Brazilian Communist Party launches Sofia Manzano as pre-candidate for 2022 presidential election

In a statement, the Brazilian Communist Party (PCB) announced that Sofia Manzano will be its pre-candidate for the presidential elections that are scheduled to take place on 2 October 2022. 

 The full statement in English and Portuguese is the following:

The Central Committee of the Brazilian Communist Party (PCB), meeting this weekend, decided to launch professor Sofia Manzano as a pre-candidate for the presidency of the Republic. Economist, PhD in Economic History from USP and PCB activist since the age of 17, Sofia Manzano is a professor at the State University of Southwest Bahia (UESB) and has a long trajectory in the struggles of youth and the trade union movement. 

KKE condemns the murder of two Greek expats in Ukraine

In a statement, the Press Office of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) condemns the murder of two Greek expatriates and the injury of two others by Ukrainian troops in the village Graninta in Eastern Ukraine. 

According to the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, those responsible for the double homicide are three soldiers of the Ukrainian army, who argued with the Greeks over a trivial cause. The statement (here in Greek) of the Communist Party reads: 

14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Australia

The Communist Party of Australia (CPA) celebrates its 14th National Congress on 25-27 February 2022 with the slogan “Build the Party for a Socialist Future”. 

The slogan recognises the strategic role of the Communist Party in the seizure of power and the building of socialism.

The CPA turned 101 years of existence on 30th October 2021 and we continue to be committed to build on the experience accumulated over a century of struggle for the Australian working class.

Communist Party of Canada on "Freedom Convoy": A far-right, dangerous movement for the working class

In a statement about the so-called "Freedom Convoy", the Central Executive Committee of the Communist Party of Canada points out:

Communist Party of Canada views the “Freedom Convoy” as a public expression of the increasingly organized and assertive far right. The clear links between the organizers of the convoy and far-right networks indicate that this is not a spontaneous working-class demonstration. On the contrary, it is part of a global phenomenon: the rise and mainstreaming of the far right, which is demonstrated by the strong support (ideologically and financially) from the US far right and circles close to Donald Trump and the Jan. 6th insurrection.

Spain: PCTE communists expose government's celebrations over minimum wage increase

Spain will increase the national minimum wage by 3.6% to 1,167 euros ($1,334) per month, Labour Minister Yolanda Diaz said on Wednesday. Calling the increase “a very important milestone”, Diaz said that seeking to compete with other nations by pushing down salaries in the past had led to a weak economy and precarious businesses, and was profoundly unjust.

The social democratic government of Pedro Sanchez is trying to present this decision as a great success of pro-people policy. However the rise of inflation alone diminishes the increase and the minimum wage remains below the poverty line.

18th WFTU Congress to be held in Rome on 6-8 May 2022

In a statement, the Secretariat of the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) has announced that its 18th Congress will take place in Rome on 6-8 May 2022. More specifically, the statement points out:

The WFTU Presidential Council which met on 1&2 February 2022 announced the organization of the 18th World Trade Union Congress in Rome, Italy, on 6, 7 and 8 of May 2022, under the slogan: “United, we continue! For the satisfaction of our contemporary needs, against imperialist-capitalist barbarity!”

Communist Parties' participation in bourgeois governments is a deeply erroneous strategy

By Nikos Mottas.

Every time a Communist Party compromised the aim of workers' power in order to participate (or support) a “progressive”, “left-wing”, “anti-capitalist”, “anti-fascist” etc, bourgeois government the results were utterly disappointing, leading to ideological degeneration and disintegration of the workers-popular movement.

A few days ago, the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP), a party with significant history, paid the price of its participation in the “progressive” government of the Socialists, by receiving a rather disappointing 4.4% and four seats in the legislative elections. This result marks an almost 2% loss compared to the 2019 election. 

Interview of Andreas Sörensen, chairman of the Communist Party of Sweden, to Left Magazine

Andreas Sörensen, chairman of the Communist Party of Sweden (SKP), was recently interviewed by the Sri Lankan "Left Magazine" (here in Swedish). Below you can read the full interview in English:

— First of all, we would like to make our readers aware of the Communist Party of Sweden, its history and current activities. It would also be useful if you could give a brief overview of its basic political and organizational objectives.

