Problems
of the Revolution in Latin America
Imperialism has
unleashed a new political-military offensive against the peoples of the globe,
in their eagerness to take maximum advantage of the wealth created by the
peoples and to consolidate their world domination; however, the workers and
peoples are struggling in all regions to confront the effects of the crisis, to
break the chains of domination and win their independence and freedom. This is
the way we see the world today, the political organizations and parties taking
part in the Sixth International Seminar Problems of the Revolution in Latin
America, held in Quito, Ecuador, July 15-19, 2002.
The events of
September 11 last year, which showed the vulnerability of U.S. imperialism in
its own territory, allowed it, backed by the rest of the capitalist powers and
the ruling classes of the various countries, under the pretext of fighting
terrorism, to declare war on all those who oppose its designs, confirming its
aggressive nature and the fact that it is a source of reactionary violence and
war. This behaviour reveals its decadence and not its vitality, the many
economic difficulties which it engenders and carries within it, confirming the
Leninist thesis that this is the era of imperialism and the proletarian
revolution.
The deep political
and economic crisis that affects the capitalist-imperialist system causes
imperialism to wage war as an escape valve and solution to its difficulties. But
this, today, is a war against the peoples and is taking place in specific areas
of the planet. Of course, the eventuality of a new general conflagration exists,
although not immediately.
The regions of the
Middle East and Central Asia on the one hand, and Latin America on the other,
constitute two main arenas of imperialist intervention. The barbaric invasion of
Afghanistan, planned before September 11, 2001, forms part of its strategy to
control the oil and gas wealth of the Middle East and the Caspian Sea, to
strengthen its influence in this strategic area and to advance in the formation
of a military presence that dominates the region and puts pressure on China,
Russia and India. Iraq would be the next objective, followed by the other
countries of what Bush has called the axis of evil: Iran and north Korea.
Therefore it continues to concentrate troops in the bases that it has in the
region and it has installed new ones in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kirgizistan.
The war-like escalation of the United States is also aimed at the Philippines,
with the return of thousands of Yankee soldiers and the threats of invasion. The
U.S. military presence in the world has increased 20% since the attacks of
September 11. About 300 thousand soldiers, dispersed over more than 140
countries, guard the interests of Yankee imperialism.
The war of the
Zionist State of Israel against the Palestinian people is creating new victims,
the majority of whom are children and young people. The United States is
financing this genocide, providing $1.8 billion in military aid each year.
Nevertheless, the Palestinian people are continuing their heroic war of national
liberation and are winning the sympathy and support of the peoples of the world.
The decision of the Bush administration to recognize the government of the
Palestine National Authority does not imply a change of attitude in regard to
this conflict; it is trying to reduce the tensions in the Arab countries in
order to proceed with the invasion of Iraq.
In Latin America,
the imperialist intervention combines its wish to control the energy resources
and the biodiversity of the Amazon region, on the one hand, and to stop the
advance of the struggle of the peoples on the other. The Plan Colombia has taken
on a greater significance with the Andean Regional Initiative, whose aim is not
to combat drug trafficking, but to put end to the Colombian insurgency and the
struggle of masses that is developing, with certain speed, in various countries.
To this must be added the wish to establish new Military Bases in various parts
of the continent. It is preparing dictatorial solutions such as the reactionary
coup that it tried and is trying to impose on Venezuela. To secure its
domination, regional and sub-regional agreements are under way such as the Free
Trade Agreement of the Americas and the Plan Puebla -Panama.
All this shows us
the aggressiveness of imperialism and the violence that it unleashes. This is
terrorism, as are the economic adjustment policies that are forced on the
dependent countries and that have brought misery to millions of workers; its
permanent and sophisticated forms of aggression, utilizing all kinds of weapons,
to force the peoples into subjection – these are terrorism. Terrorism is the
inhuman blockade imposed for years on Cuba, Iraq, Libya and North Korea, an act
that we condemn.
We are experiencing
a new stage in the struggle and dispute among the imperialist powers which are
trying to gain new zones of influence and control, a new division of markets and
the world. Although U.S. imperialism commands the politics of domination and
subjection, there is a group of imperialist powers which are also contesting its
influence and are forming alliances and blocs for this purpose, since they are
not prepared to "yield" what they consider their sphere. U.S.
imperialism, depending on its military power, seeks to affirm its hegemony and
in fact today constitutes the strongest power, but not the only one.
