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Originally published in En Marcha (08/07/2019)

Translated by Red Phoenix staff.

A few days ago, Lenín Moreno called on youth to follow the example of child labor; then he apologized saying he’d been misunderstood. But did he say it in “good faith” and was it misunderstood?

CHILD LABOR: For months, Moreno, in agreement with US imperialism, applies neoliberal policies in order to get crumbs in exchange for unemployment and poverty for the peoples of Ecuador. That same government that today wants to normalize child labor as an example of entrepreneurship is the one with a debt of more than 1 billion dollars in education.

“Necessity demands it. That is why they see that in Guayaquil a 5-year-old kid has already bought a cola, and plastic cups, and is selling in a gas corner or put on a grill to roast bananas or yucas. That is the essence of Ecuadorians,” Moreno said, in a tone very similar to the vision of Nebot and his monument to the shoeshine boy, or Trump regarding the children of migrants. Nothing new under capitalism.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP: This ode to emulation seeks to dump, on the shoulders of workers and youth, the onus to generate our own sources of employment and income. In that same event, Moreno said that as “there is no place in the State,” he calls for young people to seek entrepreneurship. That is, from November of last year until the end of 2019 the government set out to lay off 180,000 public servants, he dismisses our parents and we in response must “undertake” to survive. What utter nonsense!

UNEMPLOYMENT: The government advisor, Santiago Cuesta, announced almost 2,000 new layoffs, saying “it is beneficial for Ecuadorians, because the party is over.” A few days ago, health workers mobilized against possible mass layoffs, and teachers, represented by the UNE have denounced a similar scheme by the Ministry of Education.

All this seeks to establish favorable conditions for accentuating labor exploitation, and loss of rights; and the main victim will be youth.

See Moreno’s statement at: https://youtu.be/L2yWgTzBFr8

Categories: U.S. News