<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nOn behalf of the Partido Socialista de los Trabajadores, we express our deepest sympathy to the victims\u2014those who have lost family members and homes and have endured moments of anguish.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
An earthquake measuring 7.4 on the Richter scale\u2014which falls into the category of a major earthquake\u2014struck Colombia on August 10, affecting five departments, including their capitals, and dozens of municipalities. At the time of this writing, the confirmed death toll exceeded 100, and it is estimated that many more remain trapped under the rubble.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The epicenter\u2014and one of the hardest-hit departments\u2014was Choc\u00f3, which has already suffered decades of government neglect, the plundering of natural resources, and a lack of infrastructure in communications, roads, and healthcare. There is also severe damage in the city of Cali and throughout the Coffee Region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This situation demands an immediate response to rescue and assist the victims, as well as a plan to ensure housing for those who have lost their homes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What Is Natural and What Is Not<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
An earthquake is a sudden, abrupt natural movement caused by the release of energy accumulated in tectonic plates. The Earth\u2019s movement is natural and, to a certain extent, unpredictable. But it is not natural for buildings to collapse as a result of that movement. If they collapse, it is because they are poorly constructed or have not been properly maintained. Nor is it natural for people to die under the rubble because fire and rescue departments are insufficient and poorly equipped, because they live in regions without roads such as Choc\u00f3, or because the collapsed building is a hospital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Danger of Corruption for Profit<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
When corruption exists and is driven by profit, disaster is inevitable. Examples of buildings constructed through corruption, with construction companies and government agencies acting as accomplices: in Medell\u00edn, the Space Towers, Continental Towers, Bernavento Building, Loli Building, and Per\u00fa Building; in Cartagena, the Blas de Lezo II Building and 16 buildings with fake permits; other cities such as C\u00facuta and Bucaramanga have also faced problems of this kind; Bogot\u00e1 is no exception, with the case of the city\u2019s tallest building: the Bacat\u00e1 Building\u2014not due to structural problems, but because the construction company failed to ensure access to public utilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In general, it is the housing of workers and low-income communities\u2014or even the middle class\u2014that is affected. This is because workers build their homes as best they can with the resources they have; it is impossible to take on debt for an apartment that is priced at three or four times its actual cost, since the goal is profit for the construction companies and the banks that \u201cfinance\u201d them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Therefore, the government and the construction companies are responsible for the deaths and property damage, and they should be held accountable to the victims.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Workers\u2019 and People\u2019s Organization to Demand and Manage Resources<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Whenever an earthquake leaves people displaced, there is always an instinct to organize and demand action. But the struggle is complex and protracted, often draining people\u2019s energy without yielding concrete aid. At first, there is no shortage of speeches and promises, but they generally amount to nothing more than that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
An example: the victims of the 1983 Popay\u00e1n earthquake received training at SENA (National Apprenticeship Service) so they could build their own homes (self-construction) using \u201csoft\u201d loans and a few housing subsidies. What was actually invested in, however, were the buildings in the Historic Center where traditional families live and the churches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is necessary to stand with the victims, organize workers\u2019 and people\u2019s committees with those affected to manage the disaster and reconstruction, demanding that the entire necessary budget be allocated immediately to rescue and assist the victims, the immediate and free provision of food, drinking water, medicine, tents, mattresses, and emergency kits to all those affected, the full mobilization of state resources, and the swift restoration of public services and communications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the medium and long term, we must demand that housing cease to be a vehicle for profit. We also demand the cancellation of mortgage debts and loans for affected families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Workers\u2019 and Popular Solidarity\u2014Let the Labor Federations Take the Lead<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
We cannot trust Abelardo, his ministers, or any of the vultures who will come to negotiate the reconstruction; we must make demands, but we know that for them, the disaster is an opportunity for profit and business. Nor can we trust \u201callies\u201d such as the governments of Israel or the United States, which are responsible for the Palestinian genocide\u2014a tragedy that has claimed more lives than any earthquake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That is why workers\u2019 solidarity must be organized by the labor federations, led by the CUT (United Workers’ Union). They must coordinate a major national campaign for donations and supplies to be distributed through their affiliated unions. Likewise, unions with a national presence, such as Fecode (Colombian Federation of Education Workers), must put their structures at the service of solidarity. If solidarity is not class-based, it will not be solidarity, but rather business and corruption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Housing as a Service: State-Provided and Free<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Housing must not be a commodity used to generate profits, but a fundamental right guaranteed by the state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let empty buildings and hotels shelter the victims; let Abelardo not squander state resources by handing them over to construction companies and banks; let him not implement his tax counter-reform aimed at reducing taxes on business owners, landowners, and ranchers while increasing them for the poor; let no one profit from this human tragedy; For the nationalization of quality housing, built by the state without intermediaries; that, due to this public calamity, the illegitimate foreign debt not be paid and that those resources be invested in caring for the victims, as well as in health, education, residential public services, and housing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Effective and tangible assistance for the victims, with a sufficient budget!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not one more death due to real estate speculation and bourgeois corruption!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n