Title: Socialism is alive and kicking in South America | Sounds and Colours
Headings: Socialism is alive and kicking in South America
Socialism is alive and kicking in South America
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Content: Chavez and Castro, being good political friends, signed a cooperation agreement in 2000, but Venezuela’s leader has definitely seen his position reinforced in South America after Evo Morales won the Bolivian elections in 2005 by absolute majority; the three leaders soon agreed on common policies and started working together to strengthen socialism in the continent. A smaller ‘brother’ to these countries is Ecuador. Not much was heard until in September, president Rafael Correa, another supporter of Socialism and his counterparts’ policies, accused some of his country’s armed forces of planning a coup d’état against his executive. Correa has been a controversial figure since being proclaimed president twice – one time calling early elections – with his major political target initially being to modify the Ecuadorian Constitution. All of these leaders have in common that not only do they have a socialist and catholic background – for which the creation of a bond between them was smooth and solid – but also their political impoliteness. Some argue that the positive side of the rise of this Marxist trend and such determined leaders is that these developing countries have confronted the States to claim profit for their national products, more specifically the nationalisation of their oil companies, the most valued of their natural resources. The negative side is the argument that goes on about the lack of freedom; the fact that in history, socialism has tended to prove itself impossible to last without becoming dictatorial and oppressive in some way. The reason why it is still successful in South America is possibly the result of several circumstances.