Speech of the Portuguese Communist Party

23rd International Meeting of Communist and Workers’ Parties

October, 19 to 22, 2023, Izmir, Turkey

We fraternally greet the Communist Party of Turkey, which hosts our International Meeting, as well as the parties present. 

From here we reaffirm our solidarity with the Palestinian people, who are struggling for their inalienable national rights, resisting Israel's policy of occupation and oppression for decades. 

We demand the end to the cruel and criminal aggression against the Palestinian people, particularly in the Gaza Strip, and the creation of the State of Palestine, sovereign and independent, in compliance with international law and relevant UN resolutions.

Comrades, 

Important trends are accentuated in the evolution of the international situation, which continues to be marked by great instability and uncertainty. 

In the context of the deepening structural crisis of capitalism, dangerous developments take place resulting from the escalation of confrontation and war of imperialism. 

The struggle of workers and peoples continues, under the most differentiated conditions, taking different forms and pointing different immediate objectives. 

Significant events are also taking place in the process of rearrangement of forces that is taking place at the world level. 

Big capital promotes an ever-greater accumulation and concentration of wealth, aggravating exploitation, attacking rights, increasing social injustices and inequalities, poverty and hunger. 

A policy that is accompanied by the promotion of reactionary and fascistic concepts and projects, anti-communism and attacks on freedoms and democracy. 

Trying to counter its relative decline, the USA, with its allies – particularly NATO and the European Union –, increase its policy of blackmail, looting, arms escalation, interference and aggression targeting all countries and peoples that do not submit to his dominion. 

The European Union accentuates its neoliberal, federalist and militarist policies, expressed, among other serious aspects, in the instigation and promotion of confrontation and war. 

A situation in which, within the framework of inter-imperialist concertation-rivalry, prevails concertation among the imperialist powers, evidenced, despite contradictions, in the current alignment and submission to the US strategy and interests. 

On the other hand, there is a growing affirmation of the need for a world free from coercive measures, the blackmail of debt and the Dollar, the looting of resources, from unequal and neocolonial relations, with the demand for a more equitable new international order. 

Bilateral and multilateral relations are developing between countries with very different paths and realities, outside the scope of imperialism. A positive trend that imperialism seeks to counter by all means. 

In this context, the development of the struggle of workers and peoples for their rights, interests and aspirations, for freedom, democracy, sovereignty and the right to development, takes on increased importance, on the path to building new societies free from injustice and social inequalities, exploitation and oppression. 

Objectives inseparable from the struggle for peace, against fascism and war, of the solidarity with those who resist imperialism, of the friendship and cooperation between the all the peoples. 

We salute the struggle of Palestinian people, of Sahrawi people, of Cyprus people, of Syria, Cuba, Venezuela or Nicaragua, as well as many other diverse struggles and popular mobilizations taking place throughout the world. 

Aware of the dangers, but also of the potential that the current international situation holds, the PCP continue to contribute to the strengthening of the international communist and revolutionary movement and the deepening of its cooperation, reciprocal solidarity and unity in action; as well as for the strengthening of a broad anti-imperialist front that, facing the intentions of imperialism, opens the way to a new international order of peace and social progress.

Comrades, 

The situation in Portugal is marked by a rapid economic and social degradation, as a result of the Socialist Party Government's policy, serving the interests of big capital, submitted to the dictates of the European Union and subservient to imperialism. 

Facing an intense anti-communist offensive with broader anti-democratic objectives, the PCP is committed to the struggle to defend the rights of the workers and people, to increase salaries and pensions, to defend health, education and social security public services, for the right to housing, against the right-wing policy and for a patriotic and left-wing alternative. 

In which the struggle for peace, against war and NATO, for a policy of friendship and cooperation with all the peoples of the world is articulated. 

Struggling for the interests and aspirations of the working class and other anti-monopoly classes, defending the values of the April Revolution – which will celebrate its fiftieth anniversary on 25 April 2024 –, the PCP continues with determination the struggle for an advanced democracy, for socialism. 

A path that places the organic reinforcement of the Party, the deepening of its connection with the working class, the workers and the people, its connection to the concrete Portuguese reality, articulating the struggle for immediate objectives with the struggle for more general objectives, reaffirming its communist identity, its revolutionary project, its patriotic and internationalist dimension. 

Objectives and path reaffirmed at the National Conference that our Party held about a year ago and whose conclusions we continue to implement.

Comrades, 

Capitalism, its exploitative, oppressive, aggressive and predatory nature, its inability to respond to the problems and aspirations of Humanity, the threats and dangers it entails, make even more relevant the need for anti-monopoly and anti-imperialist transformations, of the development of revolutionary processes which – regardless of the forms they take, according to the concrete situation of each country – aim at socialism.

Comrades, 

Please, transmit the fraternal greetings of the Portuguese Communist Party to your Parties, to the struggles of your peoples.

Long live the national cause of the Palestinian people!

Long live proletarian internationalism!

Long live internationalist solidarity!

https://www.pcp.pt/en/speech-portuguese-communist-party-23rd-international-meeting-communist-and-workers-parties