Movements and Social Activists from Argentina and Brazil to the People of Ecuador

March 21, 2017

We would like to stress that April 2nd, the day of the presidential runoff in Ecuador, is a crucial moment for the people of Ecuador and all of Latin America.  Activists and popular movements from Argentina and Brazil have signed a manifesto which sets out briefly the social impacts that are taking place in their countries with the implementation of neoliberal policies to proclaim; “Do not choose a representative of the financial right!”.

“Dear people of the Ecuador do not fall into the trap of choosing the right wing candidate, which has already announced that it will join other governments of the continental right such as Peru, Colombia, Brazil and Argentina, to help rebuild the hegemony of the capitalist order and its neoliberal policies against the people of the region,” the document says.

Among the movements from Brazil who signed the document are: the Landless Peasant Movement (MST), la Vía Campesina, the Central of Workers (CTB), the Unique Central Workers (CUT), the World March of Women, The National Coordination of Black Entities, the Popular Upraise of Youth. And from Argentina are; the Central  Workers of Argentina (CTA), The Association of State Workers  (ATE Capital), The Movement of  Unemployed Metalworkers, The National Peasant Indigenous Movement, (MNCI) – Via Campesina, the Popular Movement Patria Grande, along with others.

The following is the complete text of the document:

People of Ecuador: Do not choose a representative of the far right.

April 2, will be a crucial moment for the people of the Ecuador and all Latin America. 

That day your presidential runoff will have the candidate of Alianza Pais, Lenin Moreno, on one side and on the other, Guillermo Lasso, the representative of national and international financial capital who leads his own movement. Despite his smooth talk Lasso is very similar to the other rightist leaders on the continent. Lasso is in fact from the same mold and that is why they firmly support him.

We are conscious of the differences that exist in our countries, but we want to reflect on what we are currently experiencing in the two major nations of the Southern Cone.

The example of Argentina.

Little more than one year ago, Argentina lived a similar moment. On November 22, 2015, by a very small margin (2.7%) the candidate Mauricio Macri won the popular vote. He is a wealthy businessman who has engaged in acts of corruption and illicit enrichment during the new era of neoliberalism.

The policies of his Government have left no doubt that he rules only for the rich. Water, electricity and gas rates rose immediately. In the first months of 2016 the cost of the “Tarifazo” (a group of measures created to increase public services, transportation, etc. and were subsidized by the previous government) were raised between 100% and 400%. And at the beginning of 2017 it was increased again. The price of transportation doubled a year ago and they now threaten to increase it another 60%.

Their argument for the increase that hit the population is that it necessary to lower public spending, but meanwhile taxes on the rich have been exonerated including forgiving the debts and transfers on business enterprises owned by Macri’s family and friends.

All of this is what you can expect from an entrepreneur politician who was already involved in acts of corruption with public funds and hides his personal riches in off shore tax havens.

The case of Brazil

In Brazil it was basically the same process. Using the method of institutional coup they overthrew the legitimate President on the pretext of combating corruption. In just nine months the new Government has exacerbated the economic crisis with poverty now reaching the historical mark of 15% of the population, and they froze social security benefits for twenty years.  The coup government of Temer has now closed the Ministry of Agrarian Development and ended the agrarian reform program paving the way for handing over to transnational corporations the country’s agriculture and natural resources.

Corruption is much greater now, nine ministers have been implicated and another 250 right wing politicians are accused by the same companies.

The bourgeoisie, the rich, always make dishonest campaign speeches as a maneuver to return to power by any means necessary to resume their accumulation of wealth at the expense of the people.

General Elections in Ecuador

 Dear people of the Ecuador do not fall into the trap of choosing another hard right politician who has already announced that he will join other governments of the continental right, such as Peru, Colombia, Brazil and Argentina, to rebuild the hegemony of the capitalist order and its neoliberal policies against the people.

If a political defeat happens there will be a period of regrets and for this political error you will pay with your sweat and greater levels of exploitation.

We must always be critics and confront Governments as a way of maintaining democracy and seeking to improve the lives of the people.

The people of Ecuador still have time to stop this radical candidate of neoliberalism and the rich. We encourage you to utilize the voting booth to impede the return to power of financial capital.

From Argentina and Brazil, know we are with you.

A big embrace.

For a complete list of signers and text in Spanish go to:

http://www.movimientos.org/es/content/movimientos-y-luchadores-sociales-de-argentina-y-brasil-al-pueblo-del-ecuador

Source: Movimientos.org, translated by Resumen Latinoamericano, North American Bureau

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