COLOMBIA​​, January 17—In Colombia, after the surge of the conflict in Gaza in October, the government of Gustavo Petro has taken a different position than the majority of governments, refusing to condemn the Hamas attacks, questioning the incursion of the Israeli army, and talking about the role of the Zionist mercenaries in the shaping of paramilitarism in Colombia and the subsequent wave of violence that has plagued the countryside and the cities for decades.

Petro has clearly stated that he favors a peace accord that recognizes the two states. He also said, he rejects what “the extreme right wings of both countries that will take both societies to a conflict where all will be defeated” that the Colombian government supports the National Palestinian Authority that is against Hamas.

Petro masquerades as “pro-Palestine”, but quietly supports genocide
Petro has been criticized for his position by the Zionists and the more conservative sectors of the Colombian bourgeoise, traditional ally of Israel. Gilinki, a Jewish banker and oligarch exploiter of the working class of Colombia, has declared his consternation over the declarations of the president, who recently compared Israel’s military intervention with the Holocaust, making this a choice between supporting the Israeli bosses or the Palestinian bosses.  Critical point that has created a wedge inside the national bourgeoise.
Recently this ideological dispute between Petro and the defenders of Israel in Colombia has deepened, especially after the president condemned the Israeli’s army attacks on journalists, as of this writing 109 journalist have been killed and his approval of the suit against Israel by South Africa in the International Court of Justice in the Hague, for violating the provisions if the 1948 Convention against genocide.  

However, these liberal positions that the Colombian government has taken regarding one of the bloodiest conflicts of our time, where 24,000 people have been killed, most of them workers, has not translated into real measures of support for the Palestinian resistance, reducing them to sending humanitarian aid, or calling to consult the Colombian ambassador to Israel, or the support of Argelia’s denouncement of Benjamin Netanyahu for war crimes in the International Criminal Court and the demand presented by South Africa.

As we can see, Petro’s support is towards the Palestinian government, not the resistance of the workers in Palestine. We also need to point out that the Colombian government has kept all the commercial relations and especially the military connections with Israel, the “anger” of the president has been reduced to mere words.
Petro defends and shares the imperialist policies of two states, and to serve this purpose he presents his political strategy of a Peace Conference for Palestine.  His refusal to condemn Hamas and support the genocide by Israel, demands breaking relations with Israel and to assume an effective support of Palestine, but he has shown the weakness and limits of his foreign policies when maintaining his opposition to Israel only tangentially, defending only the recognition of a Palestinian state, led by murderous bourgeoise who use nationalism as a form of control of the masses.

Even though the protests in Colombia against Zionism in the last three months have not been as massive as those in the USA, UK, France, New Zealand, Turkey and others, a solidarity committee has been created for the Palestinian cause formed araba activists, independent political organizations, defenders of human rights, student collectives, amongst others.  They have called for massive demonstrations in support of Palestine and spreading the real situation in Gaza, which has not been properly presented by the media, national or international, who serve the Zionist bourgeoise.

Internationalism is essential for workers
Although we understand that these actions are revisionists, because they are limited to the defense of the constitution of the Palestinian state for a free Palestine, they are the first step towards the international solidarity mobilization of the workers against the bosses’ wars.  We have to be clear that marching does not a revolution make, and that only communism can eradicate the state violence against the working class. We have to promote communist education to be able to canalize the potential of the masses in movement.  

In PLP we have been meeting, marching and rallying, we have shared our political line and sold . We have CHALLENGE put up front the necessity of international solidarity, fought against nationalist ideas and fought for unity of the working class. Worker’s oppression will not be eliminated creating new bourgeoise states, only communism and its red flag can break our chains and end all wars.  

We have been very critical of the government’s position and Petro and his bland opposition on this conflict.  We have shown that his support is not with the Palestinian working class, victims of the war policies, but with the Palestinian ruling class; nationalist and oppressive.

No doubt, the expansion of the conflict has made the bosses of the world take a side that benefits their interests, we have to create awareness of the dangers of nationalism, liberal fascism and defending bourgeoise wars amongst the working class.  

For a free Palestine, fight for communist internationalism!

