We are publishing an unofficial translation of an article by the comrades of El Pueblo from Chile.
Our collaborators have sent us photos of graffiti and posters that have appeared in recent days in various rural areas of the Ñuble region, with slogans such as "seasonal workers to fight" and "land for those who work it". This uproar is taking place in the middle of the main harvest season in the fields of the region, where various mobilisations are taking place.
This season, seasonal workers' wages have dropped by an average of 12.5% compared to the previous season. This is exacerbated by cumulative inflation until November 2022, which corresponds to a further 12.5 % increase in prices. In other words, the real wages of seasonal workers have fallen by almost 25 % as the cost of living has risen at the same time as the wage cuts.
In addition, there is a critical situation for small fruit growers whose harvests have failed due to the bad weather conditions. Meanwhile, the large enterprises are able to continue thanks to government support and the technical and financial resources they need to overcome these adversities.
Thus, once again, the big landowners concentrate more and more wealth with their super-profits at the expense of exploitation, while the peasants and seasonal workers are overwhelmed by the crisis.
The situation in this region and in the whole centre of the country is therefore explosive, as was shown in November during the cherry strike in Melipilla and other municipalities.
The graffiti and posters that have appeared in Ñuble reflect the fact that the rural poor are expanding their organisation and preparing to fight for their rights, against the latifundia and for agrarian revolution.
