On November 23, the People’s Democracy Party (PDP), following the establishment of the “21st Century Che Guevara—Defense Brigade” at its 2nd Party Representatives’ Conference, held a Resolution Assembly of the “21st Century Che Guevara Defense Brigade.”
On November 23, the People’s Democracy Party (PDP), following the establishment of the “21st Century Che Guevara—Defense Brigade” at its 2nd Party Representatives’ Conference, held a Resolution Assembly of the “21st Century Che Guevara Defense Brigade.”
The chair of the Anti-US Anti-War Special Committee of the PDP, who presided over the event, recalled, “What is our greatest weapon? When other forces could only form a party by leaning on a large mass organization, our Party was founded by gathering the support of people, who yearned for a new world, across the nation through direct struggle on the streets. From the founding of our Party, its renaming as the Popular Democracy Party, and the adoption of the abbreviated name “People’s Party,” to advancing as the locomotive of the 21st-century revolution—all these steps together form a history created solely by our own strength.”
She continued, “Our weapon is ourselves—ourselves who believe in the people and act based on them. Today is a remarkable day in which comrades—who demonstrate the most noble vitality within the party organization, opening a historical turning point by their own strength—have founded an unprecedented militant international solidarity organization. We have gained yet another organizational weapon. The “21st Century Che Guevara” will defend our people and our revolution, and hasten the decisive victory of the anti-imperialist and independent forces.”
After singing “Spirit of Revolution,” the party members shouted powerful slogans:
“Raise high the banner of anti-imperialism, eliminate the source of war, and hasten the final victory!”
“Let us triumph in the anti-imperialist struggle for independence by believing in the people and relying on the people!”
“Let us defend our people through militant international solidarity!”
“Let us smash the pro-US fascist and treacherous forces and establish the people’s government!”
“Let us realize a new world centered on the people through the anti-imperialist struggle for independence!”
“Let us unite as the ’21st Century Che Guevara’ and defend our people!”
“Let us advance global independence by strengthening the world anti-imperialist front!”
“We actively support Venezuela and the anti-imperialist Maduro government!”
“¡Viva Maduro! (Victory to Maduro)”
“¡Viva Venezuela! (Victory to Venezuela)”
“¡Victoria Siempre! (Until the day of victory, always)”
Statements of resolution continued
The Chair of the Workers’ Committee of the PDP condemned the acts of invasion and plunder committed by US imperialism against the ‘ROK’ and Venezuela.
A member from the Gwangju Committee of the PDP emphasized the worldwide anti-imperialist struggle arising from the World War 3 initiated by imperialism.
A youth and student member of the PDP expressed their determination regarding the vanguard role of youth, as members of the “21st Century Che Guevara,” in the face of the looming full outbreak of the World War 3.
Party members rose to their feet and, after reading the resolution “Defend the motherland and strengthen the anti-imperialist front!”, sang the “International.”
Before the resolution meeting, they celebrated the birthday of Venezuelan President Maduro, expressed support for and solidarity with Venezuela’s anti-imperialist struggle, and reaffirmed their commitment to joint struggle.
Following the resolution meeting they then watched the documentary film “Nicolás,” which depicts Maduro’s revolutionary activities.
Below are the full texts of the speeches and the resolution:
Speech of the Chair of the Workers’ Committee of the PDP
The economy of the ‘Republic of Korea (ROK)’ is extremely precarious. A replay of the chaotic, hellish 1997 financial crisis is looming before us. In the third quarter of this year, household debt reached an all-time high, and all economic indicators are signaling the collapse of the ‘ROK’ economy. Foreign currency is flowing out, and the exchange rate has soared to levels seen during the 2008 financial crisis. Nevertheless, the Lee Jae-myung government is accelerating the de-industrialization of the ‘ROK’ through treacherous negotiations and to pour tens of billions of dollars into the US military stationed in the ‘ROK’ and the American military-industrial complex. The traitorous conglomerates, siding with the Lee Jae-myung traitorous government, have also pledged hundreds of billions of dollars in investment to the US.
Through the dual structure of the labor market, irregular and subcontracted workers are being pushed into “outsourced death.” Two out of three workers who tragically die from industrial accidents are subcontracted workers. The ‘ROK’ ranks first among OECD countries for the 20th consecutive year in suicide rate, elderly poverty rate, long working hours, and the gender wage gap—revealing the ugly reality of ‘ROK’ society.
This cycle of exploitation and plunder was established when US occupation forces entered this land in 1945 and became fully entrenched through successive military-fascist regimes. The traitorous actions of past anti-people governments, which sacrificed agriculture to unnaturally expand heavy industry and destroyed farming through the WTO and FTAs, are being repeated today by the Lee Jae-myung traitorous government, which hands over food sovereignty and quarantine sovereignty into the hands of imperialist US. Now, the predatory US, having inflicted two previous foreign exchange crises and “sheared the wool” off the ‘ROK,’ is coming to strip it bare and extract everything it can.
Why target the ‘ROK’ and Venezuela? Facing a severe fiscal crisis with $38 trillion in national debt and $1 trillion in interest payments, the US aims to use colonial ‘ROK’ as an example to subdue the Global South, and turn Latin America once again into America’s “backyard” by invading Venezuela. To this end, in September, it took around 300 workers from the ‘ROK’ as hostage, treating them like “dogs and pigs,” while simultaneously concentrating invasion forces around the Caribbean near Venezuela. Lee Jae-myung promised the notorious, predatory, and aggressive US at least $350 billion in investment, along with golden crown and honors worth over one hundred million won, demonstrating total submission. What about Venezuela? In response to the decision of its anti-imperialist people’s government to defend the homeland, the comuna people have mobilized 8 million militias, boldly taking up anti-US resistance. Subjugation is submission; sovereignty is self-respect.
The Workers’ Committee of the Popular Democracy Party, born and advanced through uprising, fully shares the sense of crisis regarding the dangerous situation of war and fully agrees with the formation of the “21st Century Che Guevara.”
The ‘ROK’ is Venezuela, and Venezuela is the ‘ROK.’ Firm solidarity with the people’s government of Venezuela is, in itself, the strengthening of the anti-imperialist front and the defense of our motherland. The United States is persistently scheming a “Second Caribbean Crisis,” targeting Venezuela and further threatening Colombia, Cuba, Nicaragua, and Mexico. Should a war break out in Venezuela and Latin America, it would signify the full outbreak of World War 3, and the ignition of war in the ‘ROK’ and East Asia—the greatest flashpoint in the world—would only be a matter of time.
Patriotism in defense of the motherland and internationalism in strengthening the anti-imperialist front are never separate. The unity of the working class across borders and nations is a truth. The 20th century, which demonstrated the anti-fascist struggle of the International Brigades in the Spanish Civil War and achieved victory by transforming World War 2 into an anti-fascist war, demands that the working class living in the 21st century come to the forefront of overthrowing imperialism. Making the 21st century an era of independence and liberation is the historic mission of the working class. The formation and activities of the “21st Century Che Guevara–Defense Brigade” will be the first step in realizing this mission.
As the vanguard forces of the Party, our worker Party members will advance single-mindedly on the path of the people’s uprising and the 21st-century revolution. As a fundamental precondition for realizing people’s democracy in our society, and in the struggle to overthrowimperialism, we will fulfill our tasks in the struggle to expel the US imperialist Occupation forces and sweep away the traitors.
Speech of the member from the Gwangju Committee of the PDP
I have always been proud to be a son of the revolutionary city, Gwangju.
Confronting the brutal repression of Chun Doo-hwan’s military fascist clique, the people of Gwangju took up arms to defend themselves and strike back against the fascist hordes, fighting to the end with their lives on the line. During the ten days of liberation, workers, peasants, youth and students, intellectuals, and religious figures gathered at the May 18 Democratic Square, discussing and deciding the pressing issues of the community, carrying out a form of popular self-governance unprecedented in world history. The Gwangju Commune stands recorded in history as a shining model of people’s democratic politics. As a son of Gwangju, I devoted my youth to the struggle for national liberation and democracy, and today, as a proud member of the People’s Democracy Party, I vow to dedicate myself entirely to the road of people’s democracy. My heart beats with the spirit of Namchongryeon (the Federation of Gwangju-Chonnam University Students Councils) that burned within me in my youth.
The flames of the World War 3 ignited by imperialism are about to return as a boomerang and strike the very heart of the imperialist powers. The economies of the United States and Europe—once boasting of their advanced status—are now on the brink of collapse under astronomical levels of national debt, while struggles opposing imperialism—the culprit of war and the root of all evils—are spreading like wildfire across the world.
Imperialism, seeking to maintain its declining hegemonic position, roams in packs, attacking countries that aspire to anti-imperialist independence. Meanwhile, across the globe, the banner of anti-imperialism is being raised high, striking blows against the imperialist forces. In October, more than forty parties and political organizations from around the world gathered in Caracas, Venezuela, to express support for the Venezuelan people’s anti-imperialist resistance and to affirm the strengthening of internationalist unity. Through the International Anti-Imperialist Conferences and anti-imperialist joint actions, they demonstrated the firm conviction and dedication of the progressive people of the world to fortifying the anti-imperialist front.
Venezuela is a land of community where the government and the people—workers and peasants—join forces to defend the Bolivarian Revolution. It is where the people of the comunas, the popular communities, protect their homeland from the brutal aggression of US imperialism and advance toward a new society. The comunas of Venezuela have grown beyond people’s simple, humble communities of everyday life: they have become weapons of unity, weapons of revolution, and weapons of solidarity.
The anti-imperialist people’s government of President Maduro, