Widespread protests in Latin American countries are rooted in growing inequality and distrust of the ruling classes, Organization of American States (OAS) Secretary General candidate Maria Fernanda Espinosa told Sputnik
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 28th February, 2020) Widespread protests in Latin American countries are rooted in growing inequality and distrust of the ruling classes, Organization of American States (OAS) Secretary General candidate Maria Fernanda Espinosa told Sputnik.
"Worldwide, there is a very challenging situation regarding the disenchantment and the breach of trust between society and citizens and the ruling classes in general. In Latin America and the Caribbean, there is a special situation, which concerns profound inequalities... the deepening of inequality," Espinosa said.
Espinosa said people have taken to the streets to express their frustration because their expectations have not been fulfilled and they consequently feel betrayed. The way to address the existing frustration is to ensure that the sustainable development goals are achieved.
In September 2015, the UN General Assembly adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development that includes 17 sustainable development goals. They include eradicating poverty and hunger, providing good health and well-being as well as quality education and clean water and sanitation. In addition, it includes making clean energy affordable, and securing decent work and economic growth.
"If we work to deliver and implement the sustainable development goals and to fight poverty, to fight inequality, and to work on creating the 400 million new jobs that are needed for the younger generation until 2030, if we work on quality education and access to health care and proper social security systems - this is the most powerful mechanism to make citizens happy and trust the institutions and the ruling class," she said.
Espinosa emphasized that people in Latin America, like people elsewhere, hope for a better future and desire the same things.
"They want to live to have a safe job, a decent job. And they want a promising future for their children and they want good quality education for their children, access to healthcare," Espinosa said. "These are the fundamentals. And I think that we still need to work on the fundamentals and these are very clearly stated in the sustainable development goals."
Mass demonstrations against socioeconomic and political inequality have taken place in recent months in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Chile.
