Ecuador's Correa Attacks Inequality in People's Summit Speech

Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa wrapped up the People's Summit, held in parallel with the EU-CELAC Summit in Brussels, with a stirring and wide-ranging speech Thursday defending actions taken by the revolutionary governments in Latin America to reduce inequality while also expressing support for Cuba and Venezuela.

“The greatest challenge of this century is the supremacy of human beings over capital,” said President Correa to a rousing round of applause.

Correa commented on a number of bills put forward by his government that aim to address the concentration of wealth, which Correa has said is a principal source of inequality.

“The biggest social ill in Latin America is inequality,” the president said.

His tax measures have provoked a sharp backlash from the political opposition and wealthy and upper middle-class sectors of Ecuadorean society. The country has witnessed street demonstrations with the occasional outbursts of violence from aggressive groups in the opposition.

President Correa, who has become the face of a progressive political wave that swept through the region, also commented on foreign interference in the region.

He reiterated his rejection of U.S. sanctions on Venezuela, which called the South American country a threat to the United States, calling them “ridiculous.”

“Venezuela, Bolivia and Ecuador are opposed to neo-colonialism - we do not drop our heads in shame before the empire and therefore they look to sanction us in whatever way they can,” said Correa.

However, the Ecuadorean president praised the decision of Cuba and the United States to work towards restoring diplomatic relations, while also insisting that the U.S. blockade against the island nation must end.