2024 Venezuelan presidential election: Manuel Isidro Molina will be the communist alternative to Maduro

The second phase of the XVI National Conference of the Communist Party of Venezuela (PCV) held on Sunday, March 17, agreed "to propose to the Venezuelan people, in particular to its working class and to the allied forces of the popular, authentically democratic, patriotic, anti-imperialist and revolutionary camp the presidential candidacy of journalist Manuel Isidro Molina.” 

The announcement was made by the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the PCV, Oscar Figuera in a public statement to the media after the meeting of one of the highest leadership bodies of the Venezuelan communists. 

Would Putin endorse a Pinochet-like dictatorship in Russia?

Russian President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin has been re-elected for a fifth term with a  record 87% of the vote thus reaffirming his indisputable dominance in the country's political arena. 

 

The Russian elections took place in the midst of the imperialist war in Ukraine and while the government has silenced any political power that opposes the “Special Military Operation”. Therefore, there couldn't be any presidential candidate who would express a different view concerning the strategic choices of Putin's government. The President's “opponents”, including Nikolai Kharitonov of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF), were all lined up behind the Kremlin's strategy.

 

100th anniversary of El Machete, the newspaper of Mexico's communists

The 15th of March 2024 marks the 100th anniversary of the first issue of "El Machete", the official gazette of the Communist Party of Mexico (Partido Comunista of Mexico). The historic newspaper was born as the organ of the Union of Technical Workers, Painters and Sculptors of Mexico, members of which were Diego Rivera, David Alfaro Siqueiros, José Cle Orozco and Xavier Guerrero. 

On May 1, 1925, El Machete became the Central Organ of the Communist Party, Mexican Section of the Communist International, thus becoming a tool for the organization of the Party and the working class under the conception.Marxist-Leninist of the revolutionary press.

Aleka Papariga — Lenin on the role of the revolutionary vanguard, the Communist Party

By Nikos Mottas.

On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Vladimir Ilyich Lenin's death, an important event titled “Lenin on the role of the revolutionary vanguard, the Communist Party” was organized on Wednesday 13 March in the fully-packed “Studio” cinema, in the heart of Athens. 

The keynote speaker was Aleka Papariga, the former General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), former MP and currently member of the CC. The speech was followed by the screening of the 1937 Mikhail Romm classic film “Lenin in October”. 

Communist Party of Turkey: 14 Communist Principles for Municipal Elections

As the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) prepares for the local elections on March 31 (check out here TKP's major candidacies), it declares that it will act with the following principles wherever a communist municipality will be actualized:

1. For communists, the main goal in municipalities is first and foremost to open channels for the people, who are becoming increasingly conscious of their organization, to participate in governance.

Mass rally of the KKE in Athens: No participation of Greece in NATO’s abattoir of war!

The General Secretary of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece, Dimitris Koutsoumbas, was the main speaker at the mass rally held by the KKE outside the Greek parliament on Monday 11 March.

In his speech, D. Koutsoumbas called on the people to break the omerta that the New Democracy government and all other parties are trying to impose on the involvement of our country in the imperialist wars raging in the region and in all the dangerous plans of the USA and NATO. “The message that the New Democracy government and the warmongering EU will receive in the coming elections, should be much more resounding! The only ballot paper that can carry this anti-war message across Europe is that of the KKE”, he stressed.

Portugal Elections 2024: Poor performance for the Communist Party, while the far-right rises

Bad news come from Portugal, following March 10 parliamentary elections. The Unitary Democratic Coalition, comprised of the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) and the Greens, received 3,30% (approximately 203,000 votes), which marks a regression in relation to the 2022 results (4,39% and 236,600 votes).

Unfortunately, it seems that, among others, the Portuguese Communist Party pays the price for its political support – also known as Geringonça - towards the social democratic governments of Antonio Costa in 2015-2019 which cultivated empty promises to the working class but ultimately led to disappointment. 

The Communist International, its dissolution and the international struggle of communists today

Article by the International Commission of the Kommunistische Organisation:

80 years ago, on May 15, 1943, in the midst of the Second World War and shortly after the victory of the Red Army in Stalingrad, the dissolution of the Communist International was announced. 

