Translated "Avante!" article, by Luis Carapinha, member of the International Department of PCP

More than 50 countries, from all continents, signed down the Nuclear Weapon Forbidding Treaty (NWPT), adopted at the United Nations headquarters Conference ( by the provision of 122 countries). It ought to be underlined that it concerns the first international agreement mandatory juridical nuclear weapons’ forbidding , towards its total elimination, and ratified by 50 states. Cuba, Venezuela, Brazil, South Africa, Vietnam, Austria and New Zealand are some of the signatory countries, in a process, not integrated by none of the current nine countries that detain nuclear weapons. To defend its subscription by Portugal is accomplishing the Constitution of the Republic.

The claim to eliminate nuclear weapons, within a framework of a gradual and verifiable disarmament, a more and more pertinent demand to preserve peace and life amid the planet, push forward human development and social progress, it is obvious to be a long way, with plenty of obstacles.
Although not surprising, in particular, the USA’s and NATO’s attitude against the adoption of the Treaty. An Alliance communiqué, coming from Brussels states that the NWPT is situated at “the antipode of the non-proliferation and disarmament system architecture”.

That NATO calls upon and manipulates the NPT according to its interests is clear, as proved by the scandalous omission of Israel’s arsenal or the sideline obligation of nuclear disarmament, along with the non-proliferation. An outstanding hypocrisy /Pharisaic, mainly, concerning an organization at the service of great powers, headed by the USA and the insane policy responsible for the increase of armaments run and the permanent breaking out of wars and military aggressions.

It is presumed that the USA itself has spent since the Lasting Freedom Operation during the Afghanistan invasion ,round 1.7 billion dollars in order to finance its armed interventions, in the last 16 years! An astronomic amount that currently is added to the Pentagon 700 thousand million dollars budget, approved by the Senate, a considerable increase of military expenditure, above Trump’s own presented proposal.

War economy and violence culture being part of the capitalist system’s genetic code, it is not less true that the worsening of imperialist aggressiveness and the disturbing turbulence level achieved amid the international situation are inseparable characters of the capitalism structural stagnation crisis deepening. Specially, China’s ascent within world economy, is considered as a vital threat to hegemonic purposes of an growing anachronism system, incompatible with most of humanity’s desires. Beijing, contrarily to the USA and NATO stands by the doctrine of not being the first to use nuclear weapons (as the USSR in the past), affirming the coexistence principles and the pacific conflict resolution.

Historically, the struggle for peace is a major cause for communists, capable of a convergent action of democratic forces and part of the struggle for emancipation and progress, towards a more just and human new international order.