Comrades

The PCP is the vanguard of the working class and of all workers.

A role that we do not see as a title, granted by decree or self-proclaimed indulgence.

Our vanguard role results from the class nature of the PCP, as well as from its supreme objectives that correspond to the historical mission of the proletariat: to abolish class society and to create, in its place, a superior form of social and economic organization, socialism, towards communism.

That is why the PCP merges with the workers, raising their class and political consciousness, often starting from the struggle around immediate interests - such as the fight against the boss who deregulates working hours or does not provide the personal protective equipment needed - and combining that struggle with the class struggle over long-term interests against the entire capitalist class and bourgeois state.

At the root of the Party's intervention in companies, there is the struggle around specific problems and aspirations of workers, who may or may not be concious that the reason for their suffering is in the capitalist system, based on exploitation and oppression of workers.

Hence our task, as a vanguard force, consists of organizing and guiding the claiming struggle, in order to enable convergence with the widest class struggle. In this context, there are some central aspects to consider:

Firstly, the strengthening of the Party's organization in companies and workplaces.

Comrades

It is through groups of comrades in the workplace, where the consequences of capitalist exploitation are felt, in a clear and unmistakable way, that the Party is better able to respond to the specific problems of each company.

It is through the organization in companies and the knowledge therein of the living and working conditions of those who work there, that the Party is in a position to better intervene in elucidating workers.

Intervene showing that when you win a battle and conquer a new right, you must continue to fight, you must move on to the next fight immediately.

First of all, because if this is not done, these conquered rights end up being lost.

But also because each advance, even if limited, is a defeat for Capital, it is a source of impetus in the struggle for new demands and conquests, it creates the political and social conditions to break with the right-wing policy, opening the way for the project of building a new society.

It is in this context that strengthening and rejuvenating the organization in companies is of decisive importance.

The success of the Party's national campaign "5,000 contacts with workers" proves the potential of recruiting and integrating new comrades into collective work.

From this gallery, during the 3 days of the Congress, several concrete examples of the real impact that this campaign had on the organization and struggle of workers were mentioned.

One of these examples was the case of the Sines Industrial Complex, where recruitment resulted in advances in the organizational plan, which allowed the fight at Petrogal and Martifer to be boosted and to achieve important victories, which in turn encouraged fights in other companies in the Complex and resulted in involving a large number of workers with a precarious link in the claiming action.

Comrades

We also heard the description of the bosses' counterattack, in the skilful way they took advantage of the pandemic, and we could think that for the dismissed workers the fight was over.

No comrades, the struggle continues. Especially because we know an important historical lesson - corroborated by the personal experience of each communist - that tells us that participating in the organized struggle of workers is a remarkable and transforming experience.

Among the workers who joined those struggles, side by side with the communists, many will have had their class and political conscience altered.

They will be willing to look at this Party differently, able to notice the way it is treated, for example, in the media.

To see the insinuations that the PCP put a conspiracy theory in his head - the unusual idea that the media is at the “service of the anti-communist offensive” - and understand the media for what they really are: “a hidden cat with its tail out” [poorly hidden truth].

They will be able to take due note of the threats that come from the capital's ivory towers and that end up on the pages of newspapers - more or less explicitly - realizing that they intend to do everything in their power to harm us, the PCP , harm the workers and the people.

And what will these workers think?
Probably something like this: “let the dust settle”!

Comrades

Getting to this point in national political life took a lot of effort and courage from the Party.

It is at times like this that the party collective must reinforce its unity and mobilization in the achievement of objectives of strategic importance, such as the creation of 100 new company, workplace or sector cells, and the accountability of 100 new comrades for those tasks, until March 2021.

Let us reinforce the Party's organization and intervention, guaranteeing a constant presence in companies, giving expression to the workers 'aspirations and making the struggle of workers' class organizations more dynamic.

Let us do it knowing that it is in this practice that lies the struggle to break with the right-wing policy and to implement the alternative, patriotic and left-wing policy.

Long live the 21st Congress
Long live the PCP