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Sovereignty

Burkina Faso, Ibrahim Traoré, And The Land Of The Upright People

Since his ascension to power on September 30, 2022, Captain Ibrahim Traoré has become a powerful symbol of Pan-Africanism and a stark contrast to the previous state of affairs in Burkina Faso. His leadership embodies unquestionable patriotism, committed sovereignty, and a clear vision for the future. The emergence of Captain Ibrahim Traoré and a similar style of leadership in the Sahel has reignited confidence in Pan-Africanism and inspired the youth throughout Africa. This beacon of hope has triggered aspirations among citizens across the continent regarding how their countries should be governed. Indeed, due to his unwavering commitment and patriotism, Captain Ibrahim Traoré has become a star, an inspiration, and a champion of anti-imperialism, posing a genuine threat to imperialism in Africa.

Latin America’s Long Fight Against The US For Sovereignty

“An American team will win the next soccer World Cup,” a Nicaraguan boy once told me. It took me a second to realize he meant Brazil or Argentina, not the United States. Greg Grandin’s new book shows that “America” (or, in Spanish, América) was the name used for the whole hemisphere by the late 17th century. In the 18th, the great liberator Simón Bolívar set out his vision of “our America”: a New World free of colonies, made up of distinct republics living in mutual respect. He even cautiously welcomed the newly declared Monroe Doctrine as a rejection of European imperialism. Bolívar died without realizing his dream of a Pan-American international order but, Grandin argues, his ideals live on in Latin America today.

Washington Is Worried About Burkina Faso’s Young Revolutionary Leader

Burkina Faso’s Ibrahim Traoré is remaking his nation, and in the process, making enemies in the West. Since taking power in 2022, the young military leader has expelled French troops, ejected Western corporations, and aligned his country with Russia, Cuba, and Venezuela. Promoting pan-African unity and national self-reliance while surviving coup attempts, Traoré is positioning himself as a radical anti-imperialist and has drawn fire from Washington and Paris. MintPress News explores the project underway in Ouagadougou and the global forces trying to stop it.

Planting Seeds Of Sovereignty: Lessons From The Sahel And Beyond

As the U.S. doubles down on tariffs and trade wars, African nations—particularly in the Sahel—find themselves at a critical juncture. The West calls its protectionism “economic security” and “national interest.” But when African states make similar moves to assert control over their land, labor, and futures, they are labeled authoritarian, unstable, or dangerous. Sovereignty for the West is lauded. Sovereignty for the South is a threat. The truth is that protectionism has always been political. From Alexander Hamilton’s “infant industry” policies in the U.S. to South Korea’s strategic shielding of domestic industries in the 1960s and 1970s, protectionism has never been about fairness.

Congolese Activists Decry US-Congo Mineral Deal

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), a country endowed with some of the world’s most coveted minerals, continues to be at the heart of global geopolitical interests. And this time, the stakes are higher. As M23 rebels continue to gain ground in the eastern provinces of the DRC, the embattled government of President Felix Tshisekedi, facing rising unpopularity and legitimacy questions, appears to be inching closer to a controversial deal with the United States: security assistance in exchange for strategic mineral access. The details of the deal, timelines, and key points have yet to be announced, but officials from the Trump administration have told the press that negotiations continue.

Can The Global South Get Out Of The US-Dominated Financial System?

Is it possible to create systems of trade, finance, and funding outside the US-dominated system? Is the BRICS bloc able to build the necessary alternatives to challenge this system? Economists, academics, and political leaders participating in the IV Dilemmas of Humanity Conference in São Paulo tackled this pressing question that today the nations of the Global South confront. Nations, who find that their plans for poverty alleviation, economic sovereignty, and trade with their neighbors, are held back by restrictions imposed by the United States and their debt commitments, for which they need a reserve of dollars.

Haiti And The Global Movement For Reparations

Since November 11th travel to and from Haiti has become difficult. A shooting at the capital’s airport triggered an immediate ban by the US government on all US flights. Our border with the Dominican Republic has been closed for over a year. International travel from Port-au-Prince involves either a 6-7 hour bus ride to Cape Haitian or a 40-minute helicopter shuttle that can run up to 2,500 US dollars. From there a local airline flies to Miami – at a significantly increased ticket price. The country is facing an extraordinary situation. The capital (and some provinces) are under siege by heavily armed paramilitary forces. They are responsible for an untold number of killings, kidnapping, rapes, acts of arson and pillage.

