Gabriel Boric, president of Chile. File photo.
By Hedelberto López Blanch – Aug 29, 2024
Every day it becomes increasingly evident that some individuals who have risen to power in Latin America under the guise of promoting leftist ideals are, in fact, disguising their true intentions. They are infiltrating the political landscape to serve the interests of the United States which is trying to maintain its political and economic control over the region.
The most recent case is that of Chilean President Gabriel Boric, who was supported by a large part of the population, especially students. He triumphed in the 2021 elections under the auspices of progressive ideas, as opposed to his ultra-right opponent, José Antonio Kast.
In 2018, Boric founded Convergencia Social, one of the parties that constitute the governing coalition, Frente Amplio. He played a role in achieving a constitutional referendum in October 2020, after the violent repression of student protests by then-President Sebastián Piñera.
Since his inauguration as president in March 2022, Boric has increasingly aligned himself with US positions in the region, especially in his stance against progressive governments.
In mid-2023, he attacked Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, calling him a “dictator” and accusing him of repressing his people. At the same time, he called on the Organization of American States (OAS) to impose sanctions against Managua.
Boric’s eulogy for the right-wing former president Sebastián Piñera, following his death in an accident in February 2024, was truly shameful.
In a speech before the National Congress, he stated, “We bid farewell to a politician who, with his convictions and ideas, served his country with love, and worked tenaciously to see it grow and progress. This makes me state that Sebastián Piñera was a man who always put Chile first, who never let himself be carried away by fanaticism or rancor. All of us in politics should take note of these virtues.”
After public transport fares were increased in 2019, Piñera ordered police to suppress demonstrations, resulting in 45 young people killed, hundreds injured, and thousands of detainees who suffered humiliation and rape in Chilean prisons. The carabineros [Chilean police], in addition to firing tear gas, fired pellet guns at the faces of the protestors, causing 545 people to lose sight in one or both eyes.
Communist Party of Chile Dissociates From Boric, Recognizes Election Results in Venezuela
Following the US policy aimed at eliminating the example of sovereignty that Venezuela represents for the region, Boric openly attacked Caracas, emphasizing that “the Supreme Court has just confirmed this fraud [presidential election]. Maduro’s regime obviously welcomes the ruling, which will be marked by disgrace. There is no doubt that we are facing a dictatorship that falsifies elections and represses those who think differently. The dictatorship in Venezuela is not the left. A profoundly democratic continental left that respects human rights, regardless of who violates them, is both possible and necessary.”
While Venezuela provides opportunities to its citizens and broadens its social programs, Chile, with an extensive list of human rights violations, joins Washington and the OAS in attempts to overthrow the Venezuelan government.
Another example that cannot be overlooked is that of Ecuador’s Lenin Moreno. He came to power under the guise of being a loyal member of the Alianza País party, claiming that he would work for the welfare of his people, as his predecessor, Rafael Correa, had done. However, his position changed after winning the elections in 2017.
His relations with the United States became evident immediately. They were strengthened in 2019 with visits to Quito by Thomas Shannon, former Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs; David Hale, former Deputy Secretary for Political Affairs; Mike Pence, former Vice President; and Mike Pompeo, former Secretary of State. In February 2020, Moreno traveled to Washington, where he was received with full honors by Donald Trump, with whom he signed several agreements.
In his almost four years of misrule, he left Ecuador in a deplorable economic, social, and health crisis. This was coupled with institutionalized corruption, high poverty and unemployment rates, and a huge debt incurred with the International Monetary Fund. The damage done to the progressive forces in the region was incalculable.
In view of these examples, it remains to be seen if other governments that have recently come to power with a progressive image will follow the paths of Boric or Moreno, turning their backs on their constituents and undermining the cause of Latin American integration.
As José Martí expressed, “A minute on your feet is worth more than a life on your knees.”
(Resumen LatinoAmericano English) with additional translation by Orinoco Tribune
Hedelberto Lopez Blanch
Hedelberto López Blanch, born and currently living in Havana, Cuba, is a journalist and a doctoral candidate in Communication Sciences at the University of Havana. He currently writes a weekly column on international economic affairs for Opciones, a weekly publication of Juventud Rebelde (one of the three national newspapers in Cuba).
