Joint Statement of the Revolutionary Communist International Tendency (RCIT) and the Revolutionary Socialist League (Kenya), 9 June 2020, www.thecommunists.net and https://redflagkenya.wordpress.com/

1.             After a period of discussion, the Revolutionary Communist International Tendency (RCIT) and the Revolutionary Socialist League (Kenya) announce their agreement on the issue of Bolivarianism – the political current based in Latin America and most prominently represented by the Chavez/Maduro government in Venezuela and the former Bolivian government of Evo Morales.

2.             We recognize the fact that Venezuela has experienced a number of reactionary coup attempts by pro-US forces. Likewise, Morales had been toppled by a right-wing coup in autumn 2019. In addition, Venezuela suffers from economic sanctions imposed by U.S. imperialism. We denounce such coup attempts and call for a united front tactic towards the Bolivarian forces. This means we propose joint actions against the main enemy while, at the same time, keeping political independence. We also call for the immediate and unconditional lifting of all sanctions against Venezuela. (See on this e.g. “Venezuela: A Failed Imperialist Plot”, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/latin-america/venezuela-a-failed-imperialist-plot/ and “Attempted Coup D'etat in Venezuela: Defeat Guaidó and Trump!” 5 May 2019, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/latin-america/attempted-coup-d-etat-in-venezuela-defeat-guaido-trump/)

3.             At the same time, we recognize the reformist but contradictory nature of the Bolivarian current. These governments and their supporters, while socialists in rhetoric, don’t take serious measures aimed at overthrowing capitalism. Despite being in power since 1999, the Bolivarian government in Venezuela has not expropriated the capitalist class. Until today, 70% of the economy remains in private hands. At the same time, there is close collaboration between the top of the state bureaucracy and the regime-friendly sector of capitalists (“Boliburguesía”). A similar development could be observed in Bolivia in the long period when Morales was in power (2006-19). In addition, these governments have a strong top-down characteristic which betrays a bonapartist nature – something which is in contradiction to authentic workers and popular power. Such a bureaucratic nature is also revealed in the repression against militant workers leaders who have been persecuted and imprisoned in the past years. We demand the release of political prisoners like the union leader Rubén González or the working class activist Rodney Álvarez. Finally, we recognize that Bolivarianism is a reformist current as it orientates to get (and keep) power by bourgeois-parliamentary elections instead of mass mobilization and a socialist revolution.

4.             At the same time we take note that the pressure of the masses resulted in a number of social and democratic reforms in Venezuela and Bolivia which are despised by right-wing and pro-US forces. Revolutionary socialists unconditionally defend such gains against any reactionary attack.

5.             Finally, we warn that the Venezuelan government is increasingly subordinating itself to Chinese and Russian imperialism. While we recognize that it is legitimate to look for practical collaboration with other states in order to withstand the pressure of U.S. imperialism, we oppose any political admiration for the regimes of Xi and Putin or of their allies like Assad and Rouhani.

6.             We confirm once more that the most important task of Marxists today is to build a Revolutionary World Party dedicated to mobilize and organize the international working class for socialist revolution. The RCIT and the RSL agree to jointly commit their forces to this task!