Re: [Marxism] Wayward Allies:President Rafael Correa and the Ecuadorean Left

[Greg McDonald <sabocat59@xxxxxxx>]

Mr. Denvir has written an accurate portrayal of the conflict between  
Correa and the Ecuadorean left.  I would disagree with a few of the  
points, however. He dismisses Correa's anti-corruption campaign, for  
example. The move to seek transparency at all levels of government  
and business is an extremely popular move on Correa's part. Some  
might even call it a mandate. Historically speaking, Ecuador has had  
one of the most corrupt and servile oligarchies in the Americas  
running the show for quite some time, and establishing a more open  
and honest government is no small task. Getting rich people and  
businesses to pay taxes is a huge step forward, as is the move to  
take over businesses which have violated the law. He has also purged  
the military of CIA spies, (no small task) and has promised not to  
renew the lease for the US base in Manta.

On the other hand, if Correa allows the multinationals in the mining  
and oil sectors to continue what amounts to a process of internal  
colonialism in the amazon, he will have another rebellion on his  
hands and the CONAIE and the urban-based mestizo left will run him  
out of the country, just like they have so  many other presidents in  
the last 15 years.

And if it does not come to that, Alberto Acosta is arguably the  
second most popular public figure in the country at the moment, and  
has close ties to ecological groups and to the CONAIE. An Acosta- 
Macas ticket  (or the reverse) sometime in the future would offer the  
people a more organic expression of the Ecuadorean left.

Greg McDonald

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