Excerpt from the Interview with Carlos Conde, secretary of the Caracas Regional Committee of the Communist Party of Venezuela (PCV)
- There is a faction within the Communist Party of Venezuela (PCV) that has decided to ally itself with the far right and accuses them of being usurpers. How do you explain all this to your party members, especially internationally?
spoiler
Yes, it is shameful to witness a clear political and then moral decline, the result of the disastrous management of certain leaders who, transforming themselves into a clique of accomplices, tried to lead the PCV into a dead end, where in resounding public interventions they ended up making deals with the positions of the US State Department itself, with a clear and worrying alignment with the most extreme and intransigent right wing in Venezuela, which historically responds to the orders given by Washington, becoming at the same time a voice that, protected by the symbols of the PCV, tried to politically blackmail its own militants, whom it simultaneously decimated systematically, dissolving the regional and local leaderships, as well as limiting the Communist Youth of Venezuela, in order to prevent any development and renewal of the party that could sustain the Bolivarian revolution.
- When and why did this “decline” begin?
spoiler
In 2017, the “separation and confrontation” began, and the government was accused of not respecting the agreements between the PSUV and the PCV. Then began the ordeal for party militants; organizations dissolved, and the radical and personalistic attitude of the national leadership and the political bureau began to wreak havoc on PCV members. The reactionary “Figuerism” (Figuera) led an international campaign to discredit the Venezuelan state, conveniently ignoring the sanctions and blockades that prevented any government action on behalf of the people. The party’s revanchist stance took a dark turn, allying itself with the actions of the far right in 2023 during the demonstrations that, taking advantage of the workers’ economic situation, called on its members to confront the Maduro government. It was no longer just a distancing, but a conflict, forgetting the anti-imperialist principle of the communists.
The rhetoric of the anti-Chavista faction, entrenched in the outgoing party leadership, resembled that of a CIA agency in Venezuela, with statements portraying Venezuela and its government internationally as illegitimate. This dangerous situation is impossible to ignore in any objective analysis, and therefore, a group of party members, invoking the country’s Supreme Court, decided to file a constitutional appeal, arguing that political rights were being violated. Thus, through this avenue permitted by the Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, a turning point is approaching, allowing revolutionary forces within the party to advance and rescue it from a despicable leadership that has allied itself with reactionary forces against the government of Nicolás Maduro.
Thus begins a new phase of recovering the revolutionary moral dignity of the party, driven by its new Ad Hoc National Directorate, where Comrade Henry Parra, affectionately known as “El Gallo” (The Rooster), as president, has done everything possible to make this truth clear: first in our country and, subsequently, in important international forums in which he has participated. Likewise, each Regional Committee nationwide has joined forces to restore the rightful place in history to a political party that has never abandoned the principal struggles and highest ideals of the Venezuelan people.
- What position did this faction of the PCV take in the last presidential elections?
spoiler
It was then that everything became clear: in the presidential elections of July 28, 2024, this shameful faction supported the far-right candidate Enrique Márquez. This was the moment when the portion of the Communist Party of Venezuela (PCV) base that continued to support this disgraceful leadership broke away. And today, we are pleased to announce with particular satisfaction that the majority are with us, fighting within the ranks of the PCV that embraces the Bolivarian Revolution under the leadership of the working-class president, Nicolás Maduro Moros. The rescue of the party is not a mere pamphlet or a theatrical performance directed by the government. We, the communists, are rescuing the party, because we believe that the history of its struggle cannot continue to be tarnished or destroyed. That is why today we have the support and solidarity of our sister communist parties in Latin America, and we are forging links in Europe and other parts of the world.
- What is the PCV’s analysis of the current phase and situation in Venezuela?
spoiler
In the Communist Party of Venezuela (PCV), we understand that, in the current situation, it is not just a matter of holding new elections, but of preserving peace as the supreme objective, in parallel with the situation of our ancestors, whose supreme historical objective was independence. Today, our objective is to preserve peace and the most precious asset of our homeland: its complete independence. Last year, in 2024, marked one hundred years since the appearance in Italy of the black robes in that long march that led them to Rome to seize power. These black robes were the fascists who filled the 20th century in Europe with death and bloodshed. Therefore, we are clear that the fate of life is at stake against the death represented by the extreme right and the Venezuelan opposition, allies of those currently committing the worst genocide in the world, this one against the Palestinians. Fascism is an instrument of war and death of capitalism in crisis, and the extreme right-wing opposition in Venezuela is an instrument of imperialism for the restoration of the bourgeois dictatorship of the Fourth Republic and neoliberalism. For all these reasons, and in accordance with what happened in our country in the recent presidential elections, the fight against fascist ideology is what determines the national agenda, as is the improvement of our economy and the path to prosperity that we have charted despite the unilateral coercive sanctions of American imperialism under the new government of the magnate Donald Trump and the darkest forces of international reaction.