COSCO dockworkers in Piraeus defy police and threats, held 24-hour massive strike

“We will not yield to their intimidation, no worker shall stand alone, not a step back from the right to strike and the defence of our rights” is the message sent by the COSCO workers who are on strike at the Piraeus port in Greece. 

“The strike is extremely successful. Very few workers have gone to work, who will soon join us”, announced the administrative board of ENEDEP (Container Handling Workers’ Trade Union at the Piers of Piraeus).

Brazil: Communists bid farewell to Maria Prestes

"Maria Prestes: Present, today and always" reads a statement signed by Edmilson Costa, General Secretary of the Brazilian Communist Party (PCB). 

The widow of long-time Brazilian communist leader Luiz Carlos Prestes, died on Friday in Rio de Janeiro due to complications from Covid-19. She was 92 years old. “A communist proud of her battle and the most great grandmother anybody might ever have,” Maria’s granddaughter wrote on Twitter. 

Okuyan: "The Communist Party of Turkey will not enter into an alliance with any party of existing social order"

Interview with Kemal Okuyan, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP), on the recent extraordinary conference and political debates on the opposition, by journalist Özlem Temenna:

— The Communist Party of Turkey shared the resolutions taken at the extraordinary conference with the press. The title of the conference was declared as “One More Step Further”. What kind of roadmap did you employ while preparing the conference resolutions? What kind of a country did you call the masses for? 

12th Congress of the Communist Party of Bangladesh

The Twelfth Congress of the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) will take place on 25-26 February 2022, the Party's Central Committee has announced.

The Congress was due to held on 10-13 February but it was rescheduled due to Coronavirus pandemic. 

CPB President Mujahidul Islam Selim and General Secretary Comrade Mohammad Shah Alam called upon all party members and workers to make the Twelfth Congress a success on the rescheduled date. 

The KKE, USSR and Sergey Radchenko's anti-communism

By Nikos Mottas.

Recently, the name of Sergey Radchenko made headlines in Greece's media. A historian and professor at John Hopkins University, Radchenko posted on his personal Twitter account “declassified documents” from the Russian State Archives concerning the relations of the Communist Parties of Greece (KKE) and the Soviet Union (USSR), as well as the struggle of the communist-backed Democratic Army of Greece (DSE) during the 1946-1949 Civil War. 

Dimitris Koutsoumbas: "Capitalist growth, by definition, is anti-popular in any management formula"

Capitalist growth, by definition, is anti-popular in any management formula, stressed Dimitris Koutsoumbas, the GS of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), speaking in Parliament on 02/02/22, noting that ND and SYRIZA with their “development” laws compete over how they will distribute billions of euros to the few by crushing the people.

Speaking about the new “development” law, he highlighted that the mockery must end and that the tale of capitalist development is the same old story that does not convince anyone. He added that growth is here, but wages —average and minimum— remain stagnant because capitalist growth is based on the intensification of the exploitation of workers.

PCV: Maduro government is not socialist — Socialism has never been achieved in Venezuela

"This government is not socialist and in our country Socialism has never been achieved". Interview with Pedro Eusse, member of the Political Bureau of the CC of the Communist Party of Venezuela (PCV)

Within Venezuelan politics, there are many challenges to be faced by the parties, especially those of the left which are critical of the current system of government.

Among these parties is the Communist Party with its critical voice and which currently faces the contradictions of a country that can be read from various realities.

Swaziland's communists debunk misleading reports by the "Times of Swaziland"

The Communist Party of Swaziland (CPS) takes this opportunity to condemn the Times of Swaziland newspaper for publishing misleading information about the CPS Summer School held 17-27 December 2021.

About two weeks ago on its Sunday edition, the Times deliberately misled its readers that it had obtained a ‘leaked’ CPS document purporting that the CPS School was attended by first year William Pitcher College students. The Times claimed that the students were trained to sabotage the state by attacking and disarming the police, cutting electricity poles, cutting water pipes, conducting money heists, among other acts.

KKE honors the victims of the Holocaust

With immense respect the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) honors the victims of the Holocaust, noted KKE MP Giannis Delis during a special session in the Parliament dedicated to the Memory of the Jewish Holocaust.

