Correa, Chavez, and Morales to Radicalize Revolution

[magbana]

"Correa, Chávez and Morales to Radicalize Revolution

QUITO – Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa, flanked by his Venezuelan and Bolivian counterparts, Hugo Chávez and Evo Morales, respectively, on Sunday commemorated the 187th anniversary of the Battle Pichincha, whereby Ecuador assured its independence, and said that he will take even more radical measures to implement his “citizen’s revolution.”

Correa also reiterated his commitment to Latin American integration.

During the speech he gave at the Templo de la Patria, a huge historical museum built on the slopes of the Pichincha volcano, which rises above Quito, Correa said that Ecuadorians were celebrating “two liberating births,” the first one of which threw off Spanish colonial domination in 1822 and the second of which occurred this past April 26.

The second “birth” he referred to were the general elections in which he was returned to office for another four-year term, a fact that, he said, shows the public’s support for his “citizen’s revolution.”

He said that the Ecuadorian people have opted for “profound, rapid and peaceful revolution,” and he promised to “radicalize and deepen” that revolution “now, not tomorrow.”

“We will radicalize the citizen’s revolution, continuing with the policy of openness to all countries of the world, within a framework of mutual respect, seeking Latin American integration, to continue building this Great Fatherland of which Jose Marti spoke,” Correa said.

He emphasized the visits of Chávez and Morales, the latter of which was unscheduled, to attend the independence day ceremonies, and he paraphrased Latin American liberator Simon Bolivar, saying that “the unity of our peoples is not simply a chimera of men, but the inexorable decree of destiny.”

He said he had been meeting since Saturday with Chávez and reviewing bilateral projects, and he emphasized the advances the two countries had made jointly in the energy sector, noting in particular the project to exchange Ecuadorian crude for Venezuelan petroleum derivatives, an effort he said had saved Quito $252 million over the past two years, as well as the petrochemical complex construction project in Manabi.

He and Chávez both criticized capitalism and insisted that the international financial crisis was the fault of neoliberalism.

It is expected that both Chávez and Morales will return to their countries later on Sunday.
"
http://www.laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=335569&CategoryId=14919

[Judi Lynn]

1. Socialist South American presidents meet in Quito

Socialist South American presidents meet in Quito
Published: Monday 25 May 2009 07:08 UTC
Last updated: Monday 25 May 2009 07:25 UTC

The presidents of Ecuador, Bolivia and Venezuela have held a series of meetings in the Ecuadorian capital Quito. The three socialist presidents Rafael Correa, Evo, Morales and Hugo Chávez were in Quito to commemorate the Battle of Pichincha, which heralded the end of Spanish colonisation 183 years ago.

In a speech, Ecuadorian President Correa said that in spite of the victory in 1822, Latin America still did not have real democracy. He announced a socialist revolution and further radicalisation of Ecuador, following the example of Presidents Chávez and Morales. He also made a proposal to UNASUR, the South American cooperation organisation, on behalf of all three presidents to set up a commission to protect governments from the press.

The Ecudorian president described the press in Ecuador as a corrupt instrument of an oligarchy and as an enemy of change.

http://www.radionetherlands.nl/news/international/6312935/Socialist-South-American-presidents-meet-in-Quito

[Peace Patriot]

3. "...a commission to protect governments from the press."! We need that here!

But to understand it, we need to supply the adjectives he left out: "...a commission to protect LEFTIST (MAJORITYIST) governments from the CORPO/FASCIST 'news' monopolies."

South Americans--especially in these three countries--have done their homework, and the difficult civic work, on honest, transparent elections. We have yet to do that. The corpo/fascist 'news' monopolies is our other basic problem, which really cannot be addressed until we have restored transparent elections. But in these and some other South American countries, democracy is now strong enough to address the monopolization of the media by global corporate predator interests. This can be dealt with by means of "fairness doctrine" laws and anti-monopoly laws, and Correa is right that it is best dealt with collectively, by some general policies of UNASUR that each country can work on implementing. Collective people power is needed to defeat the power of these monster transnational entities. We have seen what happens here when journalists, under pressure from their bosses, lose all objectivity--horrible unjust war, massive looting of the public coffers, torture and other lawlessness. They write false narratives to make us believe that other Americans are stupid sheep, something I have never believed, and the false narratives are confirmed by the rightwing, corpo/fascist-controlled voting machines that were installed here during the 2002 to 2004 period. But we have seen the power and evil of the corpo/fascist press also in the demonization of elected leftists in South America--these three presidents in particular. The corpo/fascist press hides behind the First Amendment and twists it 180 to justify lies and propaganda. They claim that a TV station that participates in a violent fascist coup attempt, or one that tolerates calling for the murder of an elected president, is "free speech," and that an elected government that disallows such use of the public airwaves is "authoritarian." That is ridiculous. But that is what the corporate propaganda machine asserts. Truly elected, popular presidents in South America must operate under this handicap of the corporate media controlling the national dialogue, and even participating in fascist coups.

[Judi Lynn]

2. Bolivian president joins Venezuelan counterpart in visit to Ecuador

Bolivian president joins Venezuelan counterpart in visit to Ecuador
2009-05-25 10:46:09

QUITO, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Bolivian President Evo Morales arrived here on Sunday to meet with his Ecuadorian and Venezuelan counterparts, Rafael Correa and Hugo Chavez.

The three presidents will discuss issues on the Union of South American Nations (Unasur) at a private lunch.

Ahead of their meeting, the three presidents took part in ceremonies marking the Battle of Pichincha of May 24, 1822, in which Ecuador won its independence from Spain.

They also visited the National Temple and the tomb of the independence hero Antonio Jose de Sucre.

Ecuador and Venezuela signed agreements on Sunday to cooperate in energy, mining, tourism, agriculture and finance.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-05/25/content_11430841.htm