When celebrating the 79th. anniversary of the Victory over Nazi-fascism in World War II, it is imperative to remember that Nazi-fascism was the most violent and criminal form of exploitation and oppression spawned by capitalism, with its anti-communism, its racism and xenophobia, its attack on freedoms and democratic rights, its support of militarism and war.
It is also necessary to remember that Nazi-fascism was responsible for the horror of the concentration camps, for the systematic massacre of populations, for the use of slave labour, for the imposition of immeasurable and cruel suffering and deprivation on millions of people, for the most devastating war imposed on Humanity. And for such a barbarity never to happen again, it is essential not to allow to hide and make people forget what it was and what class interests were behind Nazi-fascism, as well as its heinous crimes.
However, as the PCP has highlighted, marking this historic date is also, and above all, paying due tribute to the millions of men, women and youth who heroically resisted and fought, giving their lives, if necessary, to put an end to Nazi-fascist barbarity. It is necessary, recognising the role of the coalition of allied countries that came to be formed during the course of the war, to highlight the decisive contribution of the USSR, the Soviet people and their Red Army, which – at the cost of more than 20 million dead and huge sacrifices – determined the course of the war and enabled Humanity to be freed from Nazi-fascism. It is also worth highlighting the contribution of the anti-fascist resistance, in which thousands of communists and other democrats gave their lives for the cause of freedom and peace.
Signalling May 9 is not forgetting the active collaboration provided by Salazar to Hitler, but also remembering and highlighting the great demonstrations of joy with which the Portuguese people celebrated the Victory and what this contributed to the development of the anti-fascist struggle in Portugal, which would culminate in the April Revolution on April 25, 1974.
Those who today seek to hide and whitewash what fascism was – including the 48 years of terrorist dictatorship in Portugal – and who using anti-communism hide the most reactionary and anti-democratic conceptions and projects, should only deserve a firm denunciation and clear rejection of their intentions by democrats.
79 years later, celebrating Victory Day takes on added importance given the attempts of those who – seeking to make people forget the tragedy of World War II, including the horror of the North American atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki – are once again betting on confrontation, the promotion of militarism, the escalation of arms, the support of war.
The PCP reaffirms that it is necessary to put an end to the path to the abyss into which imperialism seeks to push Humanity. The path to Peace implies an end to the apology of militarism, the increase in military expenditure, the escalation of arms, and war. The path to Peace is incompatible with the expansion of NATO or the transformation of the EU into a warmongering political-military bloc complementary to NATO, always serving the interests of the great powers and their respective military-industrial complexes and at the expense of peace, rights, the living conditions of workers and peoples.
The path to Peace demands the immediate end of the massacre and genocide of the Palestinian people carried out by the Zionist government of Israel, the establishment of an immediate and permanent ceasefire, humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people and the creation of the sovereign and independent State of Palestine, with the 1967 borders and capital in East Jerusalem, and the implementation of the right of return for refugees, as determined by UN resolutions.
The path to Peace demands that the US, NATO and the EU open channels of negotiation with other parties involved, particularly with the Russian Federation, with a view to achieving a political solution to the conflict, a response to the problems of collective security and disarmament in Europe, compliance with the principles of the UN Charter and the Final Act of the Helsinki Conference.
The path to Peace passes through the peaceful resolution of international conflicts, as well as general, simultaneous and controlled disarmament, the dissolution of political-military blocs, the establishment of a system of collective security, with a view to creating an international order capable of ensuring peace and justice in relations between peoples.
The path to Peace also passes through a national foreign policy in accordance with the principles of the Constitution of the Portuguese Republic, and not, as has happened with successive governments, through alignment and submission to the confrontational strategy of the US, NATO and the EU that is contrary to the interests of the Portuguese people and the peoples of the world.
Valuing the actions in favour of peace and solidarity that have been promoted in Portugal, the PCP reaffirms its call to all those who aspire to peace and are aware that it is urgent to stop the warmongering escalation, to mobilise and make their voices heard in defence of Peace, against fascism and war – so that the horrors of the World War II never happen again.