As Delis pointed out, the millions of dead Jews during the Second Imperialist World War, stand by the 20 million dead Soviet people, alongside the liberation movements of the people of Europe who fought against the occupiers, next to the victims of Kandanos, Kalavrita, Distomo, Kommeno, next to the executed fighters of Chaidari and Kesariani. 

50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday — Statement by the Communist Party of Ireland

Bloody Sunday, 1972: Imperialism’s response to peaceful demands for democratic reforms

Anniversaries are an opportunity to dwell upon and learn from past events and struggles, to identify past successes and failures. Fifty years ago the British state carried out an organised and sanctioned attack on the anti-internment civil rights march in Derry organised by the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association, in which the CPI played a central role, helping to establish and build that mass movement of working people.

Turkish communists commemorated Mustafa Suphi: Mass events in Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir

With political events titled "TKP calls for a new Turkey", the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) honored on Saturday 29 January the memory of its founder Mustafa Suphi. 

Events, with both political and cultural programs, took place in the country's three largest cities, Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir, with the participation of numerous party members and supporters, soL portal reported.

The event in Ankara was attended by the TKP General Secretary Kemal Okuyan who delivered a speech in memory of Mustafa Suphi and his 14 comrades who were killed in 1921. 

KKE in EU Parliament: Question about the shameful banning of the Romanian Communist Party

On the 21st of December 2021 the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled against the registration of the Romanian Communist Party (RCP) thus adopting the preposterous decision of Romania's national courts according to which “the PCR program and status ignored democratic values and the country's socio-political evolution after 1989” and “allowed totalitarian (sic) and extremist actions that could undermine national security, posed dangers to democratic values”. 

KKE: Open letter about the Resolution of the CP of Spain — On the confrontation between USA, NATO, EU and Russia

Open letter of the International Relations Section of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) about the Resolution of the CP of Spain (PCE).

In recent days, the confrontation between the USA–NATO–EU and Russia is sharpening. The deployment of large military forces throughout the region from the Baltic to the Black Sea is accompanied by negotiations between these forces.

The KKE and other Communist and Workers’ Parties are following the developments. Our Party was placed with a Statement of its Press Office, published in Rizospastis on 22/1/22, which can be found here: http://inter.kke.gr/en/articles/On-the-dangerous-escalation-between-the-forces-of-Euro-Atlanticism-and-Russia/.

Aspects of the ideological–political struggle in the ranks of the international communist movement

Article by the International Relations Section of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) about the recent international teleconference of the CPs:

Recently, in conditions of an ongoing 5th wave of the pandemic, an Extraordinary Teleconference of the International Meeting of Communist and Workers’ Parties was held under the responsibility of the CP of Greece (KKE) and the CP of Turkey (TKP). The developments confirm that bourgeois governments were not able to tackle the coronavirus pandemic to the benefit of the workers. Moreover, the restrictions on travelling from one country to another hindered in-person meetings. This negative development is rooted in the enormous deficiencies in the public healthcare systems as a result of the anti-popular policy followed by governments serving the capital. 

Fadi Kassem, the communist alternative in French elections

Numerous candidates will participate in the French presidential election which will take place on 10 April 2022. From current President Macron to Paris' mayor Anne Hidalgo and from leftist Jean-Luc Mélenchon to far-right demagogues Marine Le Pen and Eric Zemmour, all presidential candidates share a common characteristic: They are all committed to serve the bourgeois political system and protect the capitalist order in France. 

But there is an interesting exception: The candidacy of Fadi Kassem on behalf of the Pole of Communist Revival in France (Pôle de Renaissance Communiste en France, PRCF), who expresses the "Red and Tricolor Alternative" in the presidential race, proposing a "frankly communist" political programme. 

Communist Party in State Duma calls Putin to recognize Donbass republics

CPRF's Gennady Zyuganov.

The Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF) fraction in the State Duma and its leader Gennady Zyuganov on Wednesday submitted to the Duma a draft message from the lower house to President Vladimir Putin for the recognition of the Donetsk and Lugansk self-proclaimed republics. The draft was uploaded to the State Duma’s electronic database.

As follows from the draft, the Communists want the State Duma to address the head of state "with a request for considering the recognition of the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Lugansk People’s Republic as independent and sovereign states."