Free Carmen Villalba! Joint statement by Communist Parties denounces the Paraguayan government

In a joint statement titled "For the validity of the rule of law: freedom for prisoners with completed sentences", Communist and Workers' Parties denounce the illegal detention of Carmen Villalba despite the fact that she has completed all her prison sentences.

The full statement, which was published on solidnet.org, is the following (in English and Spanish):

The undersigned Communist and Workers Parties denounce the Paraguayan government to the international community for the illegal detention of Carmen Villalba, who is still being held in the Asunción Women's Prison, in Paraguay, despite the effective fulfillment of her sentence.

Truth and Lies about the 1956 counterrevolution in Hungary

"In autumn 1956, Hungary announced its withdrawal from the Warsaw Pact, but Soviet troops invaded the country and suppressed the uprising." 

 

"In 1968 the Czechoslovak attempt to distance itself from Moscow was met with an invasion of the country by the member states of the Warsaw Pact.”

(Greek History book, 3rd grade of High School) 70

Communists back Tel Aviv SlutWalk against sexual violence

About 2,000 participants marched in a SlutWalk in Tel Aviv on Friday, October 15, protesting sexual violence, discrimination and victim-blaming.  

 

Participants, among them members of the Young Communist League of Israel, shouted slogans such as: “I believe you,” while carrying signs with pictures of sex offenders and major streets across the city were blocked as demonstrators made their way to the main rally at Habima Square.

Monument dedicated to Yuri Gagarin unveiled in Portugal

The bust of the legendary Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, the first man who traveled to space in 1961, was unveiled in the Oeiras municipality of the Lisbon metropolitan area in Portugal.

The bronze bust, which was placed in the Tagush Park Technopark, was presented to the city by the International Charitable Foundation “Dialogue of Cultures – One World”, while the event was attended by the Russian Ambassador in Portugal.

PAME: Solidarity with the workers' strikes in the USA

John Deree employees protest in Davenport, Iowa.

In a statement of solidarity towards the recent mobilizations and strikes by workers throughout the United States, the All-Workers Militant Front (PAME), Greece's class-based union movement, stresses out:

"PAME, which represents the class union movement of Greece, a member of the WFTU, expresses solidarity with the workers in the USA who are in various mobilizations, strikes and protests, claiming Collective Agreements with salary increases in many sectors.

EU's concern for the rise of far-right extremism and racism is hypocritical, says KKE MEP

KKE MEP Kostas Papadakis speaking in Strasbourg.

“The organized struggle of the people against the system that generates fascism can isolate the criminal-fascist gangs, said Kostas Papadakis, MEP of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), highlighting the hypocrisy of the European Union on the matter, during his intervention at the Plenary of the EU Parliament in Strasbourg.

Speaking at the debate concerning the “rise of the right-wing extremism and racism in Europe” on October 20th, the KKE MEP pointed out:

Flashback: Remembering the 2011 murderous attack against PAME rally in Athens

Today, 20 October, marks the 10th anniversary of the organized murderous attack unleashed by parastatal groups, anarchists, fascists and other provocateurs against the huge rally of PAME and trade unions in Athens in 2011. Back then, as a response to the anti-people measures taken by the PASOK government, the All-Workers Militant Front (PAME) and class-oriented trade unions and workers' associations had organized enormous strike mobilizations on 19-20 October throughout Greece,

Dutch communists condemn police violence against housing protesters in Rotterdam

Under the slogan "Houses for people, not profit," more than 7,000 people from all over the country gathered on Sunday in the city of Rotterdam for a national housing rally named "Woonopstand".

The demonstrators denounced the long waiting lists for social housing, the high prices in the private rental sector, the owner-occupied market, and the rising number of homeless people. 

"Farewell" to Colin Powell

Bolivia's jailed dictator Jeanine Áñez nominated for EU's Sakharov Prize!

The story behind the European Parliament's so-called “Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought” is known. Each year, the EU Parliament awards the Sakharov Prize to “honour” “exceptional individuals and organisations” who supposedly defend “human rights” and “fundamental freedoms”. 

 

Nonetheless, the actual aim behind this “award” is the attempt of the European Union to present herself as a “defender of human rights”, to reward the stooges of imperialism and to promote anti-communism. 

Mexico's AMLO government orders brutal crackdown against striking workers

Right: President Obrador with business magnate Carlos Slim

Since the early hours of yesterday, October 12, the more than 5,000 workers who are building the Dos Bocas refinery, in the Mexican state of Tabasco, began a protest against the ICA Fluor employer, owned by Carlos Slim, businessman affiliated to the current social democratic government headed by Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO).

It is the second mobilization of workers so far this year, who do not stop demanding compliance with their labor rights, especially the reduction of their working hours, the payment of overtime and other basic rights.

KKE denounces the new Greece-US military agreement

In a press release on the amendment of the “Greece–US defence agreement” and the statements of Ministers of Foreign Affairs Nikos Dendias and Anthony Blinken in Washington DC, the Press Office of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) stresses the following:

“The so-called defence —but in reality extremely aggressive— agreement between Greece and the USA constitutes a dangerous development that further entangles our country in the US and NATO war plans in the wider region. Besides, the reference of the US Secretary of State to Greece's contribution to the war in Afghanistan foreshadows many new cases like Afghanistan, with the active participation of Greece. 

