During this week, in addition to the statement of solidarity issued by Via Campesina South America, the Latin American Coordination of Rural Organizations CLOC – Via Campesina has also issued a strong statement of solidarity with the Ecuadorian people, while rejecting the neo-liberalism being imposed upon the country by the International Monetary Fund.

Here is the full statement:

As the Latin American Coordination of Rural Organizations CLOC-Vía Campesina, we are aware that imperialism continues to rage against the peoples of the world and particularly against our America. We reject the International Monetary Fund measures applied by the government of President Lenin Moreno in Ecuador, which subjugates the poorest populations and particularly the original peoples.

The uprising of the Ecuadorian people to defend the social demands inherited by the citizen revolution is a sign of the rejection of the neoliberal policies applied by the current government. The government package is a form of submission to imperial policies and a form of surrender of Ecuadorian sovereignty.

Faced with these events, we stand in solidarity with the Ecuadorian people who have been on national strike since October 2, when the implementation of economic measures by President Lenin Moreno was announced.

We condemn the repressive actions implemented by the government, which highlight the violation of the human rights of our brothers and sisters who have joined the national strike.

We strongly appeal to the authorities to respect the right of the people to demonstrate freely.

We urge the different Social Movements of the countryside and the city of the brotherly people of Ecuador to strengthen the struggle and stand firm in order to free their country from the clutches of imperialism.

And from the CLOC-Vía Campesina we accompany from each of our territories the social mobilizations of this brother people.

Let us globalize the Struggle. Let us globalize Hope.

Managua, Nicaragua 10 de octubre 2019

Later in the week, at the ongoing negotiations for a Legally Binding International Treaty on Transnational Corporations, Moisés Borges, peasant representative from La Via Campesina, also echoed this message and brought everyone’s attention to the neoliberal push by IMF.

Here is what he said:

“The fight for “human rights first” in the process towards the binding treaty faces challenges in which “back door” commercial and investments treaties, as well as financial agreements with International Financial Institutions (IFI)s, are imposed against the peoples. Most recently, there is the example of the Ecuadorian people fighting against the impacts of the IMF/Ecuador agreement recently signed and whose immediate beneficiaries are some TransNational Corporations. This fight is the fight for the primacy of Human Rights over trade and investment agreement.

The primacy of human rights implies the obligation of states and of the international community not to do harm towards the holder of the rights. Moreover, this also implies the obligation of the state and rights holder to demand accountability against TNCs. International economic and financial entities, including the IMF, shall not become party in the imposition of odious agreement towards the peoples, as it has been in the last decades and as it is currently happening.

This session should take utmost responsibility, and to take action to hold international financial organization accountable by human rights norms. This session shall demand UN member states to accept and demand for a strong implementation of the primacy of human rights.”

16 October also marks the International Day of Action for Peoples’ Food Sovereignty and against Transnational Corporations and Via Campesina has called for action by organised social movements, unions, universities, the media and people’s governments that prioritise their peoples, during this week.

Cover Image: France 24