200,000 Homemakers to Join
Social Security in Ecuador by
2016
September 30, 2015 (TeleSUR English)
Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa delivered the closing remarks
at a three-day conference held in Quito on Wednesday in which
he gave a passionate speech advocating for a redistribution of the
country’s wealth.
Speaking at the conference, President Correa argued that in order
to eliminate economic inequalities, the country must introduce
policies aimed at redistributing the country’s wealth.
He also went on to defend the government-led inheritance tax
proposal which he stated would put an end to the “illegitimate
accumulation of wealth,” by the country’s economic elite.
During his speech, President Correa criticized the role of the
media in its attack against the tax proposal, which sparked violent
protests from sectors of the Ecuadorean elite earlier this year.
The Ecuadorean leader condemned Latin American media outlets
for what he described as “defending the commercial interests of
elites,” arguing that a genuine democratization of media begins
with diversifying the ownership of media.
“The Latin American press are some of the worst. They are only
subservient to the powers that be,” Correa said.
Media in Latin America have traditionally been consolidated into
the hands of a few wealthy families and large media conglomerates.
Over the last decade and a half, however, several governments
in the region, including Ecuador have introduced measures to
democratize media.
Under Ecuador’s new Organic Communications Law, media
ownership is divided into thirds: one third of the broadcast
spectrum to private media, one third to community based media,
and one third to public media.
Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa was speaking at the ELAP
summit in Quito, Ecuador, a gathering of representatives from
progressive governments and movements across Latin America,
including representatives from Venezuela, Ecuador, and El
Salvador.
Maduro: US Citizens Support
Venezuela, Hate Campaigns Failed
September 30, 2015 (TeleSUR English)
nezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said Wednesday that his
visit to the United States showed that U.S. citizens support Venezuela
and the “campaigns of hate” against the Latin American country have
failed.
“The campaigns of hate against the homeland of Bolivar and Chavez have
failed,” Maduro said after attending the 70th United Nations General
Assembly.
Maduro further praised the welcoming support he received during his stay
in New York City.
“North American citizens and other nationalities manifested their support
for Venezuela while we walked through the streets of New York,” he
said.
While in New York for the 70th session of the United Nations General
Assembly, Maduro met with leaders from the Black community in Harlem
on Monday, discussing various issues including police brutality and
structural racism.
During the the People of African Descent Leadership Summit, President
Maduro listened to a panel of activists and experts discuss the current socio-
economic challenges faced by Black communities in the United States.
In response, the Venezuelan leader expressed solidarity with the victims of
police brutality and discriminatory policing tactics.
“From South America, please believe me when I tell you, that we have
also suffered along with you against this old narrative of racism, which
continues to afflict our people,” Maduro stated.
During his speech, President Maduro highlighted the need to form
“a new radical consciousness of humanism” in efforts to combat racial
inequalities.
Leading up to the conference, President Maduro also took time to meet
with representatives from sectors of the U.S. labor movement
Evo Morales: War is the Most Lucrative
Business for Capitalism
September 25, 2015 (TeleSUR English)
Bolivian President Evo Morales delivered a speech on Friday
at the U.N. General Assembly calling on world leaders to
work together to provide more opportunities to economically
disadvantaged populations.
In efforts to achieve this, the Bolivian leader encouraged
countries to curb what he described as “unprecedented
military spending.”
“War is the most lucrative business for capitalism,” President
Morales said.
He also warned of ongoing efforts by wealthy countries to
“demonize and criminalize leaders of progressive governments
with anti-capitalist agendas.”
During his speech, Evo Morales criticized the current global
economic system, calling on the international community to
genuinely examine the root causes of poverty.
“If we get rid of the capitalist system, then we will get rid of
poverty,” Morales added.
In his address, President Morales also highlighted the importance
of nationalization polices as a strategy to provide governments with
greater economic sovereignty over its wealth and natural resources.
Since Morales came to power in 2005, the Bolivian government
has become the main wealth generator in the country, distributing
this funding through programs and social investments.
As a result, since 2006, social spending in the area of health,
education, pensions, and poverty alleviation programs has increased
over 45 percent.