As Antonio Gramsci said: “The old world is dying. The new one is slow to appear. And in this twilight, monsters emerge” (fascism).
- What are the points of disagreement, if any, with the PSUV?
spoiler
A very positive result: the majority vote of the Venezuelan people expressed in the elections of Sunday, May 25, in favor of the PSUV and the PCV as the second political force in the country, as well as for the various political parties of the GPPSB, reflects great political maturity and at the same time a political and moral demand made by the Venezuelan people, placing their trust in the revolutionary proposal that is imbued with the values of Bolívar, a trust that must be transformed into the realization of the great and prosperous Venezuela that we are all building together, in contrast to the submissive and distant proposal of the far right in Venezuela. These elections demonstrated that the PCV remains a historic force, where its party potential has found its channel and that this will help us find the way back to the congress, hand in hand with a national leadership that today remains, together with all the regional, local and grassroots governing bodies, on the right side of history, defending, promoting, deepening and consolidating the Bolivarian revolution, the legacy of Commander Chávez and around the unity of the leadership of President Nicolás Maduro and the entire political and military leadership of the revolution.
It is important and very gratifying to know that we are the second largest political and electoral force in Caracas and throughout the country, and that we were elected not only by our members, but also by the people in general. We are extremely satisfied with the work we are doing for unity and progress in conquering spaces for the consolidation of communist power; that is, for the accumulation of power that allows us to advance in conquering positions of power, collective building, and horizontal leadership.
- How do you assess the Government’s new plan for the path towards a community state?
spoiler
The national government has initiated a new stage of transferring power to organized communities, communal councils, communities and all the diverse organized expressions of popular and communal power, expanding and deepening the model of participatory and protagonistic democracy through the new System of Popular and Community Government throughout the national territory, in all Communal Circuits, thus fulfilling one of the noblest expectations of Commander Chávez, who had the vision of a protagonistic and participatory people in the new democracy, something that is only possible through the revolution.
We believe that firm steps are being taken toward achieving a community state, and the Communist Party of Venezuela (PCV) supports these national liberation processes from a socialist perspective. Specific Action Agendas (ACAs) and their solution maps play a fundamental role in this phase for achieving an increasingly revolutionary and popular state, in which grassroots and community movements can develop their initiatives within the fertile ground of the Bolivarian Revolution.
As the eternal commander and historical leader of the Bolivarian Revolution, Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías, said: “The communal state is the path to 21st century socialism.”
All power to the Communities!!!
Discussions in Lemmygrad regarding this topic:
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From Camarada Forte, Absolute shit take from Communist Party of Venezuela -> https://lemmygrad.ml/post/5244648
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The two PCVs in the ballot box-> https://lemmygrad.ml/post/5309060/4829039
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Venezuela’s opposition are rabid zionists, and the PCV supports them -> https://lemmygrad.ml/post/5298363
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Enrique Márquez, the imperialist collaborator, that was supported by the reactionary PCV. -> https://lemmygrad.ml/post/6701152)
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Venezuela. Rebirth and Electoral Victory of the Communist Party - PlatformNews -> https://lemmygrad.ml/post/8500313
Thank you for posting this! I hope this will once and for all put an end to the confusion around why some Venezuelan “communists” are so anti-PSUV and literally parroting imperialist and far right propaganda.
I really hope so.
Right now, there is a huge battle of ideas in every sector of society including within our comrades circles. Exploiting this, the imperialist with their collaborators are throwing every despicable lie to justify the criminal invasion against Venezuela and to dehumanize the Venezuelan people and their gov’t with the purpose of demobilizing solidarity for the Venezuelans. Fortunately, just like the comrade Camarada Forte a year ago, people are starting to question and debunk every lie. That process of destroying the lies that prevented solidarity sped up with the criminal invasion. Solidarity is slowly but surely increasing.
From the liberals and fascists, they will use this script -> https://lemmygrad.ml/post/10363325 and, from this side of the aisle, they will use the script of accusing the Venezuelan gov’t of neoliberalism or undemocratic as these fascist collaborators did.
