Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Gaining More Ground
In The South
While Colombia stayed firmly in the grasp of neo-liberalism, things went the other way in Ecuador,where leftist Rafael Correa has a decisive victory in the recent run-off vote. He will reject a US trade pact and ally himself to a regional bloc with Venezuela and it's Mercosur partners. Exit poll surveys found "sharp differences in voting preferences depending on income." As for Ortega in Nicaragua, time will tell what alliances he may decide to pursue, but the people are demanding an increased role in governance and the social movements, with their long tradition, are building once again. Mexico is now a land divided. There is a strong opposition to the corrupt business elites which have taken power but it is a divided opposition when it comes to forms of struggle. One thing is certain, the poor, the marginalized and the indigenous faction is becoming better educated and better organized. In Venezuela it appears Hugo Chavez and the parties of the Bolivarian Revolution have a strong lead and a continued mandate to extend the gains made by the poorest sector in education, healthcare, and wealth re-distribution. This despite the underhanded tactics of a US funded opposition and the opposition from the radical Left.
Here in Montana, trade representatives from Korea and the US arrive next week to continue talks on Kor-US FTA , another trade agreement without protections for workers, the environment or citizen sovereignty. A large Korean alliance against the pact will be here to demonstrate and CAJA and others will join in solidarity. Capital incessantly extends it's reach and expands the enclosure. They want to own it all.
