On February 11, 13 and 14, 2020, the 53rd anniversary of the opening for signature of the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean (Treaty of Tlatelolco) was celebrated.
Official program of commemorative events for the 53rd anniversary of the Treaty of Tlatelolco. Source: General Directorate of Social Communication of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
1. Communiqué from the Member States of OPANAL on the 53rd anniversary of the Treaty of Tlatelolco
Within the framework of the celebrations, the OPANAL Member States issued a joint statement in which, in addition to highlighting that the Treaty of Tlatelolco established the first Nuclear Weapons Free Zone (ZLAN) in a densely populated area, they highlighted:
“…that Nuclear Weapon Free Zones promote regional and international peace and stability by prohibiting the possession, acquisition, development, testing, manufacturing, production, storage, deployment and use of nuclear weapons; and reaffirm the priority of complete, verifiable, irreversible and transparent nuclear disarmament, and reiterate that the only effective guarantee against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons is their total elimination” (operative paragraph 6)
The Member States of OPANAL, in addition to demonstrating their commitment to dialogue and cooperation between the Nuclear Weapon Free Zones, including Mongolia, for the holding of the IV Conference of the Parties and Signatories of the Treaties establishing Nuclear Weapon Free Zones and Mongolia, expressed their determination to work for and contribute to the success of the 24th Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, which will be held on April 27 and April 22 to May XNUMX, respectively.
Likewise, they highlighted:
“…its great concern about the prevailing international situation that is characterized by the growing threat of the use of nuclear weapons in a scenario of geopolitical tensions, armed conflicts and threats of terrorism, which happens in a context in which States with weapons still exist nuclear weapons, many of them on alert. In this sense, they demand the cessation, by the States possessing nuclear weapons, of qualitative improvements and modernization programs of their nuclear arsenals, of the development of new types of these weapons, and of the approach of new scenarios and procedures for the development of new types of weapons and their use, which is inconsistent with the spirit and objective of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.” (operative paragraph 14)
2. Radio program “The International Relations of Mexico” from the Matías Romero Institute
On February 11, 2020, the Secretary General of OPANAL, Ambassador Flávio Roberto Bonzanini, participated in the radio program “The International Relations of Mexico” (Radiofrecuencia 860 AM – Radio UNAM) in which he spoke with the General Director of the Matías Romero Institute, Alejandro Alday, about the history of the Treaty of Tlatelolco.
Both diplomats reflected on the international context that led to the need to adopt an international legal instrument, such as the Treaty of Tlatelolco, which set a precedent for other regions to follow the example of establishing Nuclear Weapons Free Zones in densely populated areas.
Regarding the current challenges, among which is the construction of a culture of peace, the General Director of the Matías Romero Institute mentioned that “It is necessary to remember the risk and devastating consequences that the use of nuclear weapons can have.”
For his part, the Secretary General of OPANAL commented that education for nuclear disarmament and the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons:
“These are elements that are very actively promoted in the organization through the annual courses that OPANAL has already implemented in four Latin American countries, the Summer School that is organized in conjunction with the Matías Romero Institute and the James Martin Center for Non-Proliferation, in addition to the Internship Program and the annual visits of university students to the OPANAL Headquarters.”
Regarding the elements necessary to advance disarmament policies at the international level and effectively, Ambassador Bonzanini noted that:
“Nuclear weapon states must eliminate the role of nuclear weapons from their security doctrines and policies. And non-nuclear weapon States that are under policies of extended nuclear deterrence through military alliances must seek alternative security policies, in accordance with the provisions of the Treaty of Nonproliferation. "It is in the interest of humanity's own survival that nuclear weapons are not used again, under any circumstances."
Source: Matías Romero Institute
3. Conversation “Relevance and validity of the Treaty of Tlatelolco, given the current challenges for nuclear disarmament”
On February 13, the Matías Romero Institute together with the Cuauhtémoc Mayor's Office and the Government of Mexico City held a discussion that focused on the following questions:
- What Can we learn from the success of the Treaty of Tlatelolco more than five decades after its signing?
- How can we mobilize new audiences to reduce or eliminate the threats of nuclear weapons?
- What kind of global responses are necessary and possible?
- What are the risks to humanity if we fail to continue the momentum created by Mexico in 1968?
