Translated "Avante!" article by Pedro Guerreiro, Member of the PCP Secretariat of the CC

The Avante Festival was an extraordinary assertion of internationalist solidarity, of the struggle for peace, for democracy and socialism. A Festival which counted with the solidarity participation of many of delegations from the four continents, giving an important expression to wide and diversified international relations, which the PCP develops with communist and workers’ parties and other progressive and anti-imperialist parties and forces from throughout the world.

The Avante Festival!, within an international situation, featured by the capitalism structural crisis and the consequent imperialist offensive, and considering its internationalist dimension, was a demonstration of the peoples’ persistence in resisting and struggling for their social and national emancipation, world-wide.

Confronting the brutal imperialist offensive, the workers and peoples, coming from very different realities, even under the most difficult conditions, developing small and great fights, rise for life conditions improvement, the respect for the social, labour, political and cultural inalienable rights, for the achievement or in the defence of its sovereignty and national independence, for anti-monopolist and anti-capitalist changes, for the building of socialism.

Struggles which pulsed during the Festival, showing there are forces in opposition of the imperialist offensive and workers and peoples are not condemned to be submitted to exploitation and oppression. And moreover, the existence of an unfavourable force correlation, at a world level, the real staunch capitalism social basis support , confirms that, in spite of great dangers, there exist possibilities of progressive and revolutionary headways.

Within this framework, the struggle against imperialist war, is of the greatest importance. The struggle for peace, national sovereignty and independence is an expression of the class struggle, assuming an inevitable internationalist and anti-imperialist essence, highlighting the importance of the national milestone, as a decisive field concerning resistance and progressive and revolutionary change. Communists hold the responsibility of presenting the demand of intervening on what concerns the anti-imperialist front widening, promoting their unity through actions, consolidating large alliances, which ought to open up the social and political front, opposing imperialism.
Currently, internationalist solidarity is more important than ever. Before the international situation, many are the great responsibilities, which belong to the communist parties together with the International Communist and Revolutionary Movement. The PCP will carry on paying particular attention to the cooperation and unity reinforcement concerning the communist and workers’ action.

And therefore, the PCP is engaged in the taking place and the successful outcome of the 15th International Meeting of Communist and Workers’ Parties, in Lisbon, on the 8 -10 November next. The PCP, respecting each party’s history along with equality, sovereignty, mutual respect and non-interference principles, will carry on doing all that is possible to overcome difficulties and problems, strengthening the communists internationalist solidarity - as well as among these and the progressive and anti-imperialist forces world-wide -, in the struggle for peace, democracy, social progress, towards socialism.