By Adolfo Santos
December 13, 2023. From 7 to 10 December, in Buenos Aires, the International Workers’ Unity Fourth International held its eighth world congress. Four days of intense debate and elaboration on presented documents and contributions from party members via internal bulletins.
The sessions began with a proposal for an honorary presidency voted by the delegates present. The heroic Palestinian people who resisted the genocide perpetrated by Zionism and the comrades who died in this period formed it. We mention outstandingly comrade Silvia Santos “Pestaña”, who was a member of the secretariat of the IWU-FI; Carmen Moncada, leader of the MST of Chile; comrade Ahmet Muhittin, leader of the Party for Workers’ Democracy (IDP) of Turkey; comrade Virgilio Arauz “Villo”, leader of the Socialist Proposal of Panama. And comrades of a long trajectory in our current, such as Victor Muller and Gabriel Zadunaisky of Izquierda Socialista. They also proposed to integrate the honorary presidency, comrade Hugo Blanco, a historical peasant leader of Peru.
From that moment and after the approval of the accreditation report of delegates by sections and guests, they appointed the outgoing International Executive Committee members to preside over the work effectively. The presence of a delegation from MAS of Portugal, recently incorporated into the IWU-FI and of a guest representing Unir of Colombia, was highlighted and greetings and messages from several countries were read and heard. (see note Important presences…) Once the extensive agenda was voted, the work of the Congress began with the virtual participation of comrade Priscila Vasquez, leader of the Association of Social Security Employees and Socialist Proposal of Panama, comrade Atakan, leader of IDP of Turkey and a comrade of the MST of Dominican Republic.
The debates
In the world political situation, we took the extensive draft document prepared by the leadership of the International as a basis. Comrade Miguel Sorans, leader of the IEC and Socialist Left Argentina, presented the initial report.
The second point was about the balance of activities and the orientation of the IWU-FI. Comrade Miguel Angel Hernandez, a member of the IEC and leader of the Socialism and Freedom Party of Venezuela, presented the report. Although the balanced period had a first-year still crossed by the pandemic, the sign was positive. One highlight of the balance was the incorporation into the IWU-FI of the Movement for a Socialist Alternative (MAS) of Portugal, which strengthened our presence in Europe. Also noted was the progress in the relationship with other groups and currents, such as the Revolutionary Left Unity (UNIR) of Colombia and with Palestinian fighters who acted against the Zionist attacks.
In this period, at the initiative of the Internationalist Struggle of the Spanish State, they carried four caravans out in solidarity with the Ukrainian popular resistance against Putin’s invasion, from a position of absolute independence from the bourgeois government of Zelensky and repudiation of NATO. From this important activity, we established relations with the trade union, and social and political leaders of that country, whose progress will be part of the challenges of the next period. But undoubtedly, the highlight of this extension of our international was the incorporation of the MAS of Portugal, an organisation of national character with a presence in Lisbon, Porto, Braga and Barcelos and with works in unions, youth, women, and dissidences.
Task accomplished
The last day was dedicated to the debate on the updating of the statutes of the IWU-FI, presented by Josep Lluis del Alcazar, leader of the IWU-FI and Internationalist Struggle, to the voting of the resolutions on the tasks and campaigns that arose during the Congress and to the election of the leadership of the International for the next period. Undoubtedly, they were four days of intense work that culminated with a vibrant closing singing the stanzas of the International. Despite the tiredness, the satisfaction of the delegates was evident as they prepared to return to their respective countries to continue the struggle to unite the revolutionaries to rebuild the IV International. We left strengthened and optimistic to intervene with all our might in the struggles to come. For that reason, we can say: task accomplished!
Important presences and greetings
During the opening of the Congress, they made a report of the delegations. They appointed the delegates of the sections present as follows: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Portugal, Spanish State, Turkey, Dominican Republic, and Venezuela. Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Spanish State, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Portugal, Turkey, Dominican Republic, and Venezuela, while the comrades from Australia, Norway, the United States, and Italy, for example, could not travel. Among those present, we can highlight the Argentine delegation, headed by Juan Carlos Giordano, national deputy elected from Socialist Left/Left Front. Enrique Fernandez Chacon, of a long trajectory in the current founded by Nahuel Moreno, former metallurgical leader and legislator on several occasions, representing the Peruvian section Uníos/PT. Joao Batista de Oliveira, “Babá”, from the CST of Brazil, was a leader of Fasubra, the federation that brings together university workers from all over Brazil, founder of the CUT and the PT in its origins and legislator for several terms, was with the delegates from his country. Görkem Duru, ex-candidate to the Parliament for Istanbul for IDP, Turkish section of the IWU-FI. In addition, Miguel Angel Hernandez, a university professor, and leader of the PSL of Venezuela, and Josep Lluis del Alcazar, a teacher, and a leader of Internationalist Struggle in the Spanish State, among others.
Very emotional moments were experienced when comrades who lived in dramatic situations in their countries connected virtually. From the Gaza Strip, comrade Fayez, and comrade Amal, both from the Palestinian Workers Industrial Workers Committee Union, addressed us, and from Jerusalem, we received the greeting of comrade Hala, coordinator of the Solidarity Collective. In the same way, it was very important to listen to comrade Sergei Movchan from Kyiv, Ukraine, a country invaded and massacred by Putin’s Russia and from Senegal, the greeting of Ibrahima, General Secretary of the teachers’ union of that country. A greeting from the Fourth International tendency of the PCL of Italy was also read. The delegates received with applause all of them.
These important presences, as well as the virtual interventions and greetings, are not only a source of pride for our International but also demand us to redouble our efforts to contribute to the world struggle in defence of the working class and the oppressed peoples and impose on us continuing to bet on the unity of the revolutionaries of the whole world in the battle to overcome the crisis of leadership.
