1 How comes a tucumano immigrant to join the group of citizens with no experience in the civil service to manage one of the most important cities in Europe?
-AL Like Ada (Colau), we are people who have spent years involved in public affairs. I have always considered myself a teacher-activist. I have not belonged organically to any party, but since he was a student in Tucuman until today I accompanied a host of social change initiatives in different parts of Latin America and Europe. Barcelona rule will be a great challenge, of course, but our bid reflects the commitment of an entire generation, and has caused great enthusiasm among technicians and highly qualified professionals.
2 What values, expectations, dreams and utopias behind “Barcelona Commune” (“Barcelona in common”)?
-Barcelona It is a fantastic city is full of potential, and has great social and cooperative tissue. But runs the risk of becoming a mere trademark. It is becoming more expensive, and inequality and insecurity have soared alarmingly. Our hope is that Barcelona is at the service of the common good and not the interests of a small minority. We want to be a reference on participation; respect for labor and environmental rights; technological innovation, and become the spearhead of a democratic change that exists in many other parts of Spain, Europe and the world.
What challenges await three community leaders emerged discontent that caused the Spanish economic crisis? What would be a failure for you? What would be a victory?
We know that the changes will not come in overnight. But we would fail if we do not try enough courage and imagination, if we resign ourselves to repeat the same mistakes forever What would be a victory? Curbing inequalities; return power and voice to the people; show that they can govern honestly, and we can have a panoramic city and neighborhoods first and second.
4 ‘Your industry is inspired by any particular political experience? What do you say to those who doubt they can implement their anti-corruption speech, anti-corporate and antiprivilegios?
‘In Catalonia there is a long experience municipalismo transformer. And much of what we said and done one way or another in cities like Berlin (Germany), Bogota (Colombia), Helsinki (Finland) and Curitiba (Brazil). Placing limits on large corporations; democratize the economy and end the obscene relationship between politics and money is now a demand for common sense. It is difficult targets to rush, but essential if we want to end up in a kind of global oligarchy that cornered the most basic freedoms and life on the planet.
5 To what extent “Barcelona Commune” represents the left? ? Can rehearsing an ideological definition of his coalition
– “Barcelona Commune” is a plural platform formed around specific objectives: to combat child malnutrition and the evictions for economic reasons; avoid the commodification of common goods such as water; promote the participation of citizens in allocating the budget and end the privileges in the exercise of public functions. People come from political militancy in parties or social movements, and people who do not. But we do not ask anyone’s license. Our basic slogan is more and better democracy.
6 His group has been highly critical of the opacities and excesses of traditional political power. How will attack those weaknesses?
‘First, trying to lead by example. It can not be that a copper 10,000 euros a month mayor when the minimum wage is at 640. We made an austere campaign and we want to have an austere government. We will reduce the disproportionate salaries of elected positions; we will listen more to the workers and municipal workers; let’s raise some carpets, and we will open doors and windows to run some air.
7 How far they are willing to go in an effort to stop or prevent evictions of those who can not pay their mortgages?
There must act in the short and long term. If evictions occur for unpaid rent, we will mediate and help the most vulnerable families. When the owners of the properties are smallholders, introduce incentives for renting. And when it comes to large financial institutions, especially those who have been rescued with public money, sit down and remind them of their obligations publicly. In the medium term, Barcelona would have to strengthen the park public rental housing to keep up with Paris (France) and Amsterdam (Netherlands).
8 What is the position of his political platform regarding the independence movement in Barcelona?
-Spain has entered a centralist and authoritarian drift unacceptable . We defend the right of the citizens of Catalonia to freely decide how you want to relate to the State, as has happened in Scotland or Canada.
9 What place you occupy in the Government of Barcelona?
It will depend partly on the agreements and discussions with other political forces. But in principle, it would be a kind of second mayor (Colau) a deputy mayor functions in specific areas such as economics or international relations.
10 What is your message to the Argentinian Tucuman and seeking political change but do not know how?
That when people common, simple people, is organized, get a lot more power than they would have you believe. None of the rights and freedoms that have fallen from the sky. We must firmly believe in one’s dreams and fight for them. And never accept the existing reality as the only possible.
Profile Gerardo Pisarello was born in Tucuman in 1970, at home who formed Aurora Meadows and Angel Gerardo Pisarello (UCR dorogente abducted, disappeared and killed during the last dictatorship). He moved to Barcelona in 2001. He is Doctor of Law and Professor of Constitutional Law. He has published the books “A shelter for all law (de) construction.” (2003); “Social rights and guarantees” (2007); “The anti-democratic offensive of constitutionalism” (2011) and “constituent processes. Ways for democratic rupture” (2012). He is a columnist of prey and has been vicepresiente the ESCR Observatory.
