Brazilian privatisation threatened
Brazil's zigzagging ruling rich are banking on a new privatisation programme. Since 1981 Brazil has had eight stabilisation programmes and 54 price control packages fail.
ANC leader dies
African National Congress Chair Oliver Tambo died in hospital last weekend aged 75. Forty years in the leadership of the South African organisation, he was exiled in 1960. In the year before his return in 1990 Tambo masterminded talks in Harare, Zimbabwe, that drew the ANC into the continuing round of negotiations with the apartheid regime.
An ANC statement said it would 'not permit criminal and hooligan elements and hooligan elements' to disrupt the funeral. The reformist organisation is striving to retain the leadership of radical youth. Last week it intervened to force its militant Youth League to stop chanting 'Kill the Boers, kill the farmers' at political rallies.
Left & humanitarian aid reaches Cuba
Ships bringing aid from US charities and radical organisations reached Havana, Cuba, this week. Some ships had to turn back because of bad weather. Despite operating a longstanding blockage of the island, the US Government allowed the aid through 'for humanitarian reasons'. Last year the 'Friendshipment to Cuba' 15 tons of medicine, food and other aid to Cuba.
Italian Government in crisis
Accusations made by informers have linked seven-time prime minister Giulio Andriotti to the mafia and to illicit party financing scandals. Italy need to reduce its deficit budget to comply with the Maastricht treaty. This means not only reducing the welfare state but also the bloated state apparatus or corrupt patronage that has kept the Christian Democrats to stay in power.
Plans to end proportional representation in elections to the Chamber of Deputies were opposed by trades union and the left. The new system will produce a stable government more able to attack the welfare state. By forcing left parties into blocks in order to maintain representation, the change will speed fusion between the reformist Socialist Party and ex-stalinist Party of Democratic Socialism.