UN General Assembly
2012

of Caribbean States, and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States are also home-grown manifestations of our peoples’ desire to forge linkages and partnerships with our regional brothers and sisters. The strength and genuine cohesion of those growing regional integration initiatives is built on a solid foundation of shared experiences and values, which deserve the support of the United Nations. The members of OECS and CARICOM are bastions of good governance, democracy and the rule of law, and we share those experiences and aspirations with our South and Central American sister States, which have also established unshakeable foundations of democracy and good governance after fitful periods of political unrest and foreign interference in the past. The upcoming 7 October presidential election in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is but one example of the manner in which that country and the region continue to institutionalize popular, participatory democratic systems that reflect and respect the will of the people. As we strengthen relations with our immediate neighbours, we remain deeply committed to our historical ties and traditional friendships. The bonds