The new, yet old, Latin American left

By Angel E. Alvarez, PhD

TORONTO.-  XXI century socialism expanded with enormous vitality in Central and South America. The movement, led by Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez after the 2002 coup, is linked to the more traditional left—the Chilean Socialist Party, the Sandinista movement, the Workers Party of Brazil, the Uruguayan Broad Front and Peronista left. Despite their diversity, the members of the Forum of Sao Paulo, shared three elements: first of all, an anti-imperialist speech and the claim that Cuba is the heroic emblem of anti-Yankee resistance. Second, a strong anti-militarism justified by the infamous violations of human rights of socialist activists by military dictatorships in the seventies and eighthies, which in many cases, were openly supported by the US security agencies and the Department of State. Third, an emotionally motivated claim, vagely based on the Marxist-Leninist theory, which esencially portraits the poor as victims of a doublefold oppression—capitalist explotation and political clientelism, led by traditional politicians, who corruptly impossed neoliberal policies in the nineties. The leftist agenda receives a big boost from Caracas, which then translated into electoral success in a large number of countries in the region. The promise of social and political change through electoral means became a hope for the poorest in the region and for left worldwide.

Leftist hope has abruptly ripened and the initial illusion of democratically driven socialism has vanished. The poor remain poor and inequality in the region keeps growing –despite compensatory programs implemented in Brazil and the Venezuelan clientelistic social policies. Capitalism still is in moderately good shape in the region. Venezuela, the only country that attempted to replace capitalism by a tropical socialism that was inefficiently subsidized by a humongous oil income, is nowadays suffering devastating economic and social crises.

The traditional corruption (the private misappropriation of public funds) has not decreased and new forms of corruption have emerged. The most dangerous of all is the power of the organized crime, which not only permeates political institutions, but also the military, the police and the judiciary. Violence and insecurity are serious issues in almost all Latin American countries. In all of them, organized crime has been promoted and potentiated by impunity.

Cuba, the former emblem of anti -imperialism, has pragmatically and inelegantly negotiated its survival with its historical enemy that now has an eye on the existing business opportunities in a country stopped in time. Cuba is becoming a potential paradise for real estate and hospitality industries, and offers a well-educated, very poorly paid, working class lacking independent trade unions.

Leaders of XXI century socialism have died, lost power or curruntly are politically weaker. Rafael Correa, the least unfortunate of all, who has not significantly altered the economic model promoted by the neoliberal government that preceded him, continues facing a very fragmented opposition. Yet, the Ecuatorian president has lost popular support, especially among poor indigenous pleoples. Morales, who so far has not been embarrassed by corruption scandals, has lost the referendum on his reelection. He is still aimed at preserving the power, but his policies are certainly lossing the tailwind. Daniel Ortega is stripped of democratic disguise and has usurped legislative power in Nicaragua. The Brazilian democratic leftist icon, Lula Da Silva and his successor, the impeached Dilma Rousseff, are drowning in the swamp of traditional political corruption. The re-elected Chilean president, Michelle Bachelet, has a historically low-record of popularity. She is putting at risk, once again, the political success of the

Concertacion. Cristina Kirchner, heir to the leadership of her late husband, lost control of the executive and was replaced by Mauricio Macri— a representative of the business class—who appears to be at the far right of the Argentine policts. The precarious legacy of Chavez languishes in the inexperienced and autocratic hands of Nicolas Maduro, who has transformed the populist democracy of passionate majorities created by its predecessor into an increasingly militaristic and undisguised tyranny that virtually violates every single human right of Venezuelan people.

The region is far from finding its way toward social equity, rule of law, political freedom and economic progress. The socialism of the XXI century has been just one of the many broken promises created by irresponsive politicians. Latin America still has the potential to become a thriving market and a fair, integrated and inclusive society. The project of the new left aged rapidly. However, if other Latin American leaders learn from such a mountain of errors, perhaps the hope of progress and justice may soon be renewed.