The 20th summit of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA) was concluded Wednesday in Havana in the presence of former Cuban President Raul Castro and the leaders of the member states.

The Latin American leaders underscored the importance of solidarity and cooperation in confronting US interference in the affairs of the region, as well as the economic challenges posed by Washington's coercive measures and the situation imposed on the region by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The summit's concluding statement condemned the US aggression, asserting that its policies were chiefly responsible for the dangerous regional instability.

The ALBA member states asserted that the US policy toward Latin America "poses challenges that lead to flagrant violations of the UN Charter, international law, and the declaration of Latin America and the Caribbean as a region of peace."

The Alliance expressed its unwavering rejection of the Monroe Doctrine, demanding the US to respect the right to self-determination, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and internal affairs of each state. ALBA stressed the need to resort to peace to solve international conflicts, rejecting the use of force or threats in international relations.

The member states also condemned the use of unconventional warfare to topple legitimate governments, as well as the imposition of unilateral coercive measures against Latin American and Caribbean states.

The concluding statement also condemned the US systematic actions to discredit and sabotage international cooperation with Cuba in the health sector in dozens of states.

#EnFotos 📸 | En el marco del 17 aniversario de la Alianza, se celebró en el Palacio de la Revolución 🇨🇺, la XX Cumbre de Jefes de Estado y de Gobierno con el propósito de definir estrategias conjuntas para enfrentar el escenario post-pandemia.#ALBAEsVida#AlianzaParaLaVida pic.twitter.com/laRsJPg6Z1

— ALBA-TCP (@ALBATCP) December 15, 2021

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel made a statement at the end of the Summit, during which he congratulated Venezuela and Nicaragua on their latest election results, which he said, "Challenged the meddling policy of the United States."

Canel also underscored his country's support for the Caribbean and its readiness to cooperate with the region in light of the conditions imposed by the pandemic, natural disasters, and the unjust international economic system.

The pandemic did not prevent the West from taking new neoliberal and aggressive measures that obstruct countries in need from acquiring medical equipment and medicines.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro also had a speech at the end of the summit, in which he called for enhancing integration and economic mechanisms among ALBA countries based on mutual development.

The Venezuelan President denounced the US measures aiming to destabilize the region, which "promote undermining regional integration and attack the legitimate governments of Cuba, Bolivia, and Nicaragua."