Last week, violence rocked Quito. Dozens of police and several journalists were injured. Correa blasted opposition elements trying to destabilize Ecuador.
“I’ve never seen them so violent, so aggressive,” he said. “Those who used violence will be punished with the full vigor of the law.”
Ecuarunari (movement of Ecuadorian indigenous people of Kichwa nationality) leader Carlos Perez was videotaped encouraging violence. Attacks on police followed.
Conaie indigenous leader Jorge Herrera called on National Assembly members to reject constitutional amendments being considered – including scrapping presidential term limits, letting Correa run again in 2017. Perez demands he resign.
He publicly urged insurrection, saying “I call on the military (and) police (to) rebel. You cannot blindly follow an illegitimate act. You cannot do this. If I go to prison for saying this, I welcome this.”
Correa enjoys strong popular support. He blasted both opposition figures for their disruptive actions.
He said opposition groups turned to violence because their general strike called last week failed. It drew little support.
Ruling PAIS Alliance party Secretary-General Doris Soliz said “(t)he Ecuadorian people turned their backs on this strike. There was no strike.”
This is very important to point out, for there to be a strike that means that you need to shut down factories, halt economic activities, but there was not a single strike in any factory in the country. Workers, business owners, people in the transportation sector, economic sectors did not go on strike.Political analyst Isabel Ramos said opposition forces “want to show their political strength through violence, not through popular support, not through organization, not through legitimate forms of social protest. Social protest is profoundly democratic. But what is going on here is what actions they are taking and what interests are at play.”
Expect no letup in US-orchestrated anti-Correa violence and destabilization any time soon.
It remains to be seen what opposition forces plan next. Right-wing extremism doesn’t back down easily.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro expressed solidarity with Correa and Brazilian leader Dilma Rousseff – her country wracked by what analyst Joao Feres calls right-wing media orchestrated protests.
Her supporters call demands she step down a coup plot. Washington’s dirty hands may be involved. Feres believes protests will fade. Support for reconciliation and dialogue are strong, he said.
Maduro denounced “US imperialism (and national) oligarchies.” He accused them of “sabotaging” left and center-left governments throughout Latin America.
He praised Correa as an “undefeated leader” – victorious in three presidential elections. He denounced indigenous leaders “bought by NGOs” to appear Ecuadorians “are against Correa.”
He said Brazil’s far right “has not stopped conspiring against Dilma.” He ordered Venezuela’s border with Colombia closed in response to paramilitary violence – at least for 72 hours, maybe longer.
He acted after paramilitaries from Colombia ambushed and injured three Venezuelan soldiers in Tachira state.
“It’s outrageous,” he said. “Everyone should show solidarity with the armed forces, the military personnel who are at the border to defend the homeland.”
“Enough of paramilitary terrorism! It’s time for justice for Tachira.” Its local government expressed support for border closure.
Maduro has called on Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos to cooperate in cracking down on cross-border crime.
He warned about numerous paramilitary groups operating in Venezuela – vowing to deal with them harshly saying “(w)e will capture all paramilitary groups who want to hurt Venezuela.”
Washington’s dirty hands are involved in all Latin American violent and destabilizing activities – part of US policy aiming to establish client states throughout the region.
Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.
His new book as editor and contributor is titled “Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III.”
http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html
Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.
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Copyright © Stephen Lendman, Global Research, 2015
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