The National Executive Committee of the
African National Congress

Lisbon, 24 April 09
Dear Comrades,

Following the announcement of the results of the Elections in your country we convey the warm congratulations of the Portuguese Communist Party for the extraordinary victory of the African National Congress.

The results achieved by the ANC, reaching two-thirds majority of votes, confirm it as the major force of the struggle and unity of the South African people.

A force that, with its renewed links to the south African workers and people and the complex problems that continue to affect it, have - after this election and following your last Congress, which our Party had the honour to attend and in which was elected the new leadership of ANC led by comrade Jacob Zuma – renewed conditions and strength to continue to be the faithful interpreter of the aspirations of the people of South Africa of deepening the democratic, national and progressive character of the process initiated with the defeat of the Apartheid regime.

The ANC's victory, achieved in a context of intense attacks against the unity and cohesion of the ANC, is for the Portuguese Communists an element of encouragement an encouragement in the struggle which we continue waging, to recover the ideals of the April 25, 1974, revolution – whose 35th anniversary will be marked tomorrow – and to build a truly democratic Portugal, of justice and social progress

With our fraternal Greetings,

The Secretariat of the Central Committee of the PCP