Solidarity with the struggle of the workers and people in the USA - Statements by WFTU, PAME

Responding to the news of the racist murder of George Floyd by a police officer in Minneapolis, the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) issued the following statement on May 30th:

The World Federation of Trade Unions expresses its solidarity and internationalism to the workers and unemployed of the USA.

We demand the immediate end of racist violence and state authoritarianism of the US government, which kills innocent citizens and protesters.

From Athens to Minneapolis: Greek Communist Youth protest George Floyd's murder

Under the slogan “Capitalism means I can’t breathe”, hundreds of members and supporters of the Communist Youth of Greece (KNE), the youth wing of the KKE, participated on Monday in protests against the murder of African American George Floyd in Minneapolis.

In Athens, the mobilization of KNE took place outside the U.S. embassy where the young communists shouted slogans against the barbarity and repression of the capitalist system. Some of the slogans were “War, poverty, racism, this is capitalism” and “Capitalists’ democracy means repression and violence for the people”. 

George Floyd's Murder: U.S. Communist and Left Parties in solidarity with the protesters

The brutal murder of African American George Floyd by a white police officer in Minneapolis on May 25 has sparked a wave of protests across the United States. 

Thousands of people took the streets of Minneapolis and other major U.S. cities, demonstrating against police repression and demanding justice for Floyd and the other victims of police brutality.

Since the tragic incident became known, several communist and left political forces in the U.S. have strongly condemned the murder of George Floyd, expressing their solidarity and support to the protesters across the country. Below you can read some of the statements: 

Not Populism, Not Socialism, but Communism Will Get It Done

By Charles Andrews.

The ruling classes of developed countries get a lot of pushback these days from the masses they hold in contempt. The voters whom U.S. presidential candidate Hillary Clinton insulted as “deplorables” went and put Donald Trump in the Oval office in 2016, daring to elect someone who was not a vetted ruler of capitalism. Then his near opposite, self-identified socialist Bernie Sanders, came back stronger than ever for the 2020 presidential primaries. Socialism has become a recognized political stance that cannot be red-baited off the stage. 

George Floyd's Murder — Capitalism means I can't breathe...

In a statement issued on Friday, the youth wing of the KKE, the Communist Youth of Greece (KNE), condemns the heinous murder of 46 year-old African-American jobless man George Floyd by a white police officer in Minneapolis, USA. 

More specifically, the statement of the Press Bureau of the Central Council of KNE points out:

Berlinguer: A good man, but not a communist

The following article was written by Marco Rizzo, General Secretary of the Communist Party, Italy (Partito Comunista) and published in "l'Unità" newspaper in November 11, 2015 under the title "Berlinguer, un brava persona ma non comunista". 

The article is a reminder of the deeply reactionary and reformist nature of Eurocommunism, a prominent founder and promoter of which was Enrico Berlinguer.

By Marco Rizzo.

There is always a beginning. We ask ourselves: What brought to consumption the great historical and political experience of Italy’s communists? What led Antonio Gramsci’s party to become today’s party of Matteo Renzi?

KKE: The joint action and coordination of the Communist Parties under pandemic conditions

The following article was published in "Rizospastis", the official newspaper of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), on 23 May 2020.

By Elisaios Vagenas*.

The recent successful tele-conference held by the Communist and Workers’ Parties that cooperate within the framework of the European Communist Initiative, in which 24 parties from many European countries participate, constituted a new form of exchanging opinions and coordination of their efforts.

Chile's Right on the footsteps of Pinochet: The anti-democratic persecution of Hugo Gutiérrez

Chile's right-wing President Sebastian Piñera (left) and 
Communist Party MP Hugo Gutiérrez.

Fascist dictator Pinochet may be gone, but his political descendants of the Chilean right are following his footsteps. 

After the extreme repression and violent crackdown against the popular protests in October 2019, the reactionary government of Sebastian Piñera and its political allies intesify anti-communism and attacks on the people’s democratic rights. 

The target of these attacks is the Communist Party of Chile (Partido Comunista de Chile) and its activity. More specifically, during the last months, the bourgeois state mechanisms are trying to dismiss Communist Party deputy Hugo Gutiérrez. 

EastMed pipeline and the position of the KKE

THE POSITION OF THE KKE ON EAST-MED PIPELINE

The ruling right-wing party New Democracy, together with the "left" party SYRIZA, the Social Democratic Party KINAL/PASOK and the far-right party Hellenic Solution, aligning with the dirty plans of the USA - NATO - EU - Israel and having their eye on the "upgrade" of the bourgeoisie of Greece, voted on 15/05/20 in the Plenary Session of the Parliament the agreement for the gas pipeline "East Med" with concise procedures.

Charilaos Florakis Remembered: The story of a Greek communist leader

By Nikos Mottas.

It was the 22nd of May 2005 when Charilaos Florakis, General Secretary of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) from 1972 to 1991, passed away at the age of 91. Florakis' life and activity, identified with the history and struggles of the KKE, was devoted to the ideals of marxism-leninism.

Born in 1914 in Paliozoglopi, a small village in Thessaly, Charilaos Florakis became a member of OKNE, the Communist Party’s Youth Wing, in 1929. As an OKNE member and later as a student and active worker at the so-called “TTT” (Posts, Telegraphs, Telephone Offices) he began his political activity, during a socially and politically turbulent period for Greece. 

How the Indian communist-run state of Kerala successfully fought Coronavirus outbreak

The Indian state of Kerala has been a role model in the fight against Coronavirus pandemic. With a population of 34 million people, Kerala is governed by the ruling coalition of the Left Democratic Front (LDF), which is led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist). The state’s Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, is a member of the Communist Party’s Political Bureau. 

