Translated "Avante!" article by Pedro Guerreiro, Member of the Secretariat of the CC and Responsible of the International Department
The 16th International Meeting of Communist and Workers Parties ( IMCWP) took place at Guayaquil, Ecuador, from the 13th -15th November.
A Meeting hosted by the Communist Party of Ecuador, with the presence of 53 delegations of communist parties from the five continents, including the Portuguese Communist Party.
This International Meeting was an important debate forum, allowing a wide exchange of opinions, information and experiences, having adopted a number of guide-lines, towards a common or converging action during the next year.
The 16th EIPCO taking place in Ecuador (six years ago in Brazil) allowed a better knowledge on the demanding challenges that confront sovereignty affirmation, progressive and revolutionary processes which have been taking place in Latin America and the Caribbean – Cuba being the highest representative. Processes which have been representing an important factor of anti-imperialist resistance at a global level, presenting a significant contribution for the alternative building struggle for development and social progress, as well as social and national emancipation.
During the Meeting, important trends, which mark the international situation current evolution, were put in evidence, such as the capitalism structural crisis deepening, the offensive against the achieved changes and progress carried out by workers and peoples, the serious threat to peace which represents imperialism’s bet in war and fascism, the complex and vast force rearrangement process, at world level, the workers’ and peoples’ resistance and struggles, which take place throughout the world.
From the debate, one ought to highlight, despite great dangers, in result of imperialism’s offensive, urgency is confirmed and equally, the possibility of workers and peoples struggle development being able to stop imperialism most reactionary and aggressive sectors, defeat its exploiter and oppressor offensive, and at last, achieve progressive and revolutionary change processes – which, although using different paths and stages, point out as an objective, the building of socialism.
However, having learnt the existence of natural and inevitable differences, they carried on producing serious divergences which, by the accentuation and assertion, that some of the present parties demonstrated, the adoption of a Final Statement of the 16th EIPCO turn out to be impossible. The Meeting host party took the initiative of elaborating a Communiqué, of its own responsibility.
The PCP, as highlighted during this Meeting, ought to offer its contribution to find solutions, allowing to overcome difficulties and to strengthen the international communist and revolutionary movement, based in equality, mutual respect, non-interference in home affairs and reciprocal solidarity, rejecting the different forms of opportunism , dogmatic or in adaptation to the system and sectarian, and which, as experience proves, introduce difficulties in the fair and fraternal observation of common problems, bringing up prejudice to the communist movement, including unity in action against the common enemy.
Therefore, the PCP indulges in internationalist solidarity ,together with political and social forces which, struggle in the defence of the workers and peoples, in their own countries, as well as in the widening and greater expression, concerning the anti-imperialist front.
