[Marxism] Argentina: An election of dire consecquences...

[Carlos Petroni]

This is the most importante election in Argentina this year,
even though it is taking place in a very scarcely populated
province.

Following what is happening there, will give you a kind of
a clear picture of the intrinsicacies of Argentinean politics
and our American comrades will give them something to
think about instead of their annual obsession with the
Democrats.

First, some background:
The date of the elections: Sunday, October 29, Tomorrow...

The place: Province of Misiones, where the Iguazu Falls are
(for those of you familiar with them and for those who
aren't, they are beautiful and deserve to be visited.) and the
border province with Paraguay and Brasil, near de place where
Bush bought 100.000 acres of land and close to where the
American troops has a garrison (in Paraguayan soil).

It is also in the border both the Homeland Security and the
DEA have their eyes on.

Small province in terms of population. Maybe even marginal.

But became the most important election in Argentina this
year... why?

Because this is an election for a Constituent Assembly to
modify the Province's Constitution and allow the governor to
get re-elected as many times he wishes, among other
undemocratic measures.

There are two electoral fronts disputing the open seats. One is
organized by the present governor, Rovira, an ally of President
Kirchner and supported by Peronists and dissident UCR
members. The name? Front of the "Concordia" (would you
translate it as "good will?"

The opposition unified all the opposition bourgeois parties:
UCR, ARI, provincial outfits, Macri/PRO, dissident Peronists,
CTA (a union central), the right wing Blumberg, etc but, but,
but... is headed by the
CATHOLIC CHURCH in the form of the Bishop Pina
(conveniently given the retirement days before
the election). He is heading the list of candidates, issued an
homilie calling for a vote for his front and struck an agreement
with the Evangelist Church to agitate in churches around the
state for a vote for the FUD (United Front of Dignity).

Supporters of the last military dictatorship can be found in both
fronts. In fact, the man in charge of the elections is one of them
and a supporter of Governor Rovira and Kirchner.

The conduct of both bourgeois fronts can only be described as
dangerous for democracy and scandalous:

Rovira-Kirchner inundated the province with goods, money,
wine and fake documents to win the election.

They even put a former employee of the military dictatorship
in charge of the elections.  They resorted to violence and
intimidation.

The opposition front violated every norm of the electoral law
by priests and pastors breaking the period of political
abstinence to deliver sermons in churches calling for a vote
for their own front.

They resorted to pressure those attending religious services
and made the election a question of "christianity.

More info about this can be found here:

http://www.izquierda.info/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2237

Now, how the left reacted to this opportunity? Did they 
dennounce the church for what it is and the government for
liquidating democracy?

Let's see:

- Communist Party: they have ballot access. They joined the
clerical FUD front

- Revolutionary Communist Party (PCR): they have the legalit
through a different name they use when participating in
elections: PTP (partido del Trabajo y el Pueblo). Nowhere to
be found. Did nothing, presented no candidates and essentially
capitulated to the Governor Rovira.


The other left groups acted as if these elections did not exist.


Of course, all the bourgeois press in Argentina, Brasil, Paraguay and even some in the US and Europe are talking about this election as it is the first time the Catholic Church is uniting everybody in a political front on one side, and the government is playing the card of the re-election, something it wants in every province and at the national level.




Article on how the left acted around this election, here:

http://www.izquierda.info/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2254

As you can see, it is not only the American left that screw up
during election times.






 
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