Marxist-Leninist Communist Party of Ecuador: Let us commit ourselves to the new fatherland and socialism

En Marcha, Central Organ of the Marxist-Leninist Communist Party of Ecuador
#1440, April 15, 2009

Editorial: Let us commit ourselves to the new fatherland and socialism

At the close of the electoral campaign, everything leads us to conclude that on April 26 the democratic, progressive and left-wing tendency will win a new political victory, the people will ratify their desire for change and will defend the gains won in the preceding months, particularly those established in the new Constitution.

This short campaign has been scene of ideological and political confrontation between the progressive and left-wing forces and those of the right-wing and opportunism. The latter, trying to reverse the current political process, have unsuccessfully tried to convince the people of the need to return to the neoliberal past and to vote for personalities who, directly and personally, are responsible for the disaster of the preceding years. Among these are Lucio Gutierrez, Alvaro Noboa, Carlos Gonzalez, Diego Ordoñez, Nicolas Lapenti and many other bourgeois politicians.

The right-wing, supported by their large mass media, has carried out a unified response that makes the government responsible for the economic crisis, for the increase in “insecurity of citizens”, for the supposed governmental ties with what they call narco-politics and also for its supposed interest in getting out of the dollarization [the U.S. dollar was made the official currency of Ecuador starting in 2000 – translator’s note]. The distortion, exaggeration and lies have been weapons which the bourgeoisie has traditionally resorted to in order to deceive the people and this occasion is no exception.

The sure victory that the democratic and left-wing tendency will win does not mean that our people will give a blank check, particularly to Rafael Correa and PAIS [party of President Correa – translator’s note]. The criticisms of the government coming from the ranks of the popular sectors are varied and in many cases harsh; Rafael Correa must recognize that he has taken some steps but he could not do everything possible in these two years and more; but mainly he must understand that in several aspects he has also made errors that must be rectified. Our people will give Correa a second chance, with the hope of advancing further, that the material needs of the workers and peoples are taken care of in a better way and that the privileges of the ruling classes are affected more forcefully.

The people are going to the ballot boxes with the experience of the Constituent Assembly, in which the weaknesses of some assembly members of PAIS have put the approval of important gains at risk. Were it not for the presence of the revolutionary left bloc (the bloc of the MPD), aspects such as free education at all levels, the continuation of the Peasants Social Security at the IESS [Ecuadorean Institute of Social Security – translator’s note] or the elimination of the intermediation and tertierization of labor would not have been approved. Therefore, to guarantee that the democratic constitutional rules are transformed into specific laws, to guarantee that change is maintained and advances to new levels, it is necessary that the representatives of the revolutionary left grouped in the Lists 15 of the MPD be represented in the National Assembly, in the municipal councils, the mayoralties and prefectures.

To vote for the Lists 15 of the MPD is a revolutionary action, it is to commit oneself to the new fatherland and socialism.