It is true that while there was an economic boom, these governments were able to make strong investments. The reports of Eclac but also of the UN, the WB and IMF have recognized the social achievements mostly in Bolivia, Ecuador and Venezuela that unexpectedly reduced poverty, improving equity and generalization of education, health, social security and housing as well as other public services.

But the arrival of the crisis the progressive road altered although Bolivia is still stable. Ecuador entered a recessive situation while in Venezuela the situation worsened even with the economic war waged by the business oligarchy waged for years with support of the imperialist powers.
After what occurred in Argentina with the presidential triumph of Mauricio Macri and in Venezuela the parliamentary defeat of “Chavism” the danger of a conservative restoration threatens Latin America and even in Ecuador in which there is similar situation that lead to the right wing successes in those countries.

But in the midst of this economic crisis is the problem for these governments of how to confront it without falling into measures now demanded by the sectors of the restoration right wing most demanded. In Ecuador the business persons faithful to their neo liberalism demand sacrifices “of all” but with a return to the old recipes that always benefited the same dominant elite: restrict public spending, flexibility of work, reduce taxes, remove safeguards of foreign trade, open the country to foreign investments, promote productivity to the private sectors, etc. It disturbs the population that the bankers have recovered the management of commissions for their services.

The crisis should be an opportunity to redistribute wealth and affect the most powerful sectors. Not to smother social achievements. And we have historical experiences like the New Deal promoted by F. D. Roosevelt (1933-1945), in the midst of the worst crisis of the United States in its modern history he decided to raise taxes and particularly on profits, increase expenditures and public investments, prohibit labor layoffs, controlled banks and imprisoned speculators.

But also is the Ecuadorian experience with the Juliana Revolution (1925) that in the mist of the full crisis of cacao controlled the banks, created the Central Bank and created taxes on profits and other business utilities, reformed inheritances and land and dictated the first laws on minimum salary, work day and individual contracts, union strikes, collective contracts, layoffs and compensation.

All this required political will and not cede to the pressures of the rich classes.

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