Assembly dedicates two hours of debates to modify resolution on massacre of November 15, 1922

The National Assembly modified a legislative resolution approved in October 2017, regarding the declaration of November 15 as the historic day of the workers’ struggle in Ecuador.

Legislators spent two hours debating a resolution to declare November 15 of each year as “the day of the Guayaquil working class struggle,” with the purpose of commemorating the workers’ massacre, a fact recorded on November 15, 1922, when a similar issue was approved on October 21, 2017 but as “the day of popular struggles.”

Ecuador’s Assembly declares November 15 as National Day of Popular Struggles

The legislator rapporteur for the resolution, Sofía Espín (UNES), defended her resolution and clarified to the court that the text approved in 2017 alluded to popular struggles, but that her text states “the day of the struggle of the Guayaquil working class ”.

For this reason, he said that his resolution is different from what was approved during the presidency of José Serrano, so that some of those articles could be collected and repeal that text that was approved in 2017. He insisted that his resolution is much more extensive, clear and highlights the struggle in a better way than what happened in 1922.

Legislators Rafael Lucero (Pachakutik), Pedro Velasco (BAN), Fernando Villavicencio (CN-PSE) and Nathalie Viteri (PSC) warned the chamber that a resolution such as the one proposed by correista legislator Sofía Espín had already been approved and said they would debate an issue already discussed years ago is an attrition of the Assembly. They called for more attention from the general secretary of Parliament.

The president of the National Assembly, Guadalupe Llori, clarified that this is not a problem of the secretariat, but responds to a decision of the plenary session that accepted the proposal of the assemblywoman Sofía Espín.

Espín proposed that its text be approved because it is more realistic and that the resolution approved in 2017 be repealed.

The approved document provides:

• Declare November 15 of each year as the historic day of the workers’ struggle in Ecuador, with the purpose of commemorating the massacre of workers and heroic deed for labor rights, a historic event that took place in the city of Guayaquil on November 15, 1922, which still moves, inspires and motivates all Ecuadorians today.
• Pay tribute to Ecuador and especially to the city of Santiago de Guayaquil in the face of the painful memory of said massacre of the workers and workers, heirs of the Huancavilca spirit, so it is fair to recognize the lively and frank character of its inhabitants, who have forged with his work and dedication a better city and a better country.
• To urge all levels of government: 1. To formulate and execute inclusive public policies for nationals and foreigners who migrate to Ecuador, mainly those displaced by the work environment and in the exercise of their economic and productive activities; and, adopt the necessary policies to reduce social inequalities between Ecuadorian citizens.
• Recognize the right to work as a human right, whose essential objective is to dignify man, so that he can be free and in this way radiate all spaces of society like a melting pot.
• Strengthen and improve the mechanisms that guarantee the inhabitants of Ecuador their participation in a leading way in decision-making, planning, management of matters related to the strengthening of the rights of workers in all areas, as well as mechanisms of popular control for accountability of State institutions and their representatives, responsible for promoting inclusive regulations and guarantees of labor rights in order to achieve Good Living or Sumak Kawsay.
• Include in the calendar of commemorations and national events, in homage to the workers in the workers’ massacre of 1922.

In addition, the document insists on including in the calendar of commemorations and national ephemeris the 15th of November as the historic day of the workers’ struggle in Ecuador, with the purpose of commemorating the massacre of workers and heroic deed for labor rights.

It is arranged to place a commemorative plaque with the names of the fallen and disappeared, or failing that, the legend “In memory of the workers’ massacre that occurred on November 15, 1922 in Guayaquil”, on the boardwalk of the Guayas River in the city of Guayaquil and at the headquarters of the Legislative Palace, to commemorate the massacre of workers and heroic deed for labor rights.

Finally, the resolution of the National Assembly dated October 21, 2017, which declared November 15 as the National Day of Popular Struggles, is repealed. (I)