STATEMENT FROM THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF IRELAND ON THE VENEZUELAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

The Communist Party of Ireland welcomes the re-election of President Maduro and we express ourunwavering solidarity with the working peopleof Venezuela. We also call for the maximum unity of all patriotic, anti-imperialist and anti-capitalist parties and forces behind the ideals ofthe revolutionary Bolivarian process at this critical time as the US and other imperialist blocs try to deny the will of the Venezuelan people.

 Venezuela’s revolutionary forces must not allow imperialism to divide them, and differences between the revolutionary forces must be resolved by open political dialogue and not by judicial means nor by siding with the forces of reaction internally or externally. The interests of the working people of Venezuela would not be served by a government subservient to the interests of imperialism.

The US-organised violence is currently manifesting itself in street violence with the burning of hospitals, schools and the offices of political organisations by counter revolutionary forces, some of whom cloak their actions in revolutionary rhetoric, in their attempt to overturn the result of the popular elections and the re-election of President Maduro.

 The international workers movement must now show absolute solidarity with the working people of Venezuela as they stand against this violence from those forces attempting to overthrow the government and reverse the gains made by working people over the course of the ongoing Bolivarian Revolutionary process.

 We call upon all progressive forces in Ireland to rally in solidarity with Venezuela and to oppose the US-inspired and organised counter revolutionary violence.

James Corcoran

General Secretary

Communist Party of Ireland