Chilean Communist Party condemns police violence against Mapuche people

With the declaration of a state of emergency, police repression and militarization of four provinces Chilean President Sebastián Piñera responds to the extensive demonstrations by indigenous Mapuche groups.

The Mapuches, which are the main indigenous group in Chile, are claiming the lands they have lived off for centuries and now are under the control of large domestic and foreign farming and forestry companies. 

California: A communist for Long Beach City Council

Good news come from California and especially Long Beach where a Communist Party (CPUSA) member is running for the City Council elections on June 2022. 

 

Steven Estrada, a community organizer and U.S. Army Veteran, is candidate for District 1 and, if elected, he would serve a four-year term alongside eight others representing different council members, People's World reports. 

Greece-US agreement on military bases must be cancelled!

By Nikos Mottas.

Today, Thursday 14 October, Greece's Minister of Foreign Affairs visits Washington DC in order to sign the the second Protocol of Amendment of the Greek-US Mutual Defense Cooperation Agreement (MDCA) with his U.S counterpart, Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

The right-wing New Democracy government, continuing the “Strategic Dialogue” with the United States which was initiated by social democratic SYRIZA, promotes the renewal of the Greece-US Agreement on military bases for a period of 5 years and then its transformation indefinetely, as well as the installation of more military bases in many regions.

Swaziland: Solidarity with the students — Down with Mswati

"The military and police in Swaziland (Eswatini) have been deployed all over the country as students’ protests continued on Tuesday. During the Monday protests, the security forces shot, arrested and tortured students who defended their right to education", reads a statement by the Communist Party of Swaziland (CPS). 

Over 80 schools across Swaziland have been indefinitely shut down since the protests intensified in the last three weeks.

Iraqi communists boycott early elections, call for radical change

In a statement about the parliamentary elections in Iraq, the Iraqi Communist Party stresses out:

Iraq’s early parliamentary elections on 10 October 2021 were characterised by a very low turnout, at about 20%, confirming the fact that Iraqi voters have no confidence in an electoral system designed to perpetuate the corrupt ethno-sectarian power-sharing system that was installed after the US war and occupation of the country in 2003.

The Communist Party of Turkey on the Kurdish Issue

In a statement issued on 9 October, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) refers to the Kurdish Issue, stressing out that it must be analyzed from a class perspective. 

The full statement of the TKP is the following:

"A small segment of the population in Turkey possesses enormous wealth, while millions of people are struggling with poverty and unemployment.

USSR 2.0: Half of Russians would prefer the Soviet system

Thirty years after the counterrevolution and the restoration of capitalism in Russia, the prestige of socialism remains in high levels despite the waves of anti-communist propaganda.

 

A recent poll conducted by Levada Center comes to confirm that more and more Russians appreciate the significant achievements of the socialist period.

According to the survey, which was conducted between 19 and 26 August 2021, half of Russians (49%) would prefer the Soviet political system. This is the highest number since the early 2000s. Only 18% chose the current political system, while 16% believe that the best political system is “the Western model of democracy”. 

Czech Republic: Why did the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia fail in the elections?

For the first time since 1948, the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSČM) will not be represented in either house of the Czech government.

In this week's election in the Czech Republic, the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia took 3.62% of the votes with nearly all precincts reporting, less than the 5% needed to enter parliament.

“I am very disappointed because it is a really big failure,” said KSČM leader Vojtech Filip, who also resigned. 

Greek communists honored the exiled martyrs of Gyaros

Hundreds of communists, members and friends of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) participated in an emotional event in Gyaros island (also known as Gioura), honoring the memory of the thousands of exiled communists and left political dissidents who were imprisoned there from 1948 to 1974.

The event, which took place on Saturday 9 October, was organized by the KKE Party Organization of Attica. 

Italy in the streets: General Strike on October 11th

In a statement the Italian USB Trade Union (Unione Sindacale di Base), jointly with other class oriented trade unions and workers' association, has proclaimed a General Strike, for both public and private sector, throughout the country on October 11th. 

The statement reads:

The Draghi government has literally removed from the economic recovery plan of the country the interests of Italian workers. With the complicit support of CGIL, CISL and UIL, the layoffs have been unlocked, starting a wave of redundancies, relocations and heavy restructuring throughout the private sector.

Solidarity with the working people and the CP of Venezuela (PCV) against the attack on its political and electoral rights

In a joint statement more than 25 Communist and Workers' Parties from all over the world express their solidarity with the working people and the Communist Party of Venezuela (PCV). Among others, the statement denounces the recent anti-communist attacks in the National Assembly against PCV General Secretary Óscar Figuera.

The full statement (in English and Spanish) is the following: 

Communists in Vienna: "We are not paying for your crisis!"

“We are not paying for your crisis”. Under this campaign slogan, the Party of Labour of Austria (PdA) organized on Saturday 3 October a political rally at the headquarters of the Chamber of Commerce at Wiedener Hauptstrasse in Vienna. In the coming weeks and months the party will intervene with a campaign which, among others, will focus on the collective bargaining and will try to expose the treacherous role of the social democratic labor aristocracy.

Speeches at the PdA rally were delivered by Tibor Zenker, the party's chairman, as well as Raffael Schöberl, former chairman of the Communist Youth of Austria (KJÖ).