Ask people in Quito, Ecuador about the struggle of Greek nation again EU usurpers and greedy banks. Chances are they will know at least something. Educated people know a lot. I asked, and I was impressed by detailed answers, by awareness.
I also asked, quite recently, in Athens; what is known there about our Latin American revolutions, and about the terrible suffering of people; suffering that is clear a result of devastating actions of pro-Western elites in Venezuela, Ecuador, Brazil, Bolivia, even in Argentina and Chile. These ‘elites’ are trying to derail “the Process”, on behalf of Western governments and multinationals. They are doing exactly what their predecessors had done in Chile, in 1973, before the coup against socialist President Salvador Allende: spreading right-wing propaganda, creating shortages, and preparing for military coup.
In Athens, I detected absolute bewilderment, ignorance and disinterest. Whenever I began talking about Latin America, the topic was quickly changed.
Greece is white, it is European, and therefore the eyes of entire Western “progressive” world are now directed towards Athens: will its government dare to default, would Greece leave euro-zone and eventually the European Union? As if the answer to this question could change the world; as if Athens is where the fate of humanity will be decided.
Ecuador is predominantly indigenous, and therefore, inhabited by ‘un-people’, to borrow from George Orwell’s colorful terminology. Battered by its own, mainly Euro-centric and pale-skinned ‘elites’ who are enjoying extremely close links with both EU and the United States, Ecuador and its determinedly left-wing government can count very little on international solidarity, especially on the camaraderie from ‘so-called progressive’ forces in the West.
It is not the only one: China, South Africa, Venezuela, Iran and other countries all over the world have been addressed and treated in the most despicable, patronizing, and even racist way by so-called left wing individuals and groups in the West.
The Left got thoroughly defunct in both Europe and in North America. But it continues to be distressingly self-righteous, self-indulged, bossy and arrogant. It does not govern and does not inspire almost anybody, anymore. But it is behaving as if it would be holding some mysterious right to judge and advice others: those who do fight, those who do inspire and those who do govern! It is evident that it wants none-Western socialist and communist governments and movements, those that are now proudly governing all over the world, to go straight to hell!
It is because even the Left in Europe and US is constructed on Christian and Euro-centric mindset, with exceptionalism and supremacist sentiments at its core.
Unable to lead, and most likely unwilling to govern, too lethargic and intellectually spent, most of Western ‘progressive’ thinkers are constantly regurgitating lunatic economic and political theories that no one in other parts of the world, especially the poor world, would ever take seriously, let alone want to implement.
Most of them hide behind ‘anarchism’. Any left-wing leader who gets to govern in Asia, Latin America or Africa, is put under insane and thoroughly detailed scrutiny, and criticized as “undemocratic”, “dogmatic” or worse.
Many Chinese comrades I spoke to in Beijing already completely gave up on the Western Left; they see it, mainly, as the extremely reactionary force (ideologically), which is backstabbing real opposition to Western imperialism.
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And so, while Greece votes on its financial future, Ecuador is facing one of the most vicious subversions in its history. It is facing it alone. It appears that everyone from none-Latin American left who matters is now in Athens, and as far as I know, there are no solidarity ‘delegates’ descending on Quito!
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My priority now is Ecuador. My priority is Latin America. This is where I see great battle for the future of humanity taking place. Here and in Asia. Definitely not in Europe!
Latin American governments here are not perfect. But they are doing all they can, after decades and centuries of plunder, after Europe, the United States, in unison with local elites and multinational companies, were pillaging and raping everything “south of the border”.
I described it all in my latest 800-page book: “Exposing Lies of the Empire”. I demonstrated how the Empire is destabilizing country after country. Ecuador may be next.
Corruption could not be eradicated in one year, or in one decade. Things can improve, greatly, in one decade or even in one year, but horror structures built during long centuries of European and North American colonialism and neo-colonialism could not be fully reversed in a short period of time. ‘The Process’ has to be in place for many years, and it has to flow uninterrupted.
Yes, we are not perfect, but we are trying to get better as we go forward. And yes, Latin America is moving forward! We are trying, stumbling and falling, passing through fire, filth, conspiracies and intrigues. It is moving forward, damn it! As others like Russia, China, South Africa and Iran are!
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Ecuadorian elites are protesting and they are sabotaging everything great that was done by Correa and his administration.
Many of my friends and comrades in Ecuador believe that the coup may happen at any moment, most likely after Pope Francis will end his visit to South America.
Not one word is uttered about great progress; new highways and airports, modern hospitals and schools, medical posts, countless playgrounds for children, free culture, libraries… Right wing in Ecuador owns most of mass media – television stations and newspapers. But not much positive is written about Ecuador by Western ‘progressive’ media outlets, either.
Of course, Western left-wing elite is not writing much good about China, Vietnam, Eritrea, South Africa, Zimbabwe or Iran, either. To Western left wing “purists”, all these countries are actually “not good enough”, not socialist enough, because they don’t follow some socialist or communist path approved by the West. China, Russia and even Ecuador also see democracy extremely differently then European and North American Left. Therefore, they can count of very little support.
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Greece should default. That fortress, fascist European Union, should not get away with bullying it.
But Greece should fight for internationalist, global ideals, not just for its own gain.
When things were going well, when money was flowing in, when Greek farmers were enjoying driving the latest models of German cars on their newly built smooth motorways, Greek people were content. They were not asking where the money was coming from. Of course money came mainly from plundering of none-Western world, of exploiting those ‘non-people’. That was fine, wasn’t it?
Even now, even recently, many Greeks were complaining bitterly about illegal immigration from Africa! I was told outrageous things that I previously associated with German neo-Nazis. Don’t those writers who are now writing their flattering essays, glorifying Greek nation, know that? Or they pretend not to see and hear?
There is so much open racism in all over Greece! And there is so little solidarity with the rest of the world.
Greece is fighting for its own goals. It’s incomes dropped, from 1.400 to 800 euros a month, per capita, in many cases. Terrible, but in many African nations where money to support Greek farmers often came from in the past (EU was busy finishing African agriculture, making it dependent on its own food production), incomes are sitting at around 30 euros per month. I tried to address these issues in Athens, but encountered stone faces and total bewilderment, even hostility. I was told: “But we are used to different standards! We are not some Africans. We are Europeans!”
And therefore I repeat: what is happening in Greece is not some left wing, internationalist revolution.
Greeks are fighting for Greece. And Latin America is fighting for humanity! It never exploited anybody. It sends doctors, teachers, all over the world. It sends oil to the poor, even in the United States. It supplied unfortunate countries like East Timor with instructors. It offers solidarity to Palestine, Iran, and to so many others!
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If Ecuador will get under direct fire, I will go back, and I will stand by its people, doing all that I could to support it. The revolution may survive, or it may not. It will be extremely tough fight with uncertain outcome. Many people will die.
As many wrote: Greece will survive. “It is, after all, in Europe”. Even when it is down, it is, somehow, up. It will not disappear; will not get raped. There will be no tanks sent to the streets again, to murder its people.
We, “down here”, may not get another chance. The Empire will try to smash all resistance in Latin America, in what it considers to be its own backyard. Then if we fall, entire non-Western world may be forced to return to square zero!
But everyone is now in Athens!
Andre Vltchek is philosopher, novelist, filmmaker and investigative journalist, he’s a creator of Vltchek’s World an a dedicated Twitter user, especially for the online magazine “New Eastern Outlook”.