Forbidden to Forget

By Luis Fierro Carrión (*)

Twitter: @Luis_Fierro_Eco

Former President Rafael Correa made popular the phrase "Forbidden to forget" on his Saturday public events ("sabatinas"), events which he dedicated to insult his opponents; he even sought to register the phrase as a trademark.

Internet users reminded him that Rubén Blades titled one of his songs "Prohibido Olvidar", which appeared on his album Caminando (1991), which includes among its lines: "Forbidden the free press and forbidden to express opinions... They forbade to go out to the street and criticize the state. They forbade to laugh at the joke of their sad government... I believe the only way to put an end to this is: Forbidden to forget!".

Well, in the weeks before the second round of the elections, it seems that many Ecuadorians have forgotten what happened during the decade of the Correa regime (2007-2017).

For example, Yaku Pérez and Pachakutik seem to have forgotten the persecution they suffered at the hands of the Correista regime, which included the murder of several indigenous leaders (Bosco Wisuma, Freddy Taish, José Tendentza); the blows received by Yaku himself, his partner Manuela Picq, the elected assemblyman Salvador Quishpe, and other leaders of Conaie and Pachakutik. They also seem to forget that the government took the headquarter building away from Conaie (in 2014), which was later restored to them by Lenín Moreno.

Pachakutik and Unidad Popular (MPD) seem to forget that during the Correa decade more than 800 social leaders were arrested, criminalizing social protest; This included cases such as 10 from Luluncoto, 12 from Central Técnico, 21 from Arbolito, etc. Karla Calapaqui documents in her book "Criminalization of the Protest: 2007-2015, the victims of correísmo", the arrests, beatings, torture and murders due to the repression of the social protests.

UP leaders have forgotten that Correa dissolved the National Union of Educators (UNE) in 2016, liquidated its assets and appropriated the retirement fund of the Ecuadorian teachers, the financial entity of the UNE, that held 405 million dollars.

These organizations forget that Correísmo created parallel organizations to divide the social movement, such as the Central Unitaria de Trabajadores (CUT), the Red de Maestros, promoted the Fenocin to counter Conaie, etc.

Have the Yasunidos forgotten how the regime ignored the signatures collected to demand a popular referendum, and proceeded to disrupt the Yasuní protection initiative to begin oil extraction?

Does society forget that there are 35 unsolved murders, which include 15 journalists and people who denounced corruption, such as General Jorge Gabela, Quinto Pazmiño and his wife, the journalist Fausto Valdivieso, among others?

Voters forget that there are reports of acts of corruption estimated by the late president of the National Anticorruption Commission, Jorge Rodríguez, to be at least $ 35 billion, in bribes, overpricing in public contracts, tax evasion, oil export commissions and in importation of derivatives, public debt and current spending. Other estimates calculate losses to the State between 30 and 70 billion dollars; that is between 10 and 20% of fiscal revenue during the 10 years.

We cannot forget that the former president, former vice president Glas, 10 former ministers, 4 assembly members, and directors of the IESS, Petroecuador, the Intelligence Secretariat, and the legal secretary of the Presidency have been indicted and found guilty of corruption.

When the Yasunidos activist, Antonella Calle, asked Arauz "I hope they don't continue to persecute us like in the Correa government", Arauz replied "I hope not." As if he had to consult his mentor if he would allow him to stop repressing. As a result of this exchange, Calle received thousands of insults and threats, in response to which she said “we must appeal to the public memory. They are announcing with great fanfare that the state of terror that Correísmo generated will continue. "

In an interview with Ecuavisa, Arauz said that he aspired for the Correísmo government to extend from 20 to 50 years. This would leave Hervas, Yaku Pérez or any other candidate out of aspiring to replace him.

Hopefully the public memory will awaken.

(*) Translation of the column published in Diario "El Universo" on April 2, 2021.

https://www.eluniverso.com/opinion/columnistas/prohibido-olvidar-nota/