MEXICO CITY – James Finies has been unanimously elected president of the Decolonization Committee of the Permanent Conference of Political Parties of Latin America and the Caribbean (COPPPAL).
COPPPAL, which is headquartered in Mexico City, brings together 80 political parties from 30 countries across Latin America and the Caribbean.
According to COPPPAL, Finies was appointed in recognition of his advocacy on issues relating to Bonaire and other Caribbean territories within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The committee’s mandate includes promoting dialogue on decolonization issues concerning Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Bonaire, St. Eustatius, Saba, Puerto Rico and the Falkland Islands (Malvinas).
During the plenary meeting, COPPPAL reaffirmed its longstanding opposition to colonialism and called for continued discussion of decolonization issues within the United Nations and other international forums.
Addressing delegates from Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, Europe and Asia, Finies raised concerns about what he described as the protection of Bonaire’s cultural identity, demographic developments and the implementation of international legal standards. He argued that these issues warrant continued international attention through the United Nations decolonization process.
Support for Puerto Rico
COPPPAL also reiterated its support for Puerto Rico’s decolonization process and reaffirmed its backing of Argentina’s claim over the Falkland Islands.
