On the 31st of October, an event was held in Naples to show solidarity with oppressed peoples and the revolutions for new democracy, as well as to present the International Anti-Imperialist League, organized by Per la Democrazia Popolare collectives. In addition to representatives from the International Anti-Imperialist League (AIL), the French section of the organization (AIL-France) was also present. As for Italy, a delegation from the Italian Marxist-Leninist Party (PMLI) was among the official guests. Greetings were also received from the Spanish section of the AIL and the Sindacato Multicategoriale di Base.
During the first part of the event, there was a presentation by the Working Group for Proletarian Art (GLAP), which is part of the PLDP collectives; the group also presented a brief document outlining its approach, based on the idea of art grounded in dialectical materialism and dedicated to serving the masses. This was followed by a musical performance that began with a reading of the poem “Farewell to the Tigers of Gundekot” by the Turkish Maoist prisoner Hüseyin Uzundağ, dedicated to Comrade Basavaraj and to the revolutionary epic of the People’s War in India; In the second part of the artistic and cultural presentation, a poem written by comrades from the working group was set to music; it consisted of a tribute to the red thread of humanity’s class struggle, from the slave revolts of antiquity to the current historical experience of the international communist movement.
Once the cultural segment concluded, the international delegation was introduced, and their contribution began with a speech by the representative of the International Anti-Imperialist League (AIL). The AIL declared its internationalist support for the initiative and expressed the hope that the event would be only the first step in a process of convergence of the anti-imperialist struggle in Italy. Following the first speech, the floor was given to the French delegation of the AIL, with a comrade highlighting the importance of internationalist work among revolutionaries in European countries, emphasizing the contribution made by French comrades to opportunities for exchange among militants from different nations. For this reason, militants from the PLDP collectives were invited to participate in a series of international initiatives to be held in the coming months. The presentation by AIL France also included an update on the situation of the struggle in the territories of the French state, both in the metropolis and in the colonies (such as Corsica, Kanaky, Réunion), and experiences were shared regarding the solidarity movement with the Palestinian people, the campaign in support of the people’s war in India, and the campaign for the liberation of all Palestinian and Lebanese prisoners—among which the international campaign for the liberation of Comrade Ahmed Sa‘dat, secretary of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and a symbol of the prisoners’ struggle, a campaign launched at the explicit request of our Palestinian comrades. Discussion also focused on the student uprising in France, the various phases it is currently undergoing, and the need to counter government repression by organizing workers, students, and the masses; the comrades thanked the collectives for the support they had expressed in various statements and leaflets for the struggle waged by the AIL and the Communist Youth.
The PLDP collectives intervened by analyzing the international situation and the development of the contradictions of monopoly capitalism (imperialism), in particular the principal contradiction between imperialism and the oppressed peoples, which has gradually intensified in connection with the main trend of our era—the trend toward revolution—beginning on October 7, 2023. The current phase of imperialism’s terminal crisis has been described as conducive to the development of new democratic revolutions (people’s wars) and national liberation struggles already underway, as well as to the outbreak of new revolutionary experiences and popular rebellions. The former are the vanguard of the world proletarian revolution, and for this reason, the PLDP collectives considered it of primary importance to highlight the people’s war in India, which has been the target of infamous attacks and genocidal plans by the clique that governs India in the name of the imperialists; slogans were raised in support of the people’s war in India and the CPI (Maoist) that leads it. The situation in Europe is seen as full of prospects for the advance of the revolutionary cause; this is amply demonstrated by the ongoing uprisings in various European countries, particularly neighboring France, whose popular student rebellion is also reverberating, in part, in Italy. In this context, slogans were also chanted in support of the uprising and the Communist Youth of France, which plays a leading role in organizing students beyond petty-bourgeois spontaneity. Finally, there was a discussion of the unique role of Italian peripheral imperialism and the centrality of the Southern and Islands Question—the cornerstone upon which it is possible to build a truly anti-imperialist movement that goes beyond the narrow perspectives and short-lived alliances between profoundly different forces that have dominated the Italian political landscape until now. The event concluded with a call and invitation to the forces and participants present to work together to build the AIL in Italy as well. Slogans were also chanted in support of the AIL and the struggles of oppressed peoples. The full speech can be found in the appendix to this article.
The international greeting sent by the AIL Spain raised a series of issues of primary importance, among which stands out the question of what the role of the AIL should be in countries such as Spain and Italy, which—with the necessary differences that should not be denied—share a number of similarities that can serve as the basis for joint work. In particular, our Spanish comrades sought to highlight the dividing lines between the AIL’s genuine anti-imperialist positions and those of a whole range of other “anti-imperialist” organizations. There are three main differences: 1) opposition to all forms of imperialism: Yankee, Russian, and Chinese; 2) support for the new democracy people’s wars in Peru, India, Turkey, and the Philippines; 3) the principle that a true anti-imperialist movement must be based on support for the peasant movement in oppressed bureaucrat-capitalist countries; this implies supporting the agrarian revolution that has been rapidly developing over the past few years in numerous countries, starting with Brazil.
