Fight Back! interviewed Michael Humaña, a trade union leader from Chile, on October 14 to learn about the trade union struggle there and in Latin America.

Fight Back!: Which organizations are you a member of?

Michael Humaña: I am the president of the National Union of Education Workers in Chile (SNTE) and organizational secretary of the Continental Federation of Education Workers.

Fight Back!: What took place in Bolivia on October 10 and 11?

Humaña: In the Trópico of Cochabamba, Bolivia, we founded CIMA, la Coordinación Internacionalista de los Movimientos Sociales Antiimperialistas del Abya Yala. It is an organization that looks to be the anti-imperialist wall of the peoples to confront the criminal “Shields of the Americas” of Donald Trump.

With the leadership of President Evo Morales, we hope to be the anti-capitalist, socialist alternative of the peoples who struggle.

Fight Back!: What was your role in the meeting to form CIMA?

Humaña: In this anti-imperialist gathering, I was part of the coordination team.

Fight Back!: What is the significance of the presence and participation of Evo Morales at the gathering?

Humaña: Evo Morales is the leader of the revolutionary left and of the movements of peasants and popular in the south of our America. After the kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela, Evo Morales transformed into the main anti-imperialist leader of all the continent. The experience of 14 years in the government of Bolivia, the proposal of Living Well and Pluri-Nationality, are examples for peoples of “Indoamérica.”

Fight Back!: Did the gathering result in any agreements, points of unity, or plan for action?

Humaña: The main objective of the encuentro was to advance a programmatic unity, therefore the resolution to found CIMA. There are the fundamentals to create a solid continental organization with real capacity to mobilize a front against U.S. imperialism and Israeli Zionism.

Some of the points of agreement are: Declare October 9 as an International Anti-Imperialist Day to honoro Che Guevara; to advance to building of a Continental Network of Popular Communication; defense of Mother Earth and common goods – this will be a fundamental task to confront predatory extractivism and confront electoral processes to retake local and national governments, but with a program that is socialist, anti-colonial,and anti-imperialist, without trusting the neoliberal politicians.

To demand the freedom of our political prisoners like President Nicolás Maduro, First Lady Cilia Flores of Venezuela, President Pedro Castillo and Victor Polay in Perú, former Assembly Representative Freddy Mamani in Bolivia, and to end the political persecution of social leaders on the continent like our brother Evo Morales Ayma.

Fight Back!: What are the lessons to share with movements in the U.S. that are to be learned from the national mobilizations in Bolivia?

Humaña: We believe in the fundamental task of unity of the social movements of the continent, from Alaska to Patagonia. The social movements in Bolivia give us the lesson that the bravery of the people can take down criminal and tyrannical governments. Unity of the working class, the peasants and students is fundamental to stop the oligarchies in our countries. The anti-imperialist conviction of the people of Bolivia must be an example to all the peoples of the world.

Fight Back!: Can you provide a brief explanation of the situation in Chile?

Humaña: Today in Chile, there is the return of Pinochetism to the government; the criminal military dictatorship returns to push reforms and deepen neoliberalism. Sadly, the previous governments of progressive neoliberalism and social democrats governed with the laws and constitution of the dictatorship. They have allowed education, healthcare and pensions to be run like a business and we have lost many social rights. So now, the far right comes to deepen the neoliberal agenda further. The popular movement and trade union movement are weakened and only the students maintain the call to rebel and engage in struggle against neoliberalism.

But, from the teachers and other popular forces, we continue giving battle to rebuild the Chilean popular movement behind a program and project with a socialist perspective and popular power.

#International #Chile #Labor #SNTE #CIMA