In the city of Quito, from the July 9 to 13, there was held the XI International Seminar ‘Problems of the Revolution in Latin America’; this time it dealt with the theme: ‘The Left in Latin America: Problems and Perspectives’.
During this event, organised by our Party jointly with the MPD, an important internationalist debate was held with organisations and parties of the left from ten countries of the Americas: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Peru, United States of America, Venezuela and Ecuador, the host country. They all presented their reports about the advances of the thought and action of the left in Latin America.
What unified all the organisations was the desire to bring down capitalism, to advance rapidly to the establishment of scientific socialism, as the only guarantee to establish a new society, more just and more humane.
As part of the agenda two round table sessions were held, one on ‘The struggle of the workers and peoples against imperialism and the oligarchies’ and the other on ‘The alternative media and the processes of change’.
The debates brought out advances in the social struggle in each one of the participating countries, exchanging important experiences in the sustained fight against imperialism and the bourgeoisies of each of the Latin-American countries.
The Union of Popular Artists of Ecuador held a Musical Poetry Recital in honour of the international and national delegates, performing verses and songs of Latin American authors and especially of the revolutionary poet, Rafael Larrea.
This XI International Seminar concluded with success, approving the Final Statement and the particular Agreements listed below:
July 18, 2007
Six years ago – in October of 2001 – the first missiles fell on Kabul, marking the beginning of a new war unleashed by U.S. imperialism against the peoples of the world, this time under the pretext of ‘fighting international terrorism’. Then came the turn of Iraq, and the threat was extended to Iran, North Korea, Venezuela and Cuba. What imperialism thought would be a cakewalk through the Middle East became a nightmare; the occupation army has been bogged down and struck blows by the Iraqi resistance, which has the solidarity and encouragement of the peoples of the world.
The U.S. military machinery has aroused a popular movement all over the world, which at the same time as it condemned the military interventionism and promoted solidarity with the peoples attacked, made clear that the revival of the mass movement encompassed the five continents and even put into question the very structures of the ruling system.
The crisis of imperialism is enormous and can be seen in the difficulties for the recovery of its economy; in the problems in exercising control and rule over the dependent peoples and countries and in the angry inter-imperialist fights and disputes for control of markets, of the strategic natural resources and for a new redivision of the world. The United States is playing the role of world gendarme, but it is just as certain that other imperialist countries and blocs exist that are fighting to advance their positions, to open up markets for their capital and to expand their spheres of influence, although at specific moments they coincide or are forced to go along with the political-military plans of U.S. imperialism.
The crisis of the capitalist-imperialist system is unquestionable and the struggle of the workers and peoples against its harmful effects is taking place in all regions. Particularly in Latin America, based on the most varied forms of struggle, the peoples have faced, and in some cases defeated, the policies of structural adjustment and the regional plans of U.S. imperialism, such as the attempt to tie our economies to the U.S. through Free Trade Agreement or the unsuccessful FTAA [Free Trade Agreement of the Americas]. The neo-liberal policies have been isolated with the action of the masses in the cities and the countryside; the local pro-imperialist bourgeoisies have suffered sharp reverses and political blows, which has meant for them a loss of spaces.
In this region a change is taking place in the relationship of forces among the social classes and their political forces, and its main element can be seen in the development and growth of a democratic, progressive and left-wing current, characterised by its breadth and diversity, in which the revolutionary left has a presence and represents an option. This current has been formed in the midst of battles of the workers, youth, the indigenous peoples, the residents of neighbourhoods and rural areas, of men and women of the working classes, who have risen up against exploitation and for social change. It is seen in the blocking of highways, the regional and national strikes, the land seizures, the mobilisations for the departure of the transnational corporations that exploit our resources and for the expulsion of U.S. troops from the bases set up in various places on the continent, in the confrontation with State terrorism and its repressive ‘anti-terrorist’ laws, in the demands of a national character formulated by the indigenous peoples, in the confrontation with the military plans of the government of George Bush and his allies, and in many other forms. At the same time, it has been the basis for the electoral victories and maintenance in power of progressive and democratic governments such as those of Hugo Chavez in Venezuela, Evo Morales in Bolivia and Rafael Correa in Ecuador.
The perspective and certainty of social change is affirmed in the consciousness of the workers and peoples, encouraging them to political action and to continue their fights. This new reality is creating better conditions for the action of the organisations and parties of the revolutionary left, to draw the masses into the struggle for the revolution and socialism. In fact, in this new situation there are also forces and organisations with plans that, while appearing to be radical or interested in undermining the bourgeois order, do not cease to be working for the capitalist system, that is, they do not go beyond the search for spaces to share power with one or another bourgeois faction or just the expansion of democracy.
