Translated "Avante!" article by Albano Nunes, Member of the Secretariat of the CC

“ Upon the armed struggle against colonialists, under our Party’s direction, our independence was conquered in 1967, following 129 years of colonialism. We confronted a heavy inheritance from colonialists. In 1969, a new phase begun, after the taking of power by the National Front progressive wing. Since then, one has achieved many successes in the economic, political and social fields, with our people’s many sacrifices, due to the fraternal support of the socialist countries and mainly the Soviet Union”. These are the words of the United Political Organization – National Front representative, during the VIII PCP Congress, in 1976. The April Revolution produced great admiration and solidarity, among the Portuguese communists and the Yemen revolutionaries, which meanwhile created the Yemen Socialist Party, guided by Marxism-Leninism, having become very close over the years. Comrade Alvaro Cunhal, during a historical visit to the Middle East, visited the Democratic Popular Republic of Yemen, in 1980. During the times of the revolutionary advance, the PCP hosted, during its Congress, anti-imperialist and progressive organizations from throughout the world including South Yemen, representing the very first socialist nature experience coming from the Arab world.

Meanwhile, in the turn of the 80’s, the world produced a tremendous step behind. The USSR disappeared and socialism , as a world system gave way to the imperialism counter-offensive, with the aim of imposing a new totalitarian world order. The international framework is currently totally different from the time of the Portuguese Revolution, that had brought the first Yemen revolutionary delegation to Portugal. Before the workers and peoples resistance, and whilst struggling with the deepening of its structural crisis, capitalism most reactionary and aggressive circles use, more and more openly, fascism and war as an” exit” for their contradictions. Led by the USA, EU and NATO, aggression wars multiply and , as in Syria, provoking unlimited suffering and the destruction of countries, in order to the great transnational capital appropriate their wealth, as in the Middle East, where there exist the greatest world oil reserves and of which, Saudi Arabia, at imperialism service, is one of the leading guardians.

What goes on within Yemen is integrated in a general subversion process, in which imperialism explores tribal and feudal survivals, by inciting ethnic and religious conflicts, spreads corruption and criminal traffic, develops and puts terrorism into practise, its aggressive strategy great alibi. One must always remind that the Al Qaeda, the Saudi Arabia aggression strengthening within Yemen, was a USA creation, nurtured by the repugnant Saudi elite. But above all, one must not forget the people of Yemen liberating struggle history against colonialism and imperialism, which culminated with the Yemen Democratic Popular Republic. Behind this complex of contradictions and conflicts, provoked by foreign aggression – their nature being well expressed by the criminal bombardments over Sana and Aden, not having the “civilized West” stood up on condemning it – this being the true reality of class struggle, and the certainty of the revolutionary outcome, sooner or later, and that the Saudi reaction and imperialism are so scared of. History’s wheel moved backwards. But only temporarily. There are solid reasons to trust that in Yemen , as in other countries, which cry under imperialism’s boot, the liberating ideals will win.