The dissolution of the Communist International (Comintern for short) was announced and implemented a short time later. The joint international organization of Communists, which had been founded under Lenin’s leadership and had organized, supported and coordinated the struggle of the world communist movement for 24 years, no longer existed. An equivalent replacement for it was never created again.

Mitsotakis' anti-communist rant against the KKE

By Nikos Mottas

Today, Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis couldn't hide his disturbance for the fact that the Communist Party (KKE) leads the struggle against the monstrous bill which establishes private universities. For that reason he resorted to hideous anti-communism, unleashing slanders against the KKE.

The pretext behind Mitsotakis' rant was yesterday's speech of KKE's General Secretary Dimitris Koutsoumbas who exposed and denounced phenomena of extreme exploitation of female and male students in Nordic countries due to the commercialization of High Education. More specifically, Secretary Koutsoumbas criticized the so-called “Scandinavian model”, saying: 

International Working Women’s Day 2024: Statement by the European Communist Action

Statement of the European Communist Action (ECA) on the International Working Women's Day:

"International Working Women’s Day symbolises the process of emancipation of working-class women. It is inseparable from class struggle and the fight against the ever-worsening conditions of inequality experienced by women, which cannot be decoupled from the capitalist system in which we live.

93rd anniversary of the Communist Party of Venezuela

On March 5, 1931, under the most adverse conditions of persecution and political extermination, the first communist branch was formed in Venezuela. Since then, 93 years of consistent struggle for the definitive emancipation of the working class from the yoke of capital have passed.

The efforts and contributions of the Communist Party of Venezuela (PCV) to the organization of the working people of the city and the countryside for the conquest of political, social and labor rights, constitute deeds of ample recognition that no power can erase from history or from the memory of our people. Nor can the firm and intransigent struggle against imperialism of the Venezuelan communists be hidden.

Was Stalin poisoned by the West? Communist Party in Russia calls for probe over Soviet leader's death

On the occasion of the 71st death anniversary of Joseph Stalin, the "Communists of Russia" party, appealed to the FSB and the Prosecutor General's Office of the Russian Federation with a request to check the possible involvement of Western intelligence services in the death of the great Soviet leader, RIA Novosti reported. 

“The party appealed with a request to check the possible involvement of Western intelligence services in the death of Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin,” says Sergey Malinkovich, chairman of the party.

Rizospastis: Greek government's participation in EU Red Sea mission serves the interests of Greek capital

Article published in Rizospastis, Organ of the CC of the KKE, on Tuesday 5 March 2024:

"Since last Sunday (3/3), the frigate Hydra has been sailing in the dangerous waters of the Red Sea.

Its participation in the European and Euro-Atlantic naval mission confirms that the bourgeoisie does not hesitate to involve the people in military adventures, even to lead them into war, in order to defend its interests and those of its US-NATO allies.

Is There a Future for the Left?

By Greg Godels

"…the Left narrative, no matter how accurate and intellectually powerful it may be, cannot expect to catch the imagination of the citizenry without including a vision for a real alternative future. Moreover, working-class institutions need to be reinstituted for the enhancement of class consciousness and authentic socialist parties need to be rediscovered for the Left narrative to become politically effective. Social movements are important, but their actions rarely have lasting effects. Only political parties can succeed in forging the Left narrative into the policy agenda and turn it into a programmatic plan for social change. 

Communist Party of Sweden to participate in European Elections, presents list of candidates

In order to strengthen the Party even further and bring forward the communist alternative, the Communist Party of Sweden (SKP) has decided to stand in June's European Parliament elections with its own ballot.

As SKP's Riktpunkt portal reports, “for the second time in the history of Sweden there is a revolutionary alternative in the European Parliament elections”, thus giving to the country's working people the opportunity to vote something different other than the system's parties. 

 

European Communist Action Conference: We intensify the struggle for women's emancipation, against the EU and the system of capitalist exploitation and imperialist wars

The European Communist Action (ECA) held a conference titled "We intensify the struggle for women's emancipation, against the EU and the system of capitalist exploitation and imperialist wars" on the occasion of International Women's Day (March 8). You can find below the contributions of 11 Communist Parties on the issue:

The Opening Speech of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE): 

10 years since the Euromaidan in Ukraine: Revolution or foreign-backed Coup?

