Articles
Saturday, October 12, 2024
Chile is a very rich country but the people see little of the wealth. It has enormous natural resources, including huge reserves of copper and lithium, both essential for the transition to clean energy. The future is bright – but for whom? Politically the right is making gains and this favours capital over the ordinary workers in Chile.
Tuesday, May 21, 2024
In a familiar pattern the new Argentinian President Javier Milei came to power as a self-proclaimed anti-establishment figure, but in practice his policies benefit private enterprise and attack workers rights. His rise was helped by failed "centrist" policies. The question now is whether there will be effective opposition by the Argentinian people to his disastrous policies.
Monday, September 25, 2023
As we remember the 50th anniversary of the coup in Chile it stands as a concrete example which exposes the myth that Britain and the US stand for democracy. Both actively subverted the democratically elected Popular Unity government and sponsored the brutal coup which lead to the torture, disappearance, imprisonment and murder of so many Chileans. Popular Unity instituted many reforms and had many great achievements, despite facing huge odds with the United States imposing sanctions and supporting the fascist right within the country. Eventually the US decided that it would sponsor the overthrow of the government to crush social progress as an example to others.
Friday, September 22, 2023
It is 40 years since the united States invaded Grenada with overwhelming force to overthrow the socialist New Jewel movement government. The progressive policies of the NJM and the independent course being pursued by the Grenadian government made it a target as the US sought to extinguish another socialist threat in the Caribbean. It would not tolerate another Cuba.
Monday, September 18, 2023
50 years on from the coup against Salvador Allende's Popular Unity government new research has exposed the role of British governments in undermining Chilean democracy which started even before Allende came to power. Along with the United States it played its part in destablising the country, paving the way for the coup.
Thursday, May 18, 2023
Yemen has been at war for eight years since the previous government was overthrown and Saudi Arabia intervened militarily to try to re-impose the former President. This received the backing of the West, which has provided arms. The United Arab Emirates is also fighting for control of the south of the country. Despite a partial truce the war is likely to go on, increasing the terrible suffering of the Yemeni people. A peaceful, decolonised Yemen could look very different and we can help bring that about by campaigning for an end to Britain providing arms to the aggressors in the conflict.
Wednesday, May 17, 2023
The first so-called Pink Tide of progressive governments was rolled back by external pressure from the United States and reactionary forces on the continent. That is with the exception of Venezuela which continued to survived. Now here is a second wave of leftist governments, but what has been learned from the experiences of the recent past about control of natural resources, the power of the media and the armed forces?
Tuesday, May 16, 2023
Despite the success of the left in elections to the commission to write a new constitution for Chile, replacing the old Pinochet era one, it was roundly rejected by voters. There are many reasons for this and lessons to be learnt. The establishment ran a well-funded, massive media campaign against it, often misrepresenting what it said. Campaigning by the left was weak. The draft itself appealed to a wide variety of social interests, but was not so strong on redressing economic inequality. The danger is, that with the left demoralised, politics in Chile will move to the right.