The communist party-run state has managed to contain COVID-19 spread better than most other Indian states. Kerala has reported only 4 deaths (COVID-19 related) with 600 cases after more than 3 months since the first outbreak of the virus in January. 

The "American Dream" in times of COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic revealed, in the most tragic way, the actual essence of the so-called “American Dream”. 

The images from the mass graves in Hart Island, the overloaded morgues, the utter failure of the U.S. health system to protect the people from the pandemic are characteristics of capitalism’s advanced decay. 

Mexico and COVID-19: Communist leader Pavel Blanco exposes Obrador's social democracy

The following text is a translated version of an article originally published in the weekend edition of "Rizospastis" on 9-10 May 2020. Pavel Blanco Cabrera, First Secretary of the CC of the Communist Party of Mexico (PCM), writes about the situation of the class struggle in the country, exposing the policies of the social democratic government of President López Obrador during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

By Pavel Blanco Cabrera.

International Communist Bulletin #2 2020

Week #2, May 2020

Who saved Europe from the Nazis? The Soviet Union's triumph and the falsification of history

By Nikos Mottas.

“Anyone who loves freedom, owes such a debt to the Red Army that it can never be repaid”. This phrase of Ernest Hemingway encompasses the whole symbolism of the 9th May 1945; the day of the Great Antifascist Victory of the people. 

The day when the red flag with the sickle and hammer raised over Reichstag, in Berlin, thus marking the triumph of the Red Army and the Soviet Union over the monster of Nazism.

European Communist Initiative: The slogan "Socialism or Barbarity" is more timely than ever

On May 10, 2020, a Teleconference of the parties of the European Communist Initiative was held, with the theme: "The struggle of the Communist and Labor Parties in the conditions of the pandemic and the new capitalist crisis".

The Teleconference was attended by 24 Communist and Labor Parties from Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Ireland,  Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Norway, Poland, Russia, Spain, Turkey and Ukraine.

SYRIZA’s hypocrisy has no limits

On the right side, the front page of SYRIZA's newspaper "Avgi".

What happens when hypocrisy and opportunism meet anti-communism? 

SYRIZA, Greece’s major social democratic party which governed the country between 2015 and 2019, provides us the best answer to the question. 

Last Saturday, 9th of May, the front page of SYRIZA’s party newspaper “Avgi” (Dawn) was dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the Great Antifascist Victory, depicting the iconic photo of the Soviet soldier waving the red flag in Berlin. 

75th Anniversary of the Victory over Nazis: Joint Statement of Communist and Workers' Parties

On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the historic Victory of May 9, 1945, Communist and Workers' Parties from all over the world issued a joint statement, pointing out the following:

In the name of freedom, peace and truth — Against fascism and war.

The victory over Nazi-fascism in the Second World War is a major event in History, the memory of which must be preserved and defended in the face of repeated attempts at historical falsification aimed at making us forget the decisive role played by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, by the communists and by anti-fascists from around the world. 

9 May 2020: The European Communist Initiative for the People's Great Antifascist Victory

Statement by the European Communist Initiative on the 75th anniversary of the Great Antifascist Victory of 9th May 1945:

75 years ago, the Red Army raised the Red Flag in the heart of Berlin,signaling the great anti-fascist victory of the peoples and the defeat of Nazism, after a hard and bloody struggle, led by the Soviet Union, to which decisively contributed many anti-fascist partisans and movements, led by the CPs, from many countries who responded to the call, committed to crush the reactionary forces headed by Italy and Germany.

Turkish musician Ibrahim Gökcek, member of Grup Yorum band, dies in hospital

Turkish music band Grup Yorum have announced that their bass guitarist Ibrahim Gökcek has died at the hospital where he was treated.

After Grup Yorum applied to the Governor's Office of Istanbul to hold a concert, Ibrahim Gökcek had decided to end his death fast on the 323rd day and he was taken to a hospital in an ambulance on May 5.

Gökcek was 40 years old. His wife Sultan Gökcek, whom he married five years ago, is still arrested in Istanbul's Silivri Prison.

International Communist Bulletin #1 2020

 Week #1, May 2020

Greece: PAME’s impressive May 1st rally caused nightmares to anti-communists

The impressive May Day rally in Athens / Photo: Reuters.

The great, eye-catching demonstration  organized by the All-Workers Militant Front (PAME) on May 1st in Athens' Syntagma Square caused nightmares to anti-communists and various apologists of capitalist barbarity. 

The enemies of the working class from all over the bourgeois political spectrum, from Golden Dawn's neo-Nazi criminals to conservative New Democracy MPs and from far-right charlatans to SYRIZA's social democrats, expressed their deep discomfort for the celebration of the International Workers’ Day.

Karl Marx's birth anniversary: 20 quotes by the philosopher who changed the world

Today marks the 202nd anniversary since the birth of the greatest of the philosophers, whose teachings changed the course of world's history. Karl Marx was born on 5 May 1818 in Trier, part of then Kingdom of Prussia. 

On the occasion of his 202th birth anniversary, we choosed from the treasury of his writings, 20 memorable quotes:

1. Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people.

Contribution to the Critique of Hegel's Philosophy of Right (1844).

KKE condemns the new intervention attempt by mercenaries against Venezuela

In a statement the International Relations Section of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) condemns the new infiltration attempt by mercenaries against Venezuela. 

More specifically the statement, which was published in 902 portal, reads:

“The KKE condemns the new intervention attempt in Venezuela by paramilitary group of mercenaries based in Colombia whose aim, according to the statements of the paramilitry group's leader in social media, was to cause sabotages and murder members of the Venezuelan government. The group of mercenaries-murderers was countered by Venezuela’s security forces.