“Article 7”

Translated “Avante!” article by Ângelo Alves, Member of the PCP Political Committee

The Constitution of the Portuguese Republic establishes, in article 7, that Portugal concerning international relations, is ruled, among others, by the national independence and non-interference in other states’ internal issues principals.The many hundred of people that gathered for the celebrations of Venezuela Independence Day, yesterday, and paid their solidarity to the people of Venezuela, its legitimate government and the Venezuelan democratic and progressive forces, were, therefore, assuming the defence of that important constitutional principle.

If there existed any doubts on what is in cause within the Bolivarian Revolution country, the attacks which took place last week against the Supreme Court and the Home Office, in Venezuela, with the help of a stolen helicopter, prove the Venezuelan great capital real objectives, methods and means, coming from the reactionary forces and imperialism.

As stated, yesterday, what is in progress in Venezuela is a destabilization and interference action with the purpose of throwing down, by force, a legitimated government by popular vote, destruction of an approved by suffrage constitution by the people, and an intent to revert an affirmation progressive and sovereign process which withdrew the possibility of imperialist exploitation and domain, conferring rights and power to that people.

Moreover, Article 7 determinates that “ Portugal proclaims imperialism abolition, political-military blocks dissolution and the establishment of a collective security system, with the objective of building an international order, able to insure peace and justice concerning the relations amo ng peoples”, in the recognition of “ the right of peoples to self-determination and independence, development, as well as the right of insurrection against all forms of oppression”.

In a moment the world is marked by a great number of direct and indirect interference actions, provoking and aggression against peoples and sovereign states, it is a task for the Portuguese progressive forces to defend the Republic Constitution and condemn the crimes, imperialism and NATO – a political-military block – commit throughout the whole globe. In Syria, where the USA and Israel intensify provocations and aggressions, and another massacre, provoking over 40 civilian victims, last week; or in Mali, where NATO forces develop a war with the purpose of defending neo-colonialist French interests and killing a Portuguese soldier; or in Palestine, where Israel carries out another wave of attacks, repression and imprisonments, such as Khalida Jarrar, a Palestinian Legislative Council MP; or in Yemen, where Saudi Arabia, in collaboration with the USA and other Gulf dictatorships, bombed a market; or in Afghanistan, one of the current longest imperialist wars, and that in 16 years ought to have killed round 300.000 people, and to where the Portuguese government is intending to commit 170 soldiers, along with the commitment of over four thousand soldiers at the service of the Trump administration. A decision that deserves the greatest condemnation, as been contrary to the Constitution principles, and diametrically opposite Portugal’s need to affirm an independent voice from imperialist interests, in the defence of Peace, disarmament and cooperation.