MESSAGE OF SOLIDARITY TO THE WORKERS’ PARTY OF BRAZIL

On behalf of the Movement for Social Justice (MSJ) of Trinidad and Tobago I extend solidarity to the Workers’ Party of Brazil as your Party faces the major challenge of an institutional coup against the democratically elected President of Brazil, Dilma Rouseff. The MSJ has no doubt that the forces of reaction: the traditional oligarchies and the old imperialist powers; have unleashed a concerted effort to remove by any means possible all the progressive governments and leaders who were democratically elected in Latin America in the last 20 years.

There is no doubt that profound changes took place in Latin America in the past two decades with the people of Venezuela, Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina, Ecuador, Uruguay, Nicaragua and El Salvador all electing for more than one term parties and leaders who are from progressive political parties. As a result of this, economic policies were implemented that, for the first time in modern Latin American history, resulted in poverty being very significantly reduced and the workers, farmers, poor and marginalised given real hope of living a decent life. At the same time, in many of these countries major changes occurred in the structure of power and of the state so that the old ruling classes no longer had a hold on power. The idea of the social movements that “Another World is Possible” began to become a reality. And from one Party twenty years ago there were now many member parties of the Sao Paulo Foro who could be counted as holding the reins of government.

These developments were never accepted by big national and transnational capital as the progressive governments resisted the implementation of neo-liberal policies and also rejected the old imperial order. Thus we saw the development of new integration projects such as ALBA, Bank of the South, CELAC among others. The FTAA was defeated, the USA and not Cuba became the isolated one in the hemisphere and the natural resource wealth of countries was used for improving education, literacy, health care, housing and so much more for workers and the poor.

The imperial empire and its allies of reactionary forces have been active to reverse all these gains. In Paraguay and Honduras we saw “constitutional” coup d’etats. In Venezuela there has been a long campaign of economic destabilization supported by acts of violence. In Argentina, the progressive forces were defeated electorally. And in Brazil a long campaign of protests and destabilization is now leading to the very real threat of an institutional coup.

The MSJ of Trinidad and Tobago wishes to let you know that we are resolute that the relationship of mutual solidarity with the Workers’ Party of Brazil has not been shaken by the developments in Brazil. We stand with your Party and its Leader, Comrade Dilma and your inspirational leader, Comrade Lula, as you face this grave threat. We condemn unequivocally the institutional coup that has been organized against President Dilma. We deplore the act of opportunism and cowardice of the former coalition partner of the PT. We remain firmly committed to the Sao Paulo Forum, its vision and its work.

We are confident that the working people of Brazil and your Party, the PT, will eventually overcome all these grave threats and that Brazil will continue along the path of progress constructing a society based on social justice, and equity.

Yours in Solidarity,

Movement for Social Justice

David Abdulah

Political Leader