The strategic objective of the parties and organisations of the revolutionary left is not to lessen the suffering of the workers and much less to bring order to the capitalist system; we fight to put an end to wage slavery, which can only be done by seizing power, destroying the old capitalist state and building the society of the workers: socialism. There is no other alternative to resolve the great problems of humanity.
Of course, this is possible if our organisations and parties act according to revolutionary positions and principles, keeping committed to our programme and revolutionary policies; if we can achieve and maintain hegemony in the movement of the masses, stamping a strategic revolutionary content on their actions and struggles.
We are fighting for the revolution and socialism; we point out that in its content the revolution has a world connotation, but in its form it has national implications. We are working in conditions that are particular to each of our countries, to which we must give an answer – with proposals and actions – to their problems. We base ourselves on all forms of struggle that let us accumulate forces for the revolution, that strike blows at the enemy and bring closer the victory of our objectives, understanding that only the use of the organised violence of the masses will allow us to deal the final blows to defeat bourgeois-imperialist domination and to seize power.
It is clear that during the last years there have been significant changes in the world and in the capitalist-imperialist system itself; however, these have not eliminated the historic role of the working class as the fundamental and leading force of the revolutionary process that, guided and led by its political instrument, the revolutionary party of the proletariat, acts to draw the rest of the working classes, the peasantry, to the struggle to seize power.
The role played in these years by the youth is very important, their massive and combative incorporation into the popular struggles, their willingness to raise the banners of social transformation; thus our political organizations have the obligation to work with them for their ideological-political development, for the strengthening of their mass and political organisations and the promotion of cadres from their ranks. In them is the reserve of the revolution, its future; today they are a force of utmost importance.
In the field of revolutionary action and the democratic and progressive struggle our various organisations are taking up political and programmatic proposals that coincide in many aspects; we assume the need to work for unity of action to strengthen the struggle of the masses and to strike more strongly at the enemies of the revolution.
This call is based on a policy of principles and we invoke it also on the international level. The circumstances that the world is experiencing, the development of the popular movement and of the progressive, left-wing, revolutionary and Marxist-Leninist political organisations demand from us a more active internationalist action. In each one of our countries we are working to build a revolutionary mass movement that nourishes a similar movement on the international level that raises up the banners of anti-imperialism and anti-capitalism. We confirm the need to form a World Anti-Imperialist Front that is expressed – and in fact this is already happening – in action, in the mobilisation of the workers and peoples.
From this internationalist platform, we the organisations participating in this Seminar express our solidarity with all the peoples of the world who are fighting to win their social and national liberation and for their particular demands and political rights; with the democratic processes that are unfolding in Venezuela, Bolivia and Ecuador; with the struggle of the insurgent movements in Colombia, Philippines and Nepal; with the migrants who are fighting for their rights in the belly of the imperialist beast; with the revolutionaries and popular leaders who are imprisoned, for whom we demand freedom; we emphasise the resistance of the Cuban people to the U.S. blockade and their action in defending their revolution; we are with the resistance of the Iraqi people to expel the invaders from their territory and with the heroic fight of the Palestinian people against Israeli Zionism.
We make a commitment to the workers and peoples to persevere in the struggle; we are confident that we will emerge victorious in this battle, because we have history on our side and we count on the strength of the peoples.
Quito, July 13, 2007
Revolutionary Communist Party (Argentina)
Revolutionary Communist Party (Brazil)
Manuel Rodriguez Patriotic Front (Chile)
Popular Constituent Movement (Colombia)
Communist Party of Colombia (Marxist-Leninist)
Communist Party of Colombia – Maoist (PCC-M)
Popular Power and Unity (Colombia – Nariño Section)
People’s Liberation Army (Colombia)
International Front, Army of National Liberation (Colombia)
Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia FARC-EP
Communist Party of Labour (Dominican Republic)
Movement for Independence, Unity and Change (Dominican Republic)
Revolutionary Popular Front (Mexico)
Communist Party of Mexico (Marxist-Leninist)
Popular Democratic Front of Peru
Proletarian Party of Peru
Peruvian Communist Party Marxist Leninist
Movement of the Revolutionary Left (Peru)
Communist Party of Peru Red Fatherland
Ray O. Light Group (United States)
Proletarian Voice Gayones (Venezuela)
Utopia (Venezuela)
Socialist Platform (Venezuela)
Democratic Popular Movement (Ecuador)
Revolutionary Youth of Ecuador
Marxist Leninist Communist Party of Ecuador
Confederation of Women for Change (Ecuador)
Federation of University Students of Ecuador
Federation of Secondary Students of Ecuador
General Union of Workers of Ecuador
Popular Front (Ecuador)
United Federation of Affiliates of the Peasant Social Security (Ecuador)
Agreements and resolutions
Agreement of Solidarity and Support to the struggle of the peoples of Iraq and the Middle East against Yankee imperialism and Israeli Zionism.
