Gov Accountability

"Chronicles of Socialism of the 21st Century" examines Ecuador's recent history

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Luis Espinosa Goded (left) and Andrés Ortiz Lemos present Crónicas del Socialismo del Siglo XXI. Photo Credit: Luis Argüello / PlanV.

Libre Razón has released Crónicas del Socialismo del Siglo XXI, a libertarian analysis of how Ecuador’s socialist government has become increasingly divided as a result of corruption scandals and a collapsing economy. Written by Andrés Ortiz Lemos and Luis Espinosa Goded, the book analyzes the country’s economic, social, and political structure in order to educate people on how Correísmo, current president Lenin Moreno, and the local form of socialism have negatively impacted Ecuador and the region.

Libre Razón has held conferences in Ecuador and Mexico in order to promote the book, drawing over 300 attendees to date. More conferences are planned for 2020. Crónicas del Socialismo del Siglo XXI was also discussed on a variety of radio shows and newspapers, and readers carried the discussion to social media, where they asked questions regarding the book’s political correctness. More than 1,000 books have been distributed online and in bookstores.

Francisco Mendoza, executive director of Libre Razón, shared a story about a conference attendee, Agustín, who has written a book about the impact of socialism on Mexico. Agustín spoke with Espinosa at a conference in Mexico about Mexican president Andrés Manuel López Obrador and the similarities between Ecuador and Mexico’s political landscape. Two months after the conference, Agustín completed Mi Querido México del Presente, and Libre Razón hopes to distribute the book to schools and universities by 2021.

Libre Razón’s goal is to educate people on Ecuador’s version of socialism in order for it to one day be stopped and for the people of Latin America recognize its heinous legacy. “We wouldn't exist as an organization without Atlas Network,” said Mendoza. “Many young people found a liberal space in Libre Razón where they can express their ideas and as a team, we keep working knowing that a network such as Atlas is helping us.”

Libre Razón received an Atlas Network grant in support of this project.