At the launch conference of the No Cold War international campaign opposing the US aggression against China, on the 25th July 2020, Carlos Ron, Venezuela’s Deputy Foreign Minister, spoke alongside many international speakers to explain why Venezuela supported the initiative.
Latin America has become a new epicentre of the global coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, as the death toll rapidly increases in countries with US-backed neoliberal governments. In particular, Brazil, Ecuador and Peru seem to be seriously mishandling the public health crisis.
The rapid spread of coronavirus in Ecuador is having a devastating impact.
According to the government’s official data Ecuador has 10,128 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 507 deaths, as of the 21st April. These figures are, however, widely considered to be a fabrication, with experts estimating that this official data amounts to less than 10% of pandemic’s actual casualties.
I interviewed Marcela Aguiñaga to discuss the unfolding coronavirus catastrophe in Ecuador. Aguiñaga is a member of the National Assembly in Ecuador and part of the Citizens’ Revolution – a political movement led by former Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa.
Brazil’s far-right leader Jair Bolsonaro is pushing Latin America’s largest nation to the brink of catastrophe. In a country of over 210 million people, Bolsonaro’s inaction and outright denial of the real threat that the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic presents is risking the premature and unnecessary death of hundreds of thousands of people. With the stakes so high, Bolsonaro is facing unprecedented opposition from millions of Brazilians as pressure builds for him to resign as president.
Le coronavirus se répand rapidement dans un certain nombre de pays d'Amérique latine, menaçant la vie de millions de personnes sur le continent. Dans cette situation de vie et de mort, les populations d'Amérique latine ont besoin de solidarité et d'assistance pour faire face à une crise qui a submergé les systèmes de santé de certaines des économies les plus riches et les plus avancées du monde.
La réponse des gouvernements d'Amérique latine a jusqu'à présent varié considérablement. Les pays dont les dirigeants sont orientés vers le socialisme ont adopté des mesures préventives strictes. En revanche, le président d'extrême droite du Brésil, Jair Bolsonaro, poursuit l'approche inverse, se joignant à Donald Trump pour minimiser totalement la crise et ne pas agir, ce qui risque de provoquer une catastrophe et des morts en masse dans un pays de 210 millions d'habitants.
El coronavirus se está propagando rápidamente en varios países de América Latina, lo que supone una amenaza para la vida de millones de personas en todo el continente. En esta situación de vida o muerte, la población de América Latina necesita solidaridad y asistencia para hacer frente a una crisis que ha desbordado los sistemas de salud de algunas de las economías más ricas y avanzadas del mundo.
La respuesta de los gobiernos de América Latina ha variado considerablemente hasta ahora. Los países con un liderazgo de orientación socialista han adoptado estrictas medidas preventivas. Por otra parte, el presidente de ultraderecha del Brasil, Jair Bolsonaro, está siguiendo el enfoque contrario, uniéndose a Donald Trump para restarle importancia a la crisis y no tomar medidas, lo que supone un riesgo de catástrofe y de muertes masivas en un país de 210 millones de personas.
The coronavirus is spreading rapidly in a number of countries in Latin America – posing a threat to the lives of millions of people across the continent. In this life and death situation the people of Latin America need solidarity and assistance to deal with a crisis that has overwhelmed the healthcare systems of some the world’s richest and most advanced economies in the world.
The response of governments in Latin America has so far varied considerably. Countries with a socialist oriented leadership have adopted strict preventative measures. On the other hand the ultra-right wing President of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, is pursuing the opposite approach, joining Donald Trump in totally downplaying the crisis and failing to take action, which risks catastrophe and mass deaths in a country of 210 million people.
Eyes on Latin America 