TOMAS HIRSCH IN HOLLAND AND GREECE: THE EXPERIENCE OF JUNTOS PODEMOS MÁS CROSSES EUROPE
Luokka: Tomas Hirsch, Netherlands, GreeceLong has been the journey through Europe for Tomas Hirsch, ex candidate for the Chilean presidency for the pact Juntos Podemos Mas, during this time he has been given the job of recounting to Chileans living in these latitudes and to social and political organizations of the host countries, the Chilean experience and in particular the reconstruction of the left.
HOLLAND, THE COUNTRY OF TULIPS
On the 13th April, in The Hague, Tomás Hirsch began his visit to Holland meeting with Hans van Heijnigen of the Socialist Party, with whom he spoke about the immigration policy of the present Dutch government and the decision of the Socialist Party to vote NO in the referendum on the European Constitution.
The humanist leader referred to Podemos, the distorted image that the different Concertación governments and multinational companies have projected of Chile which in reality is going through a bad time, touching on the issue of injustice in Human Rights cases and about the binominal electoral system, that recognizes two large political forces and excludes an important sector of Chilean politics, in which Podemos, in spite of being the third political force and having obtained more than 7% in the last parliamentary elections, did not manage to get one representative in the Chilean Congress.
The Dutch Socialist Party counts on 8 parliamentarians who earn sums equal to a qualified worker, for their legislative work, which contrasts strongly with the salaries that Chilean parliamentarians receive.
Meeting in the Cuban Embassy.
During his stay he met with the secretary of International Affairs, Enrique Prieto López and the first secretary, Camilo García of the Cuban embassy. Relations between Chile and Cuba were discussed along with the studies that must be gone through today for those in Cuba who wish to carry out a diplomatic career.
Before leaving the country, Tomás Hirsch, participated in a lunch with the director, journalists and producers of programmes in the Latin American department of Radio Holland, in the city of Hilversum (45 minutes from Amsterdam), the centre for big media studios in Holland.
The questions of those present showed a great interest in New Humanism and its history, which allowed Tomás to talk extensively about the direction of the Humanist Movement, its organisms and the Humanist Party in Chile.
GREECE, THE COUNTRY OF THE HUMAN AND THE DIVINE
On the 15th April, Tomás arrived in Greece where he met with the Chilean community, social and political personalities and the Greek Humanist Movement during which he spoke about the Chilean and Latin American reality, expressing a special emphasis in relation to the growing opposition to neoliberalism as much in Chile as in the rest of the Continent and the need for common work among parties of the left and social organizations.
In the different meetings carried out by the humanist leader there were frequent questions about the position of Juntos Podemos with respect to multinationals, how to mobilize people, the way the presidential campaign worked and issues related to non-violence.
During his stay he shared experience with members of the structure of the Humanist Movement in Greece, the General Coordinators, with whom he interchanged different reflections about how to start the building of the Party in Greece, together with the possibility of humanists participating in the municipal elections that will happen in Greece in October.
Tomás Hirsch, before leaving Greek soil, met with the secretary of International Relations of the Party of the European Left, the fourth force in the country, with whom he shared what his tour was about and the projects of the Chilean Left.