Though the events of
September 11 mark a new point in international politics, the essence of the
world phenomena remain. The imperialist powers oppress the semi-colonial,
neo-colonial, and dependent countries and together with the local ruling classes
exploit and oppress the peoples; they persist in inter-monopoly and
inter-imperialist fights; the working class and the peoples are organizing and
struggling against intervention and the politics of war, and for independence,
democracy and social revolution.
The fight of the
workers and the peoples has not weakened; on the contrary, it has recovered and
developed. Actions are more frequent and have grown in breadth and depth. The
awakening of the peoples is evident on all continents and in their struggles the
working class is gaining ground and also uniting new social sectors around it.
The winds of revolution are blowing throughout the world, and it is not a dream,
but a certain reality!
The uprising in
Argentina of last December, which raised the struggle of the masses to a higher
level, creating a new situation that put on the agenda the question of popular
power, was a clarion call to the peoples; in Paraguay, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador
there have been large and victorious mobilizations against privatisation and the
neo-liberal model in general; in Colombia the people and the insurgency are
resisting a greater process of militarisation, fascisation and affirmation of
State terrorism; the Venezuelan people are confronting the U.S. intervention and
are raising the banners of sovereignty and democracy; Europe has felt the
struggle of the working class in several partial and general strikes. In short,
the planet is stirring and the dawn of freedom of the peoples is approaching.
In Latin America
there are favourable conditions for the revolutionary struggle, for the action
of those of us who want to bring radical socio-economic transformations to
victory. The effects generated by the crisis of capitalism are creating better
conditions than before for the struggle, for the organization and consciousness
of the working class and the peoples in their aim to win independence, popular
power and socialism. With that objective, let us raise the struggle for the
material and spiritual demands of the masses, for their political and democratic
rights. This is a task for the present generations.
We workers and
peoples want peace, but we understand that to win it we must defeat those who
live on war. In our struggle to win national and social liberation, today we are
faced with the danger of a new imperialist war. We will not lay down our banners
nor will we shut ourselves behind walls of a reactionary nationalism. If the
imperialists bring the world to a new world conflagration, the peoples should
respond with revolutionary war, with the struggle of the masses to put an end to
this system, to win a new world, one of the workers, socialism and communism, as
the only form of winning true peace.
Historic experience
has shown us that for the triumph of the revolution it is necessary to count on
a strong mass movement, a powerful proletarian vanguard and an adequate
instrument which guarantees the exercise of the revolutionary violence of the
masses in response to the violence unleashed by the ruling classes. Without
these one cannot succeed in the strategic objectives that inspire us. We
revolutionaries work in the present phase by accumulating forces for the
revolution.
The social
revolution is the work of the masses, and in such movement the working class
plays the vanguard role. But it must bring in other popular classes and sectors,
putting forth a correct policy of unity, which guarantees its political and
ideological leadership. In the fight against imperialism it seeks to form a
broad anti-imperialist front, which will develop in action, in the struggles in
each of our trenches and in the coordinated activities that the peoples are
unfolding on a regional and international level.
The revolutionary
organizations should take particular interest in the youth, in order to
integrate them into the anti-imperialist, democratic and revolutionary struggle
and incorporate more of them into our ranks.
We, the below-named
organizations, reiterate our internationalist conviction, our commitment to the
working class of our countries and to the international proletariat.
We have come to
agreement on these positions in the framework of the 6th International Seminar
Problems of the Revolution in Latin America, the scene of frank and open
discussion with mutual respect. This will take place again next year.
Quito, July 19,
2002
Marxist Leninist
Party of Germany
Revolutionary Communist Party, Argentina
Workers Party of Belgium
Revolutionary Communist Party, Brazil
Communist Party of Colombia – Marxist-Leninist
Communist Party of Labour, Dominican Republic
Ray O. Light Organization of the United States
Communist Party of Peru – Red Fatherland
Marxist-Leninist Communist Party of Ecuador
Democratic Popular Movement
Revolutionary Youth of Ecuador