During the segment specifically dedicated to the invited organizations, the representative of the Italian Marxist-Leninist Party (PMLI) took the floor. Speaking on behalf of the provincial committee and the central committee of the PMLI, he expressed his heartfelt support for the initiative and congratulated his Italian and international comrades on the positions they had taken, which he considers to be substantially in line with his party’s anti-imperialist outlook. The PMLI expressed its interest in contributing to the establishment of the Italian section of the AIL immediately following the conclusion of the event, offering to work toward a common line and thus laying the groundwork for a process set to unfold in the coming months.
From Trento, the Sindacato di Base Multicategoriale (SBM) also declared its support for the initiative, highlighting the primary role that the anti-imperialist struggle is assuming on an international scale, beginning with the large-scale mobilizations in support of the Palestinian people, which have shaken our country in recent years. The comrades of the SBM also recognized the importance of the struggle for a new democracy in oppressed countries and praised the event’s cultural dimension as well.
The closing remarks thanked everyone present and declared the initiative a clear success, as it brought together comrades from all over Italy—the north, south, and center—as well as comrades who had come specifically from abroad to express their support for the efforts of Italian anti-imperialists, all converging on Naples, a city that concentrates within its borders all the contradictions of Italian imperialism. This was the result of work that has been ongoing for several years now and has intensified particularly over the past year thanks to the qualitative leaps that have taken place both nationally and internationally. PLDP collectives have accepted the PMLI’s proposal, suggesting that the path toward convergence lead to the organization of a founding congress of the AIL Italy, to which all groups and interested parties will once again be invited, including those who, for one reason or another, were unable to participate in this first step.
LONG LIVE THE INTERNATIONAL ANTI-IMPERIALIST LEAGUE
COLLECTIVES FOR PEOPLE’S DEMOCRACY
STATEMENT BY THE COLLECTIVES FOR PEOPLE’S DEMOCRACY
Dear comrades and friends,
It is with pride that we present, together with the comrades and friends present here, this event, which reflects—in Italy, as in many other countries around the world—a growing awareness of the need to build the Anti-Imperialist League. Until a few years ago, we could not even have imagined that such an event could take place in our own context. Our analysis of objective facts has driven us to develop our activities, and this has led us to make progress.
What happened to all the chatter about the “end of history”? In recent years, it has been difficult to keep up with events as they unfold so rapidly.
On October 7, 2023, the Palestinian National Resistance launched a counteroffensive against the Zionist colonial entity—Operation Al-Aqsa Flood. This operation has brought the Palestinian people’s struggle back into the spotlight and sparked a global solidarity movement. Today, not only has this solidarity movement not ended, but it is further fueling other struggles and mobilizations around the world, as we can see from the many very recent initiatives held in Italy and various other European countries. After three years of war, the Zionist regime—despite continuing its attempt at genocide under the mandate of U.S. imperialism—has failed to defeat the Palestinian resistance and now finds itself embroiled in a grueling conflict on multiple fronts.
In Latin America, the United States has turned Venezuela into its protectorate while simultaneously opening new military bases in various countries and seeking to foment fascism everywhere against popular rebellion. Added to this is the ongoing aggression against the Cuban people, which aims, through a virtually total embargo, to break their will and spirit of resistance. Across the entire continent, however, the masses—the peasants and workers—continue to mobilize, raising, in the most advanced situations, the banner of agrarian revolution. From Ecuador to Brazil, through Colombia and Mexico, significant sectors of the populace are breaking with the reformism of activist and electoral movements represented by corporatist indigenism and the supporters of so-called “21st-century socialism.” Even in Africa, we are witnessing the spread of the hegemonic crisis of French imperialism, and important signs are emerging that indicate, on the part of significant sectors of the masses, a growing willingness to organize and struggle under the banner of anti-imperialism.
The terminal crisis of imperialism today is increasingly creating subjective and objective conditions favorable to the development of new rebellions, new revolutionary struggles, new wars of national liberation, and people’s wars.
In this context, despite the war waged by Modi’s fascist government and the Indian state against the popular and peasant masses, the path of the New Democratic revolution in India is consolidating, inspiring revolutionaries around the world to struggle.
Long live the New Democratic revolution!
Long live the Maoist Party of India!