The Secretary General of OPANAL Flavio Roberto Bonzanini, the Ambassador Emeritus of Mexico Sergio González Gálvez, Dr. Maria Cristina Rosas, President of the Center for Analysis and Research on Peace, Security and Development Olof Palme AC, Rafael Media Martínez, participated in the discussion. President of the Alfonso García Robles AC Diplomatic Foundation, Rachel Bronson, President from the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, and Alejandro Alday, General Director of the Matías Romero Institute.
From left to right, Alejandro Alday (General Director of the IMR), Ambassador Emeritus Sergio González Gálvez, Ambassador Flávio Roberto Bonzanini (General Secretary of OPANAL), Rachel Bronson (Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists), Dr. Maria Cristina Rosas (Analysis Center and Research on Peace, Security and Development Olof Palme) and Rafael Medina Martínez (Alfonso García Robles Diplomatic Foundation). Photography by OPANAL.
During his intervention, the Secretary General mentioned the four areas in which OPANAL contributes to facing current challenges in disarmament and non-proliferation. The first, the consensual manifestation of the regional position on disarmament and non-proliferation; the second, with the participation of OPANAL in international forums in which these issues are discussed; the third, with dialogue and cooperation with other Nuclear Weapon Free Zones, and finally, with education for disarmament and non-proliferation.
The Secretary General concluded his speech with the following message:
“Finally, I would like to reiterate that all 33 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean are Parties to the Treaty of Tlatelolco and, therefore, Members of OPANAL and participate in the regular sessions of its bodies. The Treaty of Tlatelolco continues to represent a space where, despite the specificities of each country, the States of the region speak out jointly and regularly with the same position on the issues that concern the Treaty and work, as a region, in this fundamental issue for the survival of humanity: the complete elimination of nuclear weapons."
The Secretary General of OPANAL in the conversation. Photography by OPANAL
4. Solemn event to commemorate the signing of the Treaty of Tlatelolco
On February 14, a solemn commemoration ceremony was held at the Ernesto Gómez Cruz Theater of the Tlatelolco Cultural Center.
The event was attended by Representatives of the Member States of OPANAL, members of the diplomatic corps, officials of the Mexican Foreign Ministry, as well as the Government of Mexico City, students and residents of the Tlatelolco housing unit.
During the opening of the commemorative event, there were speeches by the Secretary General of OPANAL, Ambassador Flávio Roberto Bonzanini; Master Néstor Núñez López, Mayor of Cuauhtémoc; Representative Jannete Guerrero Maya, president of the International Affairs Commission of the Congress of Mexico City; Representative Temístocles Villanueva Ramos, president of the Human Rights Commission of the Congress of Mexico City; Dr. Diana Alarcón González, coordinator of Advisors and International Affairs of Mexico City, and the Director General for the United Nations, Dr. Eduardo Jaramillo Navarrete.
Photograph of the Congress of Mexico City
In her speech, the Secretary General emphasized the current context, highlighting that:
“living in times as dangerous as today, when nuclear superpowers are modernizing their arsenals and have no will to sign or extend agreements that reduce their atomic arsenals, our region, being the pioneer in establishing a Nuclear Weapons Free Zone in a densely populated territory, has the mission of promoting peace and a world without nuclear weapons.”
Furthermore, he mentioned that:
“On this day [February 14] of the 53rd Anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Tlatelolco, I want us to remember that the only guarantee that nuclear weapons will not be used again is nuclear disarmament under effective international control, and therefore honor the contribution vital of our region to international peace and security.”
Once on the esplanade of the Plaza de las Tres Culturas, the official photograph was taken in front of the 33 flags of the Member States.
Ambassadors and Representatives of OPANAL Member States in the Plaza of the Three Cultures of Tlatelolco.
Minutes later, the President of the OPANAL Council, Ambassador Aníbal Cabral, read the statement from the OPANAL Member States on the 53rd anniversary of the Treaty of Tlatelolco.
In the presence of special guests and the residents of Tlatelolco, the mega sculpture “Amnesia Atomica” by artist Pedro Reyes was also inaugurated in the Plaza de las Tres Culturas, which also featured a presentation by the dance company. Nohbords, original music of the group Victoria and costumes by Carla Fernández.
Likewise, on February 15 and 16, the residents of Tlatelolco were able to enjoy film shows about the danger posed by nuclear weapons, which took place in the Theater with different functions throughout the day, as well as a performance by the group musical and dance company.
