Intellectuals from the Global South close the 8th School of Critical Thinking
Ministry of People's Power for Culture
Published at: 01/05/2026 06:12 PM
The 8th edition of the “Juan José Bautista” School of Decolonial Critical Political Thought was closed, bringing together leading intellectuals from the Global South, as a fundamental meeting space for critical reflection, at the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies (CELARG).
Under the slogan “Decolonizing History”, the activity was aimed at researchers, students, social activists and the general public interested in decolonial studies, taking place from April 27 to 30.
In this regard, the Minister of Popular Power for Culture, Raúl Cazal, said that “this eighth edition of the Juan José Bautista Decolonial School of Critical Thinking is a good time for the battle of thought and ideas.”
“The hegemonic media dehumanize us and generate a single, uniform line of thought, where freedom of expression does not exist, and is an expression of liberal thinking. However, with the Juan José Bautista School, critical thinking and the decolonization of history are discussed, debated,” he said.
He stressed the importance of recognizing the diversity of perspectives in the construction of knowledge. “In Latin America there is thinking with new ways of seeing the world and of understanding that not everything is linear, that not everything is in one way, that rather we have multiple ways of seeing realities. Multiple and varied ways of thinking,” he said.
Cazal highlighted the value of debate and the battle of ideas as fundamental tools to avoid giving rest to the enemy. “Let us not be bothered by the debate. We don't have to give a rest to capitalism, to its hegemony, to its media, to its networks. We don't have to be afraid of him. Rather, we have to face it because we have contributions to knowledge.”
During the conference, topics such as the decolonization of colonial historical narratives, Eurocentrism, dominant capitalist stories and liberating perspectives from Latin America and the Caribbean were addressed.
The “Juan José Bautista” School of Decolonial Critical Thinking is consolidated as a reference in the region, focused on the decolonization of history.
This meeting joins other initiatives promoted by CELARG, such as the José Carlos Mariátegui Research Encouragement Program 2026, aimed at strengthening studies in decolonial thinking and interculturality in Our America.