Kennedy received by President Betancourt of Venezuela December 16, 1961, as part of his tour of Latin America and the launch of the Alliance for ProgressOn 13 March 1961, aimed at diplomats from South America and members of Congress, President Kennedy, in line with its rhetoric, proposed a plan to ten years for Latin America:
"......we propose to complete the revolution of the Americas, to build a hemisphere where all men can hope for a suitable standard of living and all can live out their lives in dignity and in freedom. To achieve this goal political freedom must accompany material progress...Let us once again transform the American Continent into a vast crucible of revolutionary ideas and efforts, a tribute to the power of the creative energies of free men and women, an example to all the world that liberty and progress walk hand in hand. Let us once again awaken our American revolution until it guides the struggles of people everywhere-not with an imperialism of force or fear but the rule of courage and freedom and hope for the future of man."
The tool of this political vision is the Alliance for Progress, which he had drawn the outlines in his inaugural address, January 20, 1961:
“I have called on all the people of the hemisphere to join in a new Alliance for Progress – alianza para el Progreso – a vast cooperative effort, unparalleled in magnitude and nobility of purpose, to satisfy the basic needs of the American people for homes, work and land, health and schools – techo, trabajo y tierra, salud y escuela.”
In this speech, Kennedy reaffirms the commitment of the United States to participate in the defense of any nation whose independence would be threatened and promises to increase food assistance programs and economic support for countries.
“I have called on all the people of the hemisphere to join in a new Alliance for Progress – alianza para el Progreso – a vast cooperative effort, unparalleled in magnitude and nobility of purpose, to satisfy the basic needs of the American people for homes, work and land, health and schools – techo, trabajo y tierra, salud y escuela.”
In this speech, Kennedy reaffirms the commitment of the United States to participate in the defense of any nation whose independence would be threatened and promises to increase food assistance programs and economic support for countries.