Agreement of Solidarity and Demand for Freedom for the revolutionary political prisoners and prisoners of war of imperialism.
Solidarity and Freedom for the Five Patriots detained in Florida, USA, for fighting against anti-Cuban terrorist actions.
Demand the deportation to Venezuela of the terrorist and CIA agent, Luis Posada Carriles.
Condemnation of the conspiratorial actions of the large disinformation media of Venezuela with respect to shutting down the RCTV station by the Chavez government.
Agreement to organise celebrations of the 90th anniversary of the October Socialist Revolution in Russia.
Condemnation and demand for extradition to Peru and sanctions for the former dictator and genocidal ruler Alberto Fujimori.
Agreement to organise commemorations of the 40 years since the fall in battle of Comandante Che Guevara and his comrades.
Commemorations in February of the 160th Anniversary of the publication of the Communist Manifesto.
MPD Sends Letter to the Organisations and People of Colombia
Published July 26, 2007
We reproduce the letter send by the Democratic Popular Movement [of Ecuador] to the Colombian organisations and people refuting the statements of the government of that country.
Quito, July 23, 2007
Comrade leaders of: SINTRATELEFONOS [Union of Telephone Workers of Colombia], SINTRA UNICOL [Union of University Workers and Employees of Colombia], SINTRAEMCALI [Union of Workers of Municipal Enterprises of Cali], Movement for the Popular Constituent Assembly, Bogotá – Cali, Colombia.
In the name of the organisers of the XI International Seminar, Problems of the Revolution in Latin America, with the theme ‘The Left in Latin America, Problems and Perspectives,’ and in view of the misrepresentations that the President and Vice President of Colombia made about this Seminar as well as about the participants and the Final Declaration, we reaffirm to you and to the members of your organisations and to the people of Colombia, with the respect that you deserve and due to the delicacy of the proposed theme, the following:
1) That this International Seminar has been organised for eleven years in a public manner and open to the participation of all left-wing and popular political organisations.
2) That the organiser of this Seminar is the Democratic Popular Movement, a legally recognised political party in Ecuador, which has existed for 29 years.
3) That this year there were 32 organisations from ten countries, Colombia among them, who took part, either directly or with reports.
4) That at the end of this meeting a declaration was read that in the case that concerns us was not signed by any organisation from Colombia, because two of them, SINTRATELEFONOS and SINTRAEMCALI, had left two days previously because they had to attend to other commitments previously made in their country, and the delegates of SINTRAUNICOL and the Movement for the Popular Constituent Assembly resolved not to sign it.
5) That delegates of the FARC and the ELN were never accredited to the Seminar, but sent two reports that were read at the Seminar by Ecuadorians.
6) That the names that were published at the end of the declaration, includes the names of the parties and organisations who sent delegates or reports, the reason for which is that it is composed of the names of Colombian organisations on the document that is circulating on the Internet.
7) That therefore the statements of the President and Vice President of the Republic of Colombia are false and malevolent because they insinuate that this event was some sort of guerrilla-trade union conclave of organisations of that country or an apology for terrorism.
8) That we reject the attempt to use the Seminar as a pretext to repress the Colombian trade union comrades, to whom we express our solidarity; as well as the attempt of the Government of Colombia to utilise the Seminar as a smokescreen to hide from the judgment that the Ecuadorian government will be presenting at the Tribunal at The Hague for the irreparable damage caused by the Plan Colombia and the spraying on the northern frontier of Ecuador.
9) That we condemn the attempt of Alvaro Uribe to pressure the government of Ecuador to declare the guerrilla groups of that country to be terrorists, which has not been done by governments and States of more than 160 countries, in contrast to a minority made up of Bush and the countries of the European Community.
10) That we reiterate our commitment to continue struggling for the social and national liberation of our peoples to free them from the real terrorists who have drenched the Americas, Africa, Iraq, Palestine and the whole world in blood.
Fraternally,
Ciro Guzman Aldaz
National Director of the MPD
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