Ecuador Fights for Survival – Against its Elites
Weekend Edition July 3-5, 2015
"US and Local Elites United Against Ecuador"
Ecuador Fights for Survival Against its Elites
by ANDRE VLTCHEK
To overlook tremendous progress that Ecuador registered under the current administration, would take great determination and discipline. New airports, highways, hospitals and culture centers are everywhere, and they are impressive. Cities are counting with wide sidewalks, and public parks are equipped with all sorts of playgrounds for children, some extremely innovative.
There are public libraries in some of the parks, armed with free Wi-Fi zones. Buses and trolleybuses are running on dedicated lanes and are heavily subsidized (25 cents per ride), while Quito is planning to build its first line of metro.
Government puts great emphasis on health, education and culture.
You want to check your pulse before a powerwalk in the park, or are you a single mother who wants to talk to a nutritionist? Help is always there, available. Not only at the hospitals, but in small, modern health centers. And help is always free!
While, when I used to live in this part of the world some two decades ago, most theatres were out of reach for indigenous people, now cultural institutions, including the National Theatre, are celebrating great culture of the original owners of this land. 85% of all cultural events in Ecuador are free of charge and even those that are charging some entry fee are heavily subsidized.
More:
http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/07/03/ecuador-fights-for-survival-against-its-elites/