LATIN AMERICA Day of action against the debt JULY 15-18 this year saw an important meeting of trade unionists from Latin America and the Caribbean to plan out a campaign against the foreign debt. The meeting took place in Havana, Cuba and was attended by 197 trade union organisations from 29 countries in the region. Among the many speakers was Fidel Castro.
Delegates to the conference pledged themselves to fight for 'cancellation, a moratorium and the immediate suspension of all payments or the indefinite adjournment of the foreign debt, including interest; for the establishment of a new international economic order and for Latin American and Caribbean unity; for full integration of Latin America and the Caribbean in the interests of full development and independence of our countries' (from Granma, weekly French language summary, Havana,July 28, 1985). The meeting also decided to organise an international day of action against the foreign debt for October 23.
We publish below a joint statement drawn up by representatives of sections of the Fourth International in Latin America and the Caribbean with regard to this initiative.
DOCUMENT satisfying the basic necessities of all the exploited and oppressed. Such a new economic order will orient toward economic exchange among the countries of the so-called Third World. A new economic order would use the enormous resources of Latin America and the Caribbean for our own development and not, as has been the case thus far, for the further enrichment of the imperialists, who finance their economic development with resources from the dependent and exploited countries. Latin America will never recover these resources.
- Given this situation, we make a fervent appeal to all workers all peasants, popular forces, revolutionary parties, and democratic organizations to actively and combatively participate in the activities against payment of the foreign debt, October 23, by organizing assemblies, rallies, marches, protests, work stoppages, etc. Following the example of the Latin American Trade Union Conference, we call on the trade union federations to continue these sort of meetings, creating greater possibilities to seek common initiatives and actions by the workers and peasants of Latin America and the Caribbean. Against hunger and misery. We will not pay the debt. This is the only way there will be a future for us and our children! No to payment of the foreign debt! Against austerity policies! For defense of democratic rights! Assure the success of the continent-wide protest October 23. Revolutionary Workers Party (PRT), Peru; Revolutionary Workers Party (PRT), Mexico; Revolutionary Marxist Organization - Socialist Democracy (ORM-DS), Brazil; Revolutionary Workers Movement (MRT), Ecuador; Revolutionary Workers Party (Unified) (POR[U]), Bolivia; Socialist Revolution Group (GRS), GuadeloupeMartinique; Revolutionary Socialist Party (PRS), Colombia; Socialist Workers Party (PST), Uruguay; Revolutionary Socialist Party (PSR), Chile. International Viewpoint 28 October 1985
The representatives of trade unions and popular organizations from our countries met in Havana, Cuba, in July 1985 to discuss the extremely serious problems that payment of the foreign debt is causing our peoples. Among other things, this conference decided to declare October 23 as the Continent-wide Day of Refusal to Pay the Foreign Debt and as a day of action against the International Monetary Fund's criminal policy toward our peoples.
Given the importance of this, the Latin American and Caribbean organizations operating in the framework of the Fourth International declare:
- The offensive by the imperialist banks and governments against our peoples to force payment of the foreign debt has resulted in even harsher implementation of austerity plans, rising prices, cutbacks in budgets for programs that benefit the people, massive layoffs of workers, wage freezes, removal of peasants from the land, and the inevitable policy of repression to destroy any popular protests and the organizations that sponsor them.
- Imperialism's policy has been endorsed by the governments of our countries, or at best, they have taken 26 only timid measures that, far from responding to the needs of the people they claim to represent, place them shamelessly and against national interests on the side of those who want to fill the imperialist coffers at the expense of our sacrifice. This is done not only for their own selfish interests, but also to lash the people and to destabilize those governments, such as our sister Nicaragua, that dare to choose an honorable and sovereign path, placing the national wealth in the hands of the great majority that needs it.
- Because of its size, the debt cannot be paid. Because it is an instrument of exploitation, it should not be paid. The native ruling classes, bound to imperialism's interests, cannot adopt a firm, independent position toward it.
Contrary to the servile path taken by the governments and bourgeoisies, Latin American trade unionists and peasants resolved to take the struggle against payment of the foreign debt into their own hands. Moreover, they have taken on the struggle, without quarter, for a new international economic order that will end imperialism's exploitation of dependent countries such as ours and will orient toward