School for communism gets A from fighters

I was very grateful to have been able to come to the Cadre School this weekend. This was my first time attending and it was a very wonderful experience. Working together as a collective; working in shifts on cleaning and cooking for everyone is very heartwarming and teaches you about the world we want to build as communists. Having the opportunity to learn more is always good and even better to share that knowledge. I hope to share what I’ve learned here this weekend and struggle with my friends and family about communism, but I don’t totally know how to go about it. Maybe next time we can learn and come up with ideas on how to approach people about communism without having them freak out about the idea.
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I had the privilege of participating in a cadre school organized by the Progressive Labor Party, and the experience was truly enriching. With a gathering of over 20 participants, the event served as a dynamic platform for passionate discussions and deep dives into the principles of communism, spanning the past, present, and future. The sessions were dedicated to crucial topics, including being internationalist, antisexist, antiracist, anti-imperialist, and anti-capitalist.We delved into case studies from different regions of the world, examining the struggles of workers fighting for their rights, particularly in conflict zones like Palestine and Ukraine. The overarching theme emphasized the revolutionary need to combat nationalism and imperialism, urging workers to think at the international level for a more cohesive movement.Throughout the event, diverse readings and breakout sessions created an atmosphere that transcended mere enjoyment; it was genuinely awe-inspiring. It felt like a convergence of minds, where each participant was well-versed in global issues, collectively seeking ways to address and rectify them.The camaraderie and shared commitment to understanding and solving the world's problems were palpable. The resounding conclusion drawn from our discussions was the imperative for a communist revolution as the ultimate solution. If there is a cadre school near you join in.  
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What stood out to me was how much our base is in agreement with us. Workers understand we do not benefit from bombing children overseas and that we do not share the same interests as the rulers.A new understanding that I will bring back to my workplace is that we need to analyze what nationalism means to our base. We can win people to internationalism the more we break down nationalism.Glimmers of communism that I saw were collective responsibility for chores and the meaningful struggle over internal contradictions.
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The communal aspect of the cadre school stuck out to me most about this weekend. I feel reinvigorated by meeting comrades and understanding their perspectives on class struggle and I'm excited to put what I've learned into practice organizing my school and community. This weekend showed glimmers of future communist societies through everyone helping to do tasks, teaching others, and sharing our experiences, and in general, just existing in a space where nobody is oppressing one another and everyone is cared for.
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As the New York Times describes millions around the world pouring into the streets to express anger and disgust at the Zionist slaughter of Palestinian families, and as World War III begins with U.S. attacks on Yemen, our Party met to train the rising generation of communist leaders. Black, Brown, white, and Asian — this youthful group represents the future of the international working class. My political batteries have been charged!

The pen is a weapon against genocide
The Zionist attacks on teachers in Maryland who are opposing the Gaza genocide continue as the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) has launched a petition campaign to keep the school system from returning them to the classroom. JCRC and the Israeli American Council (IAC) are offering “educational” (really Zionist propaganda) programs on antisemitism to teachers and students in Montgomery County. IAC is an aggressive Zionist organization that Sheldon Adelson led as Trump’s major funder.
He rejected the two-state option, preferring to keep Palestinians in a 2nd class-oppressed position in a Zionist single state. He got Trump to proclaim that Anti-Zionism is Anti-Semitism.
But Progressive Labor Party members are continuing to push out our ideas and recently participated in an “Open Mic” event at the local restaurant, Busboys and Poets.

The following poem was read and followed by a shout-out to the crowd to take our leaflet about the teachers and an upcoming Ceasefire rally.  We have to be everywhere!
They may think they are keeping it quiet
But they can hardly hide it
It’s not blue or red you see
It’s always been green
The almighty dollar
It’s got you by the collar
Don’t you dare disobey
They have your job
You can’t lose that pay
Healthcare and sick days
So do what you’re told
Don’t try to be bold
Don’t you dare say one thing
When genocide is happening

Not your average brunch
I know that 2023 was a year of upheavals, strife, and horrific killings of workers through famine, wars, floods, and earthquakes. My husband and I wanted to revive our New Year’s Day Brunch after 4 long years. We make the waffles and coffee and everyone else brings potluck!

A friend who has been disheartened by the genocide in Gaza told me, “It’s hard to celebrate.” I wrote back and said, “It is a time to reconnect with folks in a more social setting. Some folks may not have been here for years. The bosses want us to be distrustful and divided. The brunch is for that purpose.”

