USA will help the "legitimate governments" of Latin America to prevent the protests "from becoming uprisings"

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This was stated by the Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, while speaking at the University of Louisville about the region.

 

The US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, said Monday that Washington will help the "legitimate governments" of Latin America to prevent protests, which take place in various countries, "turn into uprisings."

The official also denied that these riots reflect "the democratic will of the people", referring to countries where demonstrations have been recorded.

Pompeo made these comments during a speech he gave at the University of Louisville, state of Kentucky, this Monday, December 2. These statements are given while there are po[CENSORED]r uprisings against neoliberal economic policies in Chile and Colombia, in addition to those registered last October in Ecuador; countries whose governments are US allies

In addition, thousands of people protest in Bolivia against the de facto government of the self-proclaimed president Jeanine Áñez, whom the United States. He recognized as interim president of that country, and that he assumed power after the coup against President Evo Morales.
 

Protesters respond to security forces in Valparaíso, Chile, November 12, 2019.

 

Although the demonstrations in Bolivia, Chile, Colombia and Ecuador have been plagued with allegations of repression and all have been reported dead, Pompeo said the state response reflects the "character of legitimate democratic governments."

The official stated that US policy in Latin America it is based on "moral and strategic clarity", which means that Washington "cannot tolerate" the regimes it considers unsatisfactory in the region.

In this sense, he justified that the US may participate in riot efforts, noting that his country represents the "greatest example of democracy in the history of the world."

 

Cuba and Venezuela, the inciters
According to Pompeo, in accordance with the speeches offered by the authorities of these countries, Cuba and Venezuela are behind those who incite violence and disturbances in these territories.

Specifically, he said that Havana and Caracas "kidnap those protests" and try to convert the US allied democracies. in "dictatorships."

Also, the US official accused Russia of being a "malignant" influence in Latin America.

The sayings of Pompeo agree with the actions taken by the United States. in the last year in the region. Washington has backed the self-proclaimed presidents of Bolivia and Venezuela, Áñez and Juan Guaidó, respectively; while, he has dismissed the po[CENSORED]r uprisings in Ecuador, Chile and Colombia, when talking about it, he refers to "uprisings" or "violent actions".

Po[CENSORED]r surveys
The uprising registered in Ecuador, the first half of October, followed by the Lenín Moreno Government eliminating the fuel subsidy, in response to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which lent the country more than 4.2 billion dollars.

These demonstrations, which fulfilled their task of eliminating the government measure, left a balance of 11 dead, according to the Ombudsman's Office.

Protest in La Paz, Bolivia, against the de facto government of Jeanine Áñez, November 21, 2019.

 

Meanwhile, in Chile the protests began on October 18. In principle, the demonstrations were against the rise in the price of the Santiago Metro ticket. Although the government of Sebastián Piñera threw back the measure, po[CENSORED]r discontent had already awakened historical demands, related to political, health, pensions, education, among others.

To date, 23 people have died, mostly from police repression, which has been denounced by protesters.

In Bolivia, demonstrations have been registered since October 20, when the opposition sector refused to accept the results of the elections that day, which gave Morales the winner for a new presidential term.

However, the demonstrations took a new direction, starting on November 10, when the coup d'etat against Morales was recorded. Thus, since October 20 there have been 34 deaths in that country, of which 31 occurred after the coup, according to data from the Ombudsman.

Anti-government protest in Bogotá, Colombia, November 27, 2019.

 

Meanwhile, the po[CENSORED]r uprising in Colombia began on November 21, when a general strike was called. The demonstrations have not stopped.

The demands are several: against reforms to the labor, tax and pension system; compliance with the peace agreements reached by the previous government with the extinct Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC); for a minimum wage that allows a decent life and covers the family basket; and to stop the murders of social leaders in the country.