The Portuguese Communist Party condemns the military actions of the Colombian regime of Álvaro Uribe that, in violation of international law and of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ecuador, resulted in the massacre of 16 Colombian guerrillas and the assassination of Raúl Reyes, one of the main commanders of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and one of the main protagonists of the recent FARC initiatives of unilateral release of prisoners.

"Operation Fénix", prepared and executed with the support of the US Administration, was Álvaro Uribe and US imperialism's manner of responding to the multiple political and diplomatic initiatives aiming at a peaceful solution to the Colombian conflict - including the intervention of Presidente Hugo Chávez - and the repeated proposals by FARC to initiate political negotiations.

Pressured by the repercussions of the FARC initiatives on the world public opinion and several political leaders and heads of state in Latin America and Europe, Álvaro Uribe and George W. Bush, opted once again to boycott dialog and peace, using militarism and provocation in an attempt to introduce in the Latin America the practices of "preemptive war".

PCP alerts to the threat to peace, democracy and sovereignty the Uribe regime's provocation represents for Colombia's neighboring countries and alerts to the consequences a military escalation could have upon Latin America.

PCP expresses its solidarity towards the people, communists and all progressive forces in Colombia that continue to struggle against the fascistic Uribe regime, for peace and social progress. It expresses solidarity towards and associates with all those that in Colombia and Latin America demonstrate, in these days, against war, for the respect of international law and for a peaceful solution to conflicts. PCP sends the condolences of Portuguese communists to the companions, relatives and friends of of Raúl Reis.