Political Declaration of the Petrocaribe-Alba Extraordinary Ministerial Meeting We, the Governments of Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Bolivia,

Cuba, Dominica, Ecuador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, Saint Kitts and Nevis, e Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Lucia, Surinam and Venezuela have gathered, at the highest level, in Caracas, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, this 9 and 10 of January 2013, on the occasion of the Petrocaribe - ALBA Extraordinary Ministerial Meeting in solidarity with President Hugo Chavez. At this Meeting we have undersigned this Political Declaration to:
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Express the full endosement of the new political, economic, social and cultural spaces represented by Petrocaribe and the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA), which were established at the initiative of the President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Commander Hugo Chavez, and that constitute an essential contribution of the Bolivarian Revolution to the consolidation of regional union and integration. Reiterate our full and absolute solidarity with the President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Commander Hugo Chavez, who is fighting a major battle for his wellbeing in our sister Republic of Cuba. Join the numerous manifestations of faith and spiritual expressions all over the world, and we offer prayers for the full recovery of President Hugo Chavez health and his prompt return to Venezuela, homeland of the Liberator Simon Bolivar.

Reiterate our congratulations to Commander Hugo Chavez on his victory in the elections held on 7 October 2012 with a significant majority of the popular and freely expressed vote. These elections resulted in his re-election as the President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela for a new term of six years starting on 10 January 2013. Also congratulate the Venezuelan people on their impressive demonstration of their democratic commitment and citizenship represented by their overwhelming participation in the presidential elections of 7 October 2012, which was a record in the republican history of Venezuela. Wish to express our full confidence in the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and the democratic institutions of that fraternal country and we fully support the actions which have been taken within the framework of the Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to make sure that the democratically expressed will of the Venezuelan people is seriously respected. Affirm that we will be steadfast with the Venezuelan people and their Bolivarian Government in strict respect for the sovereignty of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, in its effort to ensure that the health situation of President Hugo Chvez be not used as a pretext by the enemies of the Bolivarian Revolution to destabilize the Venezuelan homeland; and accordingly denounce any interference in Venezuelas internal affairs, a matter on which the Venezuelan people have clearly expressed their democratic will.

- Urge respect for the ruling of the Supreme Court of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, the body which has

the duty and power to interpret the provisions of the constitution, which affirms the supremacy of the rule of law and the settled view that nothing should trump the will of the people, overwhelmingly expressed in the presidential elections of 7 October 2012.
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Express our congratulations to the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, on leading this Petrocaribe ALBA Extraordinary Ministerial Meeting that has been successfully developed and concluded.

- Express appreciation to the Government and people of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela for the generous hospitality extended to us during the Extraordinary Ministerial Meeting of Ministers of Petrocaribe ALBA.

Caracas, 10 January 2013