JONATHAN NACK—The left of the electoral spectrum in Ecuador is occupied by parties which identify with some variant of socialist politics. It should be noted, however, that the larger parties that identify themselves as socialist have not sought to nationalize industries nor pushed policies to transition from a capitalist economy to a socialist dominated economic system. The Correistas did very little along those lines when they were in power. Only smaller socialist and communist Ecuadorian parties advocate moving now to further nationalize industry.
GLOBAL NEOLIBERALISM
-
-
Trump Asks Germany, Japan To Pay For Being Occupied
6 minutes readMOA—The German government under Chancellor Angela Merkel is already accused of being too deep inside the U.S. rear.Her party supported the war on Iraq and now joined the illegal regime change attempt in Venezuela. The public is way less pro-American than German politicians. It will be quite difficult for Merkel and others to justify additional billions for U.S. troops in Germany. They are neither needed nor wanted. (The only sound reason to keep the 30,000 U.S. troops in Germany is to prevent them from moving to Poland from where they could threaten the country.)
-
MARIA PAEZ VICTOR—The USA, Canada, the European Union, the OEA and the so-called Lima group of lackey right wing governments of the region, are attacking the very elections that last year they had clamored to take place. The Venezuelan laws prescribe that the elections were to take place in December 2018 but they wanted the elections last year. The government negotiated with the opposition in the Dominican Republic and an April 2018 date was agreed upon. The opposition asked for more time; the government again agreed and they settled on the 20 May 2018 date.
-
Donald Trump, or more commonly known as Potus, say’s he’s driving it. To a certain extent he is correct. While American media insists the low oil prices are just the natural cycle of the market at work, it’s rather convenient for U.S. foreign policy. Russia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Iran all have economies centered around state-owned oil companies and oil exports, and each of these countries has suffered the sting of low oil prices. During the George W. Bush administration, oil prices were the highest they had ever been. The destruction of Iraq, sanctions on Iran and Russia, strikes and turmoil in Nigeria — these events created a shortage on the international markets, driving prices up. And this is when America discovered their grip on the oil markets and manipulated it.
-
Which way forward for France’s “yellow vest” protests?
16 minutes readALEX LANTIER—Saturday’s massive crackdown was a searing lesson in the character of bourgeois democracy: as soon as there is any expression of genuine popular opposition, the guns come out. After riot police backed with military armored vehicles and water cannon kettled and assaulted peaceful protesters starting early in the day, violent clashes erupted in all France’s largest cities. A record 1,385 people were arrested.