I have hope that the world is finally changing for the better. Just like Gramsci said: “The old world is dying. The new one is slow to appear. And in this twilight, monsters emerge”
I have no idea where you get the time and unflagging energy, but I am so grateful! Stay well, comrade!
Gonna be honest here, from this interview this still looks like some outcropping of PSUV dressed in red. A party can be supportive of the government while differentiating themselves in policy or strategy, instead all they do here is uncritical praise. This guy Even uses “radical” as a negative adjective.
Even if the other organisation calling itself PCV is ultra-left, I have yet to see evidence of Marxism in the leadership of this one, and the judicial intervention was a huge blow to the legitimacy of the communist movement in Venezuela. It was also effective at dismantling the opposition, at least I respect that.
I understand that in English language forums a lot of care is necessary over the nuances of criticism and support. But PSUV really owes the international communists one for needing their solidarity now despite having pulled that one on the local party. Though it was also a massive skill issue that the party was so vulnerable to judicial action in the first place, because communist parties do not get the luxury of depending on legality.
But PSUV really owes the international communists one for needing their solidarity now despite having pulled that one on the local party.
The interview is very clear that it wasn’t PSUV but members of the PCV that did this to avoid falling for counter revolutionaries. In other words, the split happened from within and not caused by some external factor. In case you missed it:
- Thus, through this avenue permitted by the Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, a turning point is approaching, allowing revolutionary forces within the party to advance and rescue it from a despicable leadership that has allied itself with reactionary forces against the government of Nicolás Maduro.
Even if the other organisation calling itself PCV is ultra-left, I have yet to see evidence of Marxism in the leadership of this one, and the judicial intervention was a huge blow to the legitimacy of the communist movement in Venezuela.
It is not ultra left but reactionaries. They actively appealed the masses to join hands with fascists. If you need more evidence, check the discussions that I added where the Figuera PCV was exposed.
Also, by evidence of Marxism, you need to clarify what are your expectations because in the Figuera there was no Marxism but reactionary tendencies and liberalism in their writing. While the other party, keeps agitating the masses with plenty of events( as I have shared with you before in case you forgot) and also sends plenty of cadres to Marxist theory abroad to China and does education in the country.
Also, it is important to remember why the PCV supports the PSUV gov’t and the only way for you know is to actually investigate the Communa system. If you really are interested to investigate this and need books and sources, let me know.
Yeah, at first i thought it was a PSUV spokesman talking. It’s a bit disappointing to hear communists praising 21st century socialism as if we didn’t have plenty evidence of it’s shortcomings in other Latin American projects. Still he nailed the 4th answer, regardless of ideological differences, if any, the PCV should be allied with the PSUV in this determinate period of international siege against their homeland.
There are shortcomings but it is important to understand that this strategy unique to Venezuela is working for them due to their own material conditions. Unlike the rest of Latin America excluding Nicaragua, Venezuela has the conditions for this to work. Pueblos.org.ve has a good article explaining the logic behind this -> https://lemmygrad.ml/post/9072469
Brief teaser:
Ramón Grosfoguel emphasized that Commander Chávez made a fundamental “decolonial turn” in Latin American political thought. Chávez understood that the dilemma between “statists and anarchists” is a “false dilemma” inherited from the European left, unrelated to the reality of the region. For Chávez, the strategy is not “this or that,” but “both at once”: contesting the representative state, winning elections, and thereby interrupting policies of domination (neoliberal, patriarchal, racist), while simultaneously building the framework for popular decision-making and participation, that is, communal power, from outside . Abandoning the state to the right or far right would be “handing them the occupation of its structures on a silver platter,” so the battle must be fought in both directions simultaneously.
Grosfoguel emphasized that the challenges posed by the transition to a communal state or society are “original to the Bolivarian process,” as there is no successful previous experience to serve as a model. He recalled that Hugo Chávez always encouraged us to look critically at 20th-century socialism, warning that, with the best intentions, “21st-century socialism” could repeat its problems.
the response to the question on points of disagreements doesn’t even give a straight answer unless I’m illiterate
You are right. There was no straight answer because there is simply no disagreements. In point 6, they clarified this:
- We believe that firm steps are being taken toward achieving a community state, and the Communist Party of Venezuela (PCV) supports these national liberation processes from a socialist perspective.
The Communal state is the Venezuelan version of DOTP.
