From the 16th until the 19th of July a nation-wide strike took place in Ecuador for five days in a row. The strike, which was called out by multiple organizations among them workers unions and indigenous and peasant organizations, was aimed against the politics of current president Lenin Moreno. Ecuador is going through an economic, political and social crisis and the people of Ecuador where having no more of it.
This crisis is mostly being caused by US-imperialism, which is imposing a series of reforms in Ecuador through the IMF and the World Bank. The effects of these reforms, such as the mass firing of workers from the health sector, the budget cuts in the health and education sectors and the rise of fuel and electricity prices are felt throughout Ecuadorian society.
Adding to all of that a deal has been struck between the Ecuadorian state and the US-imperialists to build a military base in the Galapagos islands, which will not only cause irreparable ecological damage, but also intensify US-surveillance and control in South America.
Support and participation was rampant across the country. Around 40 important streets were closed off in all the regions of the country. As the days passed more people took part in the protests and street blockades, in one instance even blocking the international bridge Rumichacha that connects Ecuador with Colombia.
One protester said that he sees this five day strike as just the beginning of what is to come.
This national strike is the latest in a series of national strikes that have hit Latin America, where we want to emphasize the recent one in Brazil. This and also the mass protests and journals, which have also taken place lately, shows the dire situation Imperialism, especially Yankee-Imperialism, is in. Their attempts to strentghen their grip in Latin America, something which they can only do by increasing the oppression and exploitation of the masses, is facing the anger and strength of the people they seek to subjugate.
The wide participation during the 5 days of protest and the nationwide mobilisation shows that the people know they have nothing more to lose, but their chains. Their views on the strike being just the beginning, shows just that. The way Yankee-Imperialism is meddling with Ecuador shows the Ecuadorian people clearly, that the only way to free themselves is by smashing the imperialists oppression and exploitation and its lackeys destroying their country. Ecuador will only become free through a New Democratic Revolution that will pave the Ecuadorian people's way towards Communism.
