IV451 - August 2012

The arrogance of German chancellor Angela Merkel reflects the self confidence of the dominant elite. The Bundeswehr, the army of German imperialism, is ready to intervene at any point of the globe. In ten years, the annual income of the richest has increased by 50%. And despite some scandals, the poles of résistance remain very circumscribed (the anti-nuclear movement, opposition to the new railway station in Stuttgart, actions against the neo-Nazis, “Blockupy” in Frankfurt); nothing seems really capable of disturbing the game of trade union co-management and the alternation of the traditional parties in the management of governmental affairs.

Humans and nature are under attack. The endless growth model has pushed the planet to its limits. Governments are making people pay for the excesses of banks and transnational corporations through more and more severe austerity measures. There are now 1 billion people living in hunger. There are now climate migrants and refugees. Already, we are witnessing a war over who controls the remaining resources on the planet – land, water, forests, and, biodiversity. As the earth becomes hotter and the system continues to implode, things will only get worse. We need to act and act swiftly if we are to avoid this impending disaster. We need regain our momentum and defeat the system by targeting the source. We need to unify our different struggles if we want to succeed in our fight for our future.

Despite the majority vote in favour of the presidential candidacy of Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) and his advocacy of “real change”, the neoliberal oligarchic regime intends to maintain its form of political domination in Mexico by imposing Enrique Peña Nieto as President and denying the will of the people expressed in the recent elections as well as the political rights of Mexicans. If this outrage were not enough, the reinforced partnership between the PRI and the PAN prepares to impose “structural reforms” (concerning employment, health, energy and social security) which will deepen the exploitation of workers (removing labour rights, setting new taxes), and the dispossession and plundering of our natural resources (privatizing PEMEX and electricity) as well as increasing violence and insecurity with the militarisation and para-militarisation of the country through a new policy that aims to cede control of the armed forces to a designated Colombian general, a Yankee proconsul who speaks Spanish, who has been noted as corrupt, repressive and a member of the CIA.