Our Future Is Not Determined By The US Or Europe

“Debating the resources of the Global South is becoming urgent, but it is even more urgent to discuss how it is that most of the resources for the production of technology and goods are from the Global South and yet it is the North that takes all the wealth,” Cassia Bechara began her presentation, adding: ”in 2024 the wealth of the world’s richest millionaires was the greatest in history.” Although the speakers focused on the Global South in their presentations, they expressed different views on the same topic, as in the case of Márcio Pochmann, President of the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE).

International Conference On Perspectives For Building Sovereign, Socialist Economic Policies

Renowned economists, sociologists, and movement leaders from Mexico, Russia, Benin, China, Brazil, Sri Lanka, Argentina, and more, will come together in São Paulo, Brazil from April 7-11 to participate in the IV International Dilemmas of Humanity Conference: Perspectives for Social Transformation. The conference is being organized by the Landless Rural Workers’ Movement (MST), the Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research, and the International Peoples’ Assembly (IPA). It follows the III International Dilemmas of Humanity Conference which was held in Johannesburg, South Africa in October 2023.

Panama’s Shift Toward Militarization Raises Sovereignty Concerns

Panama City, Panama — Recent developments in Panama's security policies indicate a departure from its longstanding commitment to demilitarization, raising concerns about national sovereignty and renewed U.S. military influence in the region.​ Since the disbandment of its military in 1990, following the U.S. invasion to depose General Manuel Noriega, Panama has maintained a policy of demilitarization. This stance is enshrined in Article 310 of the Panamanian Constitution, which explicitly states:​ "La República de Panamá no tendrá ejército" ("The Republic of Panama shall not have an army").​

Will Pakistan Remain A US Proxy Or Become A Regional Partner?

Pakistan is one of the largest countries in South Asia. Ever since its formation in 1947, it has been politically dominated by a coalition of landed and military elites who rule over millions of impoverished citizens mainly by force. Attempts to break this dominance and establish a truly popular government independent of the military establishment have mostly failed. Meanwhile, the ruling classes in Pakistan have been unable to industrialize and democratize the state. Their deep dependence on rent and the interests of the imperialists are in complete opposition to the popular aspirations and sentiments of the people.

Sahel Alliance Unveils New Flag; Moves Toward Greater Integration

The Alliance of Sahel States (AES), that includes Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, has taken another decisive step toward regional integration following its recent withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). On February 22, the new flag was unveiled and symbolizes the bloc’s growing autonomy as it seeks to redefine its political, economic, and security structures outside the influence of French imperialism and Western neoliberal frameworks. The new flag showcases the AES logo: an orange sun radiating over a sturdy baobab tree. Beneath the tree, a group of silhouetted figures gathers, symbolizing unity.

Speak, Claudia!

Lago de Chapala, Mexico—Watching that procession of hapless European supplicants passing through the Oval Office this week, my mind wandered briefly and came back with an imaginary scene I found pleasurable and instructive all at once: What if Claudia Sheinbaum went to see President Trump right after Andrzej Duda, the ineffectual Polish president, Emmanuel Macron, the ineffectual French president, and Keir Starmer, the hopelessly ineffectual British prime minister? What a kick. The spirited, self-possessed Mexican president, who took office but five months ago, would have put on full display—I am sure of this—the dynamism of an emergent generation of non–Western leaders right next to three exemplars of the wilting, wandering West.

Daniel Noboa Asks For Foreign Troops To Enter Ecuador

On February 19, the Communication Secretariat of the Presidency stated that the government of the right-wing Daniel Noboa “proposes, temporarily and in the context of the war declared against narcoterrorism, the incorporation of special forces from allied countries to support and strengthen the actions of the Armed Forces and the National Police. In this sense, President Noboa ordered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to…make the approaches to coordinate efforts and establish cooperation agreements for this purpose.”

Trump Or Not, Africa Must Take Charge Of Its Future

For decades, Africa’s relationship with the US has been shaped largely by foreign aid, security partnerships, and economic ties that have fostered dependence rather than mutual benefit. Now, under Trump’s “renewed” leadership, this dynamic is being called into question, especially as his policies begin to impact critical sectors such as health, education, and security, causing unease across the continent. On January 20, Trump announced a 90-day freeze on USAID funding, halting essential services and sparking outrage across the world.

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Keep independent media alive. 

Due to the attacks on our fiscal sponsor, we were unable to raise funds online for nearly two years.  As the bills pile up, your help is needed now to cover the monthly costs of operating Popular Resistance.

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