Argentina: Deepening the campaign against debt repayment. Proposals and debates
By: Sergio Garcia - leader of the MST and member of the National Committee of the FIT Unit. With the arrival of the IMF two demonstrations that were very different but both were made against the Fund summoned. The march to Congress (CTA, sectors of the CGT and social movements and parties ruling) It was to support the government's negotiations with the IMF, He proposed paying the debt without even investigating anything of it. And the march and ceremony at Plaza de Mayo headed from the FIT Unit was against the IMF, payment of debt and the policy of the government to carry out a new release that involves more fit. That was our call and said so all the speakers in the square; Myriam Bregman, Cele Fierro, Pitrola and Giordano.
There are two logically inconsistent policies and our work was focused on the days leading to invite independent pole strengthen the organized left in the FIT-U rose in Plaza de Mayo. Something that finally was achieved partly; mobilization was important, the act very politically correct, all media had to mention their existence and were part of the same references and some sectors not being of the FIT-U decided join.
The latter, It could have been even higher if we knew a bold and aggressive policy from the FIT-U to try to attract other sectors towards a correct policy on this issue. Looking ahead to the campaign against the payment of the debt we owe to deepen good draw conclusions and think all alternatives to achieve and continue postulating our front.
Some political debates
Understandably debates and different looks arise between the left parties in general and among the parties that make up the FIT-U. It is to these debates and looking positively that they serve to improve our policies and intervention and not to be a debate end.
The first is to reaffirm the central policy that we all share, disseminate and express and over which we have full agreement: We are by breaking with the IMF, for non-payment of external debt and the denunciation of the law that the government presented and voted in Congress with the macrismo. We are against the implementation of the law, all the ongoing adjustment plan and call to mobilize in the streets to face.
From this important agreement will give some debates. Socialist Left insists it is wrong to talk about debt investigate because it was investigated and then say Olmos needs to be investigated diverts. It's not like that. There are new and large parts of debt, for example contracted macrismo, nobody investigated and the government will pay, and also the forces of the regime cajonean deep and serious investigations Olmos. Hence it insists on the need for a full investigation, including the debt of the macrismo and that starts to take the complaint Olmos is still very useful to develop a policy. Far from diverting nothing is paid an angle and strengthens the policy of non payment.
It is also a proposal to unmask the government just four months said it was a fraud had to be investigated and now pays ago. If the investigation skip the truth, that the absconded, it is illegal to be punished those who took that debt and not to pay. That serves the proposition to investigate, which it is not the center, but it can be used in combination to further develop the arguments of our campaign. To deny this, IS denies having a specific policy and simultaneously denies the story itself stream which comes, who tried all kinds of tactics and slogans to boost the mobilization against debt (1). Although they say continue to uphold that legacy act on this issue completely contrary to the same, and a wrong vision tying only one setpoint and discarding other correct.
Another debate is around the slogan "Suspension of payment and research" raising space "Autoconvocados against debt", of which several of its organizations participated in the rally in Plaza de Mayo marching with the flag. There are leftist organizations, as the New MAS, who believe that the slogan is wrong because it is the same as the government says. Unfortunately fellow PTS will yield to this unreal and sectarian reasoning of the New MAS, when in his article to share with the NMAS say that: "If we change the word suspension grace period we will realize that, for all practical purposes, the result is the same: get a while to collect the dollars to pay, exactly what you want Fernández " (2).
For us "Suspension of payment and research" It is a combination of slogans is not at all the same as the policy of the government, He posed in his law restructure and pay changing payment terms without investigating anything, and nowhere he proposes to suspend all payments and investigate. We also consider a bad way to tell if a slogan is correct or not outside the political moment in which the poses. For example "Suspension and investigation" was the call to an event at the door of the Congress on the front of everyone and the macrismo voted a law to pay uninvestigated, was an event is against the policy of the government, nor he was in favor, nor it was similar, nor the result is the same, quite wrongly as the NMAS says.
Unilaterally suspend payments, investigate and audit all debt is opposed to the policy of the government always he says that his will is to pay, or suspend any payments or investigate. Why there is no political problem in saying we are for the immediate suspension of all payments to the IMF and to the bondholders and debt research. Especially since we do well under our central policy that is non-payment of debt and break with the IMF. And it's a policy that allows seeking to expand the mobilization through unity of action, something that is essential to defeat the policy of the government. Unless someone believes can defeat the policy of paying debt, to the IMF and the government without a broad mobilization. If you do not try this way falls in propagandistic positions, just sit position but do not make every effort to defeat the policy of the government and the Fund should be the focus of our intervention.
We therefore believe it is right to be able to use in combination rather than as other slogans axis pointing in the direction of nonpayment, if they allow mobilization or to promote unity of action activities with those raised suspension and investigation, and that unity of action we explain and spread our policy fund is not paid, ie we play and we put our policy of the FIT-U. There is no contradiction or wrong about that and if we see wrong criticism unable to participate, as we did from the MST, an open radio or another initiative arising under this minimum agreement, On the base, logically, they are independent actions of the government. Some parties of the FIT-U oppose this and have the right not want to be part of actions and, it seems wrong. In the same way that the MST has the right to participate and develop our policy there all we need.