By Nikos Mottas

This February marked the tenth anniversary since the so-called “Euromaidan” events in Ukraine and the subsequent coup d' etat which, backed by the US and the EU, led to the overthrow of the then pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych. 

Apart from the rise of far-right, reactionary forces in Ukraine's political leadership, the 2014 coup became the starting point for the 2022 Russian military invasion and the ongoing imperialist war. 

KKE on EU Parliament's Resolution for Navalny's death

Concerning the European Parliament's resolution on the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny ("JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the murder of Alexei Navalny and the need for EU action in support of political prisoners and oppressed civil society in Russia"), the EU Parliament Group of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) underlines with particular concern “the fierce geo-political competition, the intentions and the evolving dangerous games surrounding Navalny's death”, part of which is the relevant resolution of the EU Parliament”. 

 

Tudeh Party of Iran: Statement on the forthcoming "elections" of the Islamic Parliament and the Assembly of the Experts

In a statement concerning the the forthcoming "elections" of the Islamic Parliament and the Assembly of the Experts, the CC of the Tudeh Party of Iran stresses out:

"Dear conscious compatriots, workers, and toilers!

Progressive and freedom-loving forces of Iran!

The twelfth "election" of the Islamic Parliament and the sixth "election" of the Assembly of Experts will take place on 1 March.  According to a report by the Ministry of Interior of the Islamic Republic of Iran, more than 11,000 individuals (52% of registered applicants) were approved by the vetting process [to stand as candidates] and the results [of the vetting] were sent to them via text message by the "National Elections Headquarters" on 5 January.  

Revolutionary Komsomol: Statement on the second anniversary of the imperialist war in Ukraine

In a statement about the two years since the imperialist war in Ukraine, the Central Committee of the Revolutionary Communist Youth League of Russia (Bolsheviks) stresses out the following:

Two years ago, on February 24, 2022, Russia’s Special Military Operation (SMO) on the territory of Ukraine has begun. 

Since the beginning of the SMO, the RKSM(b) has issued a number of statements devoted to the problems of combat operations on the territory of Ukraine. We list them below:

Charlie Biton, Israeli Black Panthers founder and long-time Hadash MP, dies at 76

Charlie Biton, former Hadash member of Knesset for more than 15 years and one of the founders of the Mizrachi protest movement Black Panthers, died on Saturday evening, February 24, aged 76. He was the first Israeli MP who met the historic leader of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), Yasser Arafat, in 1980. 

Biton founded the Israeli Black Panthers in 1971 in response to class and ethnic discrimination faced by Israelis of Middle Eastern and North African descent.

Colombian Communist Party denounces assassination of party member Ludivia Galindez Jiménez

In a statement issued on 25 February 2024, the Colombian Communist Party (Partido Comunista Colombiano) denounces the assassination of Ludivia Galindez Jiménez, a militant member of the local party leadership in the region of Caquetá.

Jiménez was a staunch defender of human rights and president of the Association of Community Action Boards of the municipality of La Montañita, as well as a leading member of the Standing Committee for the Defense of Human Rights (CPDH). 

Putin and the unbearable hypocrisy of the West

By Nikos Mottas

Since the fall of the Soviet Union, western imperialism always seeks for a “boogeyman” in order to justify its crimes: In 1991 and 2003 it was Saddam Hussein, in 1998 it was Slobodan Milosevic, in 2001 Osama Bin Laden, in 2011 Muamar Qaddafi, in 2013 Bashar Al-Ashad and so on. 

During the last two years, as a consequence of the imperialist war in Ukraine, the role of the villain in global politics has been given to Russia's President, Vladimir Putin. 

Turkey's Communist Party nominates journalist Orhan Gökdemir to run for Istanbul mayor

In a meeting held at Nazim Hikmet Cultural Center in Istanbul, the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) presented its candidates for the local elections that are scheduled to take place on 31 March 2024. 

TKP General Secretary Kemal Okuyan underlined: “We are a Marxist party. We know that it is the central political power that will change everything. "However, local elections offer the opportunity to create some cracks in the order", he said.