World Social Forum says struggle for new economic model needed after pandemic 

Mexico City, January 27 (RHC)-- Brazilian activist Ode Grajew, founder of the World Social Forum (WSF), said that the COVID-19 pandemic today imposes the fight against social inequality in the world and "the need for a new economic model after the health crisis that leaves the poor increasingly vulnerable."  Ode spoke on the occasion of the 20th forum which is being held virtually until January 31st.

The Brazilian social activist affirmed that the global economic model is fed by such inequality and "in the face of the pandemic and its scarcities, the super-rich have most of the political power, so they submit decisions to their interests, leaving their resources more protected."

Oxfam Brazil -- an international confederation of 19 non-governmental organizations that carry out humanitarian work in 90 countries -- points out that the world's 1,000 billionaires managed to recover their financial losses during the pandemic and actually made billions more.  But, Oxfam says, the poorest in the world will take at least 14 years to recover.

Another item on the agenda at the virtual event, was Brazil's return to the Hunger Map, after the judicial parliamentary coup against Dilma Rousseff that removed her from power in 2016.  "It took us many years, it took several actions and public policies, for the country to get out of the Hunger Map," recalled Grajew.

He asserted that "we (Brazil) are one of the richest countries in the world, which makes our inequality and our hunger more humiliating.  We have so much wealth, so many resources to feed our people, that it saddens us," he lamented.

The gulf between classes is one of the main themes of this 20th edition of the WSF, coordinated by Mexico under the title: "What is the world we want today and tomorrow?"