia. Columnista de La Voz de Cochabamba y Los Tiempos)
Roberto Viciano (Bolivia. Constitucionalista)
Alejandro Azcuy (Bolivia. Columnista del diario La Epoca)
Ernesto Azcuy (Bolivia. Columnista de La Epoca)
Grover Cardozo (Bolivia. Director Agencia Boliviana de Información)
Jorge Hurtado (Bolivia. Director del Museo de la Coca)
Juan Luis Rocabado (Bolivia. Periodista independiente)
Marcelo Patzi (Bolivia. Red de Comunicadores Populares)
Ramiro García (Bolivia. Red Quechua y Red Satelital Radios Comunitarias)
Rubén Darío Suárez (Bolivia. Director Sistema de Coros y Orquestas SICOR)
Xavier Jordán Arandia (Bolivia. Foro Cultural de Cochabamba)
Wiler Vidaurre (Bolivia. Foro Cultural de Cochabamba)
Marcelina Cárdenas (Bolivia. Coordinadora Audiovisual Indídgena)
Julieta Paredes (Bolivia. Asamblea Feminista Boliviana)
Mario Garrido (Bolivia. Corresponsal Prensa Latina en Bolivia)
Marcelo Guardia (Bolivia. Director Carrera Comunicación U. de Cochabamba)
Sergio de la Zerda (Bolivia. Diario Opinión de Cochabamba)
Melvy Serhan Jardín (Bolivia. Asesora Comunicación de Representación Presidencial)
Vilma Tapia (Bolivia. Poeta)
Sergio Antezana (Bolivia. Poeta)
Humberto Claros (Bolivia. Coordinadora Audiovisual Indígena)
Theotonio Dos Santos (Brasil. Sociólogo y economista)
Fernando Rendón (Colombia. Premio Nóbel Alternativo. Director Revista Prometeo)
Alfredo Molano Bravo (Colombia. Premio Nacional de Periodismo. Juez Tribunal Permanente de los Pueblos)
Manuel Cabieses (Chile. Director Revista Punto Final)
Abel Prieto (Cuba. Ministro de Cultura)
Yamila Cohén (Cuba. Asistente Ministro de Cultura)
Rafael Dausá (Cuba. Embajador en Bolivia)
Mercedes de Armas García (Cuba. Agregada Cultural Embajada en Bolivia)
Rosa Miriam Elizalde (Cuba. Periodista. Fundadora de La Jiribilla)
José Pertierra (Cuba. Abogado Acusador en el caso del terrorista Posada Carriles)
Frank González (Cuba. Presidente Prensa Latina)
Pablo Guadarrama (Cuba. Filósofo. Universidad Central de Las Villas)
Antonio Preciado (Ecuador. Ministro de Cultura)
Oswaldo León Trujillo (Ecuador. Director de ALAI)
James Early (Estados Unidos. Director del Cultural Heritage Policy)
James Cockroft (Estados Unidos. Vicepresidente Tribunal Benito Juárez)
Daniel del Solar (Estados Unidos. Gerente General WYBE-TV)
Pascual Serrano (España. Fundador de Rebelión y Asesor de Telesur)
Angel García Castillejo (España. Asesor Secretario de Comunicación de la Presidencia)
Roberto Montoya (España. Escritor, Diario El Mundo)
Juan Carlos Monedero (España. Red Voltaire. Profesor Universidad Complutense)
Salim Lamrani (Francia. Escritor e Investigador de medios)
Charley Allan (Inglaterra. Hands off Venezuela, Columnista de The Guardian)
Tim Lezard (Inglaterra. Ex - Presidente de National Union of Journalists)
Richard Gott (Inglaterra. Historiador. Escritor)
Gennaro Carotenuto (Italia. Profesor. Colaborador de Brecha y La Jornada)
Fernando Buen Abad (México. Movimiento Internacional de Documentalistas)
Ana Esther Ceceña (México. Profesora UNAM. Miembro de CLACSO)
Gilberto López y Rivas (México. Polítologo. Articulista de La Jornada)
Tarik Alí (Pakistán, Cineasta. Colabora en The Guardian, Left Review. Asesor Telesur)
Flaviano Iglesias Lopez (Panamá. Director Programa radial Amerindia)
Martín Almada (Paraguay. Archivos del terror. Premio Nóbel Alternativo)
Winston Orrillo (Perú, Docente. Poeta. Premio Nacional de Periodismo)
José Ignacio López Vigil (Perú. Radialista. Director de AMARC)
Manuel Robles Sosa (Perú. Corresponsal Prensa Latina)
Rafael Rodríguez Cruz (Puerto Rico. Abogado. Semanario Claridad, San Juan)
Luisa Angélica Vicioso (Chiqui) (Rep. Dominicana. Poeta, Columnista)
Francisco Sesto (Venezuela. Ministro de la Cultura)
Blanca Eeckout (Venezuela. Presidenta VIVE TV)
Sergio Arria (Venezuela. Coordinador VIVE Zulia)
Angel Palacios (Venezuela. Documentalista)
Julio César Rivero (Venezuela. Productor Audiovisual)
Luis Britto García (Venezuela. Escritor, Premio Nacional de Literatura)
Carmen Bohórquez (Venezuela. Coordinadora Red en defensa de la Humanidad)
José Luis Méndez (Venezuela. Periodista. Corresponsal VTV en Zulia)
Oscar Pérez Sequera (Venezuela. Periodistas por la Verdad. Zulia)
Helena Salcedo (Venezuela. Directora Radio Nacional)
Andres Izarra (Venezuela. Presidente Telesur)
Aram Aharonian (Venezuela. Director General Telesur)
Ricardo Márquez (Venezuela. Catia TV)
Gonzalo Gómez (Venezuela. Aporrea)
Marcos Hernández (Venezuela. Periodistas por la Verdad)
Carlos Servando García (Venezuela. Diario VEA)
María Alejandra Díaz (Venezuela. MINCI)
Iván Padilla (Venezuela. Viceministro de Cultura)
Darwin Romero (Venezuela. Embajada de Venezuela en Bolivia)
José Bracho (Venezuela. Primer Secretario Emb. de Venezuela en Bolivia)
Yolanda Delgado (Venezuela. Radio Sur y Radio Nacional)
Ivonne Caldera (Venezuela. Red Intelectuales y Artistas en defensa de la Humanidad)
Juan Pablo Rossel (Venezuela.Red Intelectuales y Artistas en defensa de la Humanidad)
Rossana Marín (Venezuela. Red Intelectuales y Artistas en defensa de la Humanidad)
Melissa Arria (Venezuela. Red Intelectuales y Artistas en defensa de la Humanidad)
Jómery Rodríguez (Venezuela.Red Intelectuales y Artistas en defensa de la Humanidad)

Firmas de Adhesión

Montserrat Ponsa (España. Periodista y escritora).