Imperialism's strategy of confrontation and aggression -- PCP

The Portuguese Communist Party on imperialism, EU and NATO militarism, US tariffs, Gaza, the war in Ukraine, anti-Communist historical revisionism, Cuba, and the 50th anniversary of the victory in Vietnam.

Image from the PCP Avante! Festival in September, 2024 -- image via the PCP

The Central Committee of the Portuguese Communist Party released an analysis of the international situation along with an analysis of the election results in Portugal. (You can read that analysis here: https://www.theleftchapter.com/post/on-the-election-results-the-political-framework-and-the-national-situation-pcp )

On the International Situation:

1. Imperialism, particularly US imperialism, with its highly reactionary agenda, is seeking to bolster decisions, pressures and blackmail in order to impose its interests and domination on the world in the foreign field.

To this end, the US is announcing a significant increase in its military spending and is promoting the arms race, with the support of the other imperialist powers, NATO and the EU

The insistence of the European imperialist powers and EU bodies on confrontation and war, the diversion of increasing resources to arms and the exacerbation of warmongering propaganda represent a serious threat to the peoples.

2. The increase in tariffs by the US is a premeditated action of economic coercion on the world, through which US imperialism seeks to achieve economic, political and military advantages.

Valuing the firm stance of several countries in defence of their legitimate interests, as well as their convergence in rejecting the unacceptable pressure from the US, the Central Committee of the PCP stresses the need for a policy by Portugal which, within a framework of cooperation with other countries, places the defence of the interests of the workers, the people and the Country, national sovereignty and independence at the centre of its action.

3. The tragic situation in Palestine, particularly in the Gaza Strip, makes it urgent to firmly condemn Israel's criminal genocidal policy. Warning of the brutal increase of Israeli aggression against the population in the Gaza Strip, on whom it imposes a cruel and inhumane blockade, and denouncing the shameful and hypocritical indifference, complicity and support by the US and the EU in the face of Israel's heinous crimes, the Central Committee of the PCP calls for continued solidarity with the heroic struggle of the Palestinian people for their inalienable national rights, enshrined in numerous UN resolutions.

4. After 11 years of war in Ukraine, reality continues to prove the need for a process of dialogue with a view to a political solution to the conflict, a response to the problems of collective security and disarmament in Europe and compliance with the principles of the UN Charter and the Final Act of the Helsinki Conference.

The direct dialogue between Russia and Ukraine, which restarted in Istanbul, is a major step that should effectively contribute to advancing a process of negotiations that responds to the causes of the conflict, paving the way for a just and lasting peace in Europe.

In this sense, the US, NATO and the EU must put an end to manoeuvres aimed at prolonging the war and obstructing a political solution to the conflict.

5. In view of the announced warmongering aims of the NATO summit to be held on June 24 and 25, in The Hague, the Central Committee of the PCP reaffirms the importance of developing the struggle for peace, against the militarisation of the EU, for the dissolution of NATO and in favour of a system of collective security, with a view to creating an international order capable of ensuring peace and justice in relations between peoples.

6. Welcoming the commemorations of the 80th. anniversary of the Victory over Nazi-fascism in World War II, to which the contribution of the USSR, the Soviet people and the Red Army was decisive, without forgetting the role of the allies and the anti-fascist resistance, the Central Committee of the PCP calls for the defence of peace, democracy and truth, rejecting the rewriting and falsification of history, the whitewashing of fascism and the promotion of militarism and war.

Calling for a fight against reactionary and fascist conceptions and anti-communism, the Central Committee of the PCP warns of attempts in various countries to ban the hammer and sickle and other communist symbols, to criminalise the dissemination of and support for the communist project and ideal, which are not only an attack on communists but also on other democrats and on democracy itself.

7. The Central Committee of the PCP stresses the importance of the action of the peace movement and internationalist solidarity, namely the solidarity campaign “For Cuba! End the Blockade!”.

8. As we celebrate the 50th. anniversary of the Vietnamese people's victory over US imperialist aggression, the example of their heroic and persistent struggle proves that, however powerful it may seem, imperialism's attempts can be defeated, giving confidence to the struggle of workers and peoples for peace, democracy and socialism.

Faced with the serious threat posed by imperialism's strategy of confrontation and aggression, the Central Committee of the PCP considers the convergence of peoples and countries in defence of their rights and sovereignty to be of the utmost importance and reaffirms that the PCP will remain committed to strengthening a broad anti-imperialist front.