THE STRUGGLE OF UNIVERSITY YOUTH
"The fundamental clay of our work is youth, in it we place our hope and prepare it to take the banner from our hands." Che Guevara
In the region, young university students agree that struggle is the path to victories and with it we undertake actions against measures that threaten our historical demands and the human right to education that is a problem for groups in power that try to monopolize not only our wealth, but also our access to knowledge.
Education is liberating and breaks the chains that the bourgeoisie tries to impose in its different aspects, but with the same class character. Faced with this, the youth under the organization and struggle constantly rejects the violation of their rights throughout Latin America, the Caribbean and the world.
As examples of struggle, Peru is facing repression against students and the violation of university autonomy, which the youth has resisted through large and important mobilizations against Boluarte, an authoritarian and bloodthirsty government. In Mexico, there us a call for a student strike against the abuse of power by the authorities of the University of Guadalajara and their arbitrary measures.
In Colombia there is the struggle for the modification of Law 30, so that it establishes education as a fundamental right and no longer as a service. While in Panama young university students say no to mining contracts, no to the high cost of living and no to the bar exam, which is nothing more than a way that seeks to commodify one of the careers most in demand in their country and make it only for the elite. On the other hand, in the Dominican Republic there are mobilizations against the ARS and the AFP, the demand for the return to 100% face-to-face classes, in addition to the struggle for a larger budget for the University which remains a historical problem.
In Ecuador there have also been struggles. As a matter of principle, for us, the youth are rebellious and the events in the region are evidence of that. As FEUE our fundamental role is to channel this rebellion by implementing it with conviction and firmness in favor of the rights of the popular, social and historically-violated sectors of the country.
Faced with the 1st report of Reform to the LOES, we mobilized outside the National Assembly for a democratic, scientific and quality LOES. This resulted in the elimination of harmful elements for the IES and a 2nd report that included among better conditions our proposal for greater student participation in government, paid practices, more scholarships, control of Private Universities, blocking budget cuts, measures against harassment and abuse of power, etc. Faced with this, the government legislators together with the pro-Correa forces and the Social Christian party shelved the Law, turning their backs on Public Education and with this action UNES, now called RC5, of the pro-Correa forces shows once again their true class nature linked to the right and groups of economic power.
In Quito we led the largest mobilization of this year with more than 4,500 students in the streets demanding security; it should also be mentioned that, through organization and sit-ins, we pushed back the perverse intentions of violating free education in the UCE [Central University of Ecuador]. From AFU and HCU our comrades in Guaranda demanded the dismissal of harassing and abusive teachers with a forceful mobilization, obtaining results never before seen in their University. As a result of the struggle, the comrades of the UTC achieved the universal election of authorities and the application of 50% of student participation in government. In Guayaquil we undertook sit-ins against the precarious admission process and the struggle for free admission, while Esmeraldas united and mobilized for security.
In Los Ríos, our comrades have been victims of constant political persecution by the authorities for their rejection of poor academic conditions and their unwavering struggle for an increased budget and quality education at the service of the people. In Ibarra, as in other cities in the country, the constant debate in defense of Yasuní, nature and life, won a historic victory in the popular referendum, not only for the country, but for the world.
This FEUE of the people, with its characteristic of being supportive and combative, was one of the leaders of the debate and struggle, raising together with the Popular Front the slogan "DOWN WITH NARCO-GOVERNMENT" and "LASSO OUT NOW", through sit-ins, rallies and mobilizations outside the universities, governorates, streets and plazas of the country, condemning the ineffectiveness and servility of Lasso to the power groups, the opening to the international mafia, the rise in insecurity, etc. In this scenario, the worsening of the labor, economic, educational and political crisis in our country is seen with the increase in social chasms and the deepening of neoliberal measures, but the struggle is also evidence of the unstoppable struggle of the youth for change and transformation.
The debate and struggle has been permanent, even in the struggle as young university students to participate in government in the general elections. This FEUE of the people is part of the forces that are fighting for the social transformation of Ecuador.
Ecuador is on the verge of the second round of elections with two candidates representing the right-wing. On the one hand, the pro-Correa forces; whose action in government was characterized by the repression of youth. The most visible case was that of Marcelo Rivera, former president of the National FEUE, who in the struggle for the demands of the student movement was repressed and imprisoned.
The interventions in the Universities as in the case of the UTC that fought and resisted, the imposition of the LOES that until today is regressive in terms of rights and has turned the Universities into managements, not into a democratic space and development of science and knowledge at the service of the people. In addition they seek to make the public Higher Educational Institutions for the elite and meritocracy, and especially to favor Private Universities, which is seen in the increase in their enrollment rate and expansionism, while thousands of young people fail to access free public higher education. That is, they were already in government and do not represent a popular choice, much less a leftist one.
On the other hand, Daniel Noboa Azín in his government plan seeks to increase the number of contributions to the IESS and raise the retirement age, that is, to place the government debt on the shoulders of the workers, and the shrinking of the State, which means massive layoffs. In addition, the statements of concern of his presidential team, which proposes the privatization of Education and Health Care, therefore, seeks to deepen the neoliberal policy in the country and essentially benefit entrepreneurs through the so-called incentives that translate later into benefits, favors and forgiveness for millionaires.
The FEUE of the people does not see the elections as an end but as a means of contention for the social consciousness of the masses; therefore, the university youth and the people have no candidate in the second round; we firmly call for the Null Vote as a powerful ideological element and for a resounding rejection of those responsible for the current crisis in the country.
As rebellious youth, our struggle is in the classrooms and the streets to achieve a quality Public and Scientific Higher Education at the service of the people and not to give way to the violation of our rights and those of the peoples of Ecuador.
"Education is a weapon whose effectiveness depends on who has it in their hands and for whom it is aimed" - Joseph Stalin
"Let us be the nightmare of those who seek to take away our dreams" – Che Guevara
Nery Padilla President National FEUE
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