Following the fascist and imperialist aggression by the “New Tsar” Putin against Ukraine, the inter-imperialist contradiction has taken a qualitative leap. The Third Inter-Imperialist World War is unfolding in a creeping manner and fuels military spending, militarization, racism, and fascism, as well as the logic of deportations and genocides.
The decadent U.S. superpower, faced with the clash between Russian imperialism and Chinese social imperialism, has launched itself into a series of operations and brazen wars of aggression and plunder with the aim of creating the conditions to win the war for the new division of the world.
The ultra-reactionary Trump administration, after giving its full support to the Zionist state and even attempting to directly safeguard its own interests by intervening with a bogus peace plan, then launched an arrogant warmongering campaign against the Iranian people. This aggression, which the imperialists intended would lead to the rapid downfall of the regime and the swift colonization of the country, has instead become partially bogged down.
The Iranian nation, attacked by imperialism, has thus become an integral part of the struggle of the oppressed peoples, and through its resistance has fostered the development of the anti-imperialist initiative of the Houthis and the peoples of the entire region.
History is beginning to move rapidly. Although many phenomena are still in their embryonic and contradictory stages, we are entering a historical phase that—after a prolonged period of reactionary and revolutionary wars—will ultimately see the triumph of the world revolution.
This will happen everywhere: not only in countries oppressed by imperialism—not only, therefore, in Palestine, Iran, Brazil, India, Mexico, and countless other countries characterized by bureaucratic capitalism—but also in the imperialist countries, including here in Europe.
In Italy, too, the heavy reactionary cloud that had settled in the late 1970s—and which had spawned decades of stagnation, fragmentation, opportunism, and liquidationism—has been broken. For several years now, Italy has been the scene of mass demonstrations led by the younger generations. Through these demonstrations, they are learning to organize and to fight. An anti-imperialist consciousness is maturing—one that, in addition to demanding an end to Zionism and taking up the banner of the Palestinian Resistance, is beginning to recognize the need for the revolutionary struggle of young people, oppressed peoples, and the working masses to develop throughout the world.
As for Europe, massive student and popular demonstrations have recently taken place in France, joined by significant mobilizations and initiatives in Spain and Belgium as well. Sections of the masses and students have taken to the streets with political demands denouncing the unacceptable state of public services and an unsustainable economic situation; opposing rearmament; rejecting the logic of conscription into unjust imperialist wars; and denouncing fascistization and militarization.
Long live the uprising in France!
Long live the French Communist Youth!
All of this brings to the forefront the issue of forming an independent camp of the proletariat and oppressed peoples—a genuine anti-imperialist front. In this sense, the spread, consolidation, and development of the Anti-Imperialist League’s initiative are absolutely timely and necessary at this stage for the peoples and oppressed masses of the entire world.
Comrades, the fact that this event is being held in Naples may perhaps be seen as a mere coincidence. Instead, it is likely indicative of something more significant. The masses of Southern Italy and the Islands, oppressed in a semi-colonial manner by the imperialism of Northern Italy, are a decisive part of the problem of the revolution in Italy.
Marginal Italian imperialism provides bases and support to U.S. imperialism, colluding with it and its operations of subjugation, aggression, and oppression. The masses—and in particular the working masses of the South and the Islands—are made to pay the price for this subjugation. Sardinia and Sicily must endure military bases and servitude. The port of Naples is indispensable to the Yankee imperialists for controlling the Mediterranean and carrying out their aggressive operations. The working people of the South and the Islands have an interest in freeing themselves from the oppression of Yankee imperialism and the imperialism of Northern Italy and in joining the struggle of the oppressed peoples of the entire world.
Just a few days ago, the masses of very small and small agricultural, livestock, and trucking businesses in Southern Italy took to the streets against the large monopolies that are reducing them to poverty, denouncing an unsustainable situation caused by the high cost of living, monopoly prices, and the cost of gasoline. These southern popular strata, which are a fundamental component of the people’s revolution, still lack an anti-imperialist front to unify and represent them; they therefore often fall under the hegemony of companies that, under the guise of competing against industrial, financial, and retail monopolies, actually serve the interests of these very monopolies to exploit the popular uprising and steer it toward protectionism, nationalism, and the strengthening of Italian imperialism.
In recent weeks, a massive wave of student mobilizations has swept through the streets of all of Italy, following the example of what has happened in other countries such as France. All these sectors—workers, students, and small producers—need to build their own broad, coordinated, and organized front, to which the existing opportunist and reformist forces are entirely incapable of contributing. Let’s help build it! Let’s build the Anti-Imperialist League in Italy, too!
Let’s commit ourselves to international campaigns in support of oppressed peoples and the New Democratic Revolutions! For the unity of all oppressed masses, workers, and peoples of the world!
Long live the International Anti-Imperialist League!