Corruption
In the midst of a profound civilization crisis, humanity is experiencing the contradictions of an increasingly global and dehumanized capitalism, which denies the opportunity of living with dignity to millions of human beings, posing a threat to coexistence and peace on a global scale.
Such uncertainties are being used by the most reactionary and conservative right-wing forces as fertile ground to dismantle the achievements reached through the struggle of the social and political left.
As socialist and progressive forces we must therefore assume without delay our responsibility to defend the transformations achieved in the region, in full awareness of the fact that in times of political, economic and social instability popular support can only be ensured through a continuous review, evaluation, and self-criticism of our own processes.
Political actions need to be in line with ethical criteria and be based on a conception of power as an instrument for the creation of a just and democratic society, which rejects the notion of power as an end in itself.
Access to public posts must not be subject to sectional or personal interests, nor should it be a privilege. It is a service rendered to those citizens who are represented or governed and it must be exercised with the greatest austerity, responsibility and loyalty to those represented.
We need to be aware that our efforts will never be enough to prevent isolated actions guided by selfish interest from undermining our structures and tarnishing our collective ethics. However, what we can do is to commit ourselves to ensure that our response to such acts is always up to what our societies expect; this can be done by assuming responsibilities collectively and using all available measures against those who are responsible for such acts.
Our organizations must lead the fight for transparency and this requires a systematic analysis of both the successes and the mistakes made, without any excuses. We must be relentless in these efforts because being hesitant or applying double moral standards will lead to our de-legitimization and condemnation. Right-wing forces know about this, and that is why they use any kind of mistake or distortion to accuse our governments. We should not allow them to do so, nor should we leave the slightest doubt. Our conduct in the public service must strictly adhere to the values we defend and serve the interests of the social majorities.
Honesty has historically been a hallmark of our actions as political actors but also as individuals, determining our human relationships, our ethics, and our commitment to move towards a more just and equitable society, transforming reality on a daily basis.
For all these reasons, we must not give in to the attempts of the right to establish in the collective thinking the idea that everything is the same, that there are no right and left, but only political parties that act like corporations serving their own particular interests.
If we fail to resist such attempts we would be giving up on one of our historical core values.
