Americas Social Forum (ASF) Asuncion, Paraguay Aug 11 – 15

August 19, 2010

The most recent Americas Social Forum (ASF) took place in Asuncion, Paraguay August 11-15, 2010. Compared to some of the more massive (and chaotic) Social Forums of the previous decade, this version was a more intimate gathering of many of the key social forces from around our hemisphere. This event took place against a backdrop of uncertainty facing Paraguay and its social democratic President Fernando Lugo. Some feel that Paraguay may be next in line for a Honduras-style coup to return power to the oligarchy, a situation which may have been compounded by Lugo’s recent diagnosis of lymphoma cancer. However Lugo got out of his hospital bed in Sao Paulo on August 14 and flew back to Asuncion in time to give a stirring speech that same afternoon to Social Forum participants that had packed a downtown gymnasium to hear him. This Social Forum also featured a colourful 8 kilometer march from one side of the capital city to city hall on the other, as well as dozens of self-generated workshops held mostly in tents set up for the purpose.