this is chinese propaganda. straight-up.

i'm reminded of the line that the liberal government in canada tries to get us to swallow, about how pipelines and hydro dams are good for the indigenous groups, while the indigenous groups themselves are out there blocking highways to try to stop them. cui bono? and, the answer is the destination for the resources being extracted, which, in both canada and south america, is primarily china.

i'd rather talk about morales and correa, because they're both known entities. these shady figures that appear in the crowd are always difficult to analyze with much certainty until some time passes, and it's often too late. so, is the guy they're attacking really a cia stooge? i don't know; it would hardly be surprising if he is. i'm not offering an opinion on something i don't know much about.

but, with correa and morales, it's one thing to criticize the americans for meddling in the region, which i offer no defense of, and another thing to look the other way at the environmental consequences of their behaviour, which are being carried out under massive chinese subsidies. one type of colonialism is not better than the other. so, when indigenous groups rise up against these governments for acting as fronts for chinese colonialism, there's a reason for it.

now, i know that if you ask morales, specifically, he'll tell you he's trying to help - that his people are poor, and he's legitimately trying to alleviate their suffering. and, frankly? i don't even think he's lying to you - i think he believes it. but, when the people you're trying to help rise up against you in revolt, and you don't listen, you're not helping much, are you?

so, this is all very subtle, but these guys aren't even mentioning the elephant in the room, here. this is being framed as existing solely in the context of american imperialism, with no mention at all of the substantive - in fact, dominant. - role that chinese capital is playing in developing the region. and, for that reason my accusation will be repeated: this is chinese propaganda. straight up.

to understand what is happening in the global south - by which i mean south america and subsaharan africa - you need to construct three sides in the discourse. on the one side, you have american imperialism, which is still there and still trying to dominate. opposing them, you have chinese capital, which seeks to develop the region and extract resources from it - and is winning the battle in many of these places. and, then you have the indigenous groups,  which resist both chinese capital and american imperialism, and wish to reassert their sovereignty.

so, it could very well be true that this guy they're talking about could be a cia plant sent to co-opt the indigenous movement; it wouldn't be the first time, and it won't be the last. but, i know what side i stand with in these three-sided battles, and it is not chinese capital. at all.

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i repeat: the fact that they don't even mention china gives it away.

this is chinese propaganda.

straight up.

there should be a little "funded by chinese capital" button, here.