As part of deploying our policy and dispute with other sectors, It is good to balance that make the organizations involved in this space autoconvocado. For example one day before the marches 12/2, They published a text where correctly said: "From this Autoconvocatoria also we reject the new law, called "restoration of debt sustainability". Truly, is a blank check to the executive branch authorizing him to negotiate the terms of payment of a debt whose legitimacy and legality Muches parlamentaries even questioned before but voted equal voting ...! Authorizes also taking on more debt, ceding sovereignty to foreign courts again. ¡Delivery Just! The law says is "Priority interest of the country" restore debt sustainability. The priority is another: guarantee the rights of peoples. For this, the road is another, opposite. That's why we autoconvocamos and invite all the people to build a broad and inclusive independent campaign of popular mobilization " (3).
So, if they criticize the government and proposed an independent campaign; Why do some of these organizations and referents were to march to Congress Square in support of the government? Some tied to the front of all obviously do because only sign in autoconvocados to wash your face a little, Claudio Lozano and sectors of the CTA. But there are organizations like Popular Power and the FOL who went to Congress and also came with us to the Plaza de Mayo. Which has a double-sided; They are very positive that have come with the FIT-U to strengthen a pole left for nonpayment, but it is reprehensible not to break with the departure of the government. This contradiction will have to resolve peers because the political dynamics leave no room for ambiguity. Who organize the space autoconvocado have to know that it can not play a positive role but has a clear delineation of the government policy and actions, not only in texts, but before the concrete political struggle, that is where things are defined. In this sense, we welcome that important references like Nora Cortinas, Swedish Lordkipanidse, Claudio Katz, Eduardo Lucita, all signatories of autoconvocados, They have been approached to act in Plaza de Mayo. Which shows that among the positive non-payment suspension and there is a course in the same sense that we can not ignore sectarian way.
A separate discussion is given to the New MAS and PO Trend, two sectors that permanently have a very hostile and sectarian policy towards the FIT-U. Both developed every day before the march diffusion of strong and misplaced criticism of the FIT-U they said while wanting to be part of the event with a speaker. Beyond the policy that both express and most often include unusual falsehoods, our opinion on the Board of the FIT-U was that also could be given a speaker to these forces, because the logic of our open call to the square so indicated, and because we had to make the strongest possible pole left in this national political debate. Unfortunately this time there was finally no agreement, in particular the refusal PO crossed by the crisis in the sector Altamira-Ramal.
Also from our front and we guarantee a very good action to the Plaza de Mayo, It will be a task pending forward as better address these issues and be consistent all the way to apply for the FIT-U and both better coordinate with other forces when reality makes it necessary. Forces like New MAS and trend-PO also, ever, They should provide some sense and non-permanent unfounded attacks on the FIT-U. In the case of the New MAS also it could have really played by the mobilization, since his column was visibly very small and not end that day lying, when its leader Heberling told the side of the square that "the act of the FITU was not called for nonpayment, nor the break with the Fund or by criticizing the government setting " (4). An incredible bordering falsehood with ridicule.
Deepening the campaign for non-payment
Fighting IMF, payment of debt and against the policy of the government will continue these months while negotiations are conducted with the IMF and the vulture funds. It is a top priority task for the FIT-U being at the forefront of a national campaign against this new scam and delivery. We must deploy all possible ways our alternative proposals, our statements, continue to promote actions on the street and all kinds of events that serve to develop the whole of our policy. Including support for workers' struggles, wage, retirees and unemployed people who are setting policy the government will generate.
Our proposal is clear; to better apply for the FIT Unit have to lead and the wider political and mobilization campaign against the IMF, payment of debt and government policy. And summoning all those who in general lines agree with this, calling meetings, events, forums, demonstrations or other initiatives to fight, discussion and dissemination. Do it without any sectarianism and boldly, because the best way to strengthen our front is among other things, not be afraid to interact with others but play us with our policy to lead a large movement in the street break with the IMF and odious debt. It will actually tell those who want to join.
We know that to defeat the policy of the government and the IMF is essential that we are thousands on the street, So the only correct policy is to try that path, based on a fair policy, as expressed in the act together we did in Plaza de Mayo. On this solid basis of agreements from the FIT Unit have the political opportunity to move forward and if you could, coordinating a space on the debt issue, including other sectors agree to promote it in common.
(1) In the text "basic political concepts", Nahuel Moreno and Mercedes Petit can read the long list of attempts in 80 when you start the debt crisis did in the old MAS to boost mobilization to help break with the IMF, without mechanically attach ourselves only to the slogan "No payment" but using while others were in the same direction.
(2) Pistonesi article; "The MAS and the gardener's dog" (Left Journal)
(3) Autoconvocados text by the suspension of debt payments and research, 11 February 2020.
(4) Video of the speech of the "Chinese" Heberling off the march to Plaza de Mayo, 12 February 2020.