There were many folks that I hadn’t seen in years. Much political discussion took place in the various rooms of our home. The children did artwork and played with dancing flamingos. Many varied, delicious dishes were consumed. We raised money for legal fees for one of our comrades who is a teacher put on administrative leave for opposing genocide in Gaza. Another student at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, VA was disciplined for protesting about Gaza with others. A friend who is Zionist was trying to make the case for Israel’s actions, but didn’t make any headway on that front. Lots of political debate!

One friend told my husband later how thankful she was for us doing this. Her husband is slowly dying. It was a chance for him to see old friends and neighbors. I have a group of 7-8 women who meet for lunch and tea. For some years we have not able to connect. In 2023, we connected 3 times in the Fall! Keeping these connections helps us all keep sane and more energized for the struggle ahead.

Dearest comrades and friends in the Los Angeles area,

The CHALLENGE board would like to take the time to salute the amazing work that you all have done in 2023 to build the struggle for communist revolution. We failed to include an appreciation of the work in the backpage article, “2024 Resolution: Fight The Bosses, Rise Up With The Working Class” (1/17).  

In L.A., PL’ers marched side by side with and shared our confidence in striking hotel workers, TV/Film industry workers, fought the racist courts and kkkops against the murder of 23-year-old Latin man Cesar Rodriguez, connected antiracist fighting families together in celebration of our courage in the face of state repression, and encouraged the communist leadership of the Alex Flores family, a family that lost their loved one to racist police violence and students specifically. You all are teaching us how to fight and build the Party, thoroughly and consistently!

Fists up to you and the necessary fightback against capitalist terror, for better working conditions, and a world where workers run the world!J

The elections in Argentina in October and November 2023 resulted in the return of the far right to power, with Javier Milei at its helm. For the working class, this election only made things, already bad, worse as Argentina was already going through a period of economic crisis and experiencing social difficulties linked to inflation which had risen to more than 160% in 2022. With a so-called socialist government at the helm, the standard of living of workers was diminished by corruption scandals and structural problems during the past few decades. The rightwing trend mirrors what is happening elsewhere in the world, with xenophobic, nationalist and anti-working class speeches by the newly elected president, especially the anti-migrant ones, which blame migrant workers for the crises brought on by capitalism.

Argentina stands between the current inter-imperialist struggles. At the last BRICS summit in August 2023, Argentina was among the countries proposed to become a member of this grouping. BRICS is an intergovernmental organization comprising the capitalist bosses of Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. It was at the same time that the IMF granted a loan of several hundred millions of dollars in the country. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is a U.S.-controlled body that furthers capitalist expansion, always to the detriment of the working class of its member countries. These two events show how Argentina is being tossed between the influences of the two protagonist camps of the moment, the Western imperialists on one side and their rival imperialists on the other. Both sides are vying for economic and political control of the world’s resources and wealth.

Argentine misleaders attack workers, line the ruler’s pockets
Since the election of Milei, Argentina’s bosses have faced a series of popular protest demonstrations (which are becoming increasingly illegal) against their “anti-democratic” measures. During the first mobilizations the police began to use excessive force against demonstrators and union members. Ten days after taking office, Milei published a “DNU” (decree of necessity and emergency), which aims to modify or repeal more than 300 standards, in particular removing rent controls, State intervention to protect the prices of essential products, weakening worker protections, enabling privatizations. For older workers, their pensions are being cut via an “economically viable” automatic calculation method—once again stealing from the poor to fill the coffers of the already-rich. While Milei talks about austerity measures for the working class, he has not renounced class privileges for himself and his bourgeoisie.

Liberals and Libertarians, fascists-in-arms
Milei’s preparedness shows that the return of the extreme right was a well-planned project that was already underway. Milei’s election was hailed by other hard rightliners such as Bolsonaro (former president of Brazil) and Trump (former president of the U.S.). Milei, like his fascist counterparts, calls himself an “ultra-liberal,” trying to fool the masses into thinking he is really on their side, like the Nazis were called National Socialists and Mussolini started out as a so-called socialist—liberal or far-right fascist, they’re all on the bosses’ side.
The struggle in Argentina is a struggle that promises to be long and difficult for the Argentine workers and students who have a long tradition of fighting back in various forms of class struggle. What the current situation shows us is that our class in Argentina—and everywhere—cannot rely on reformers (liberal or fascist) destroy the capitalist system and replace it with communism—an egalitarian system that the working class controls to serve its own needs. We urge our comrades in Argentina to join with us in the Progressive Labor Party and fight for communist revolution. That is the only way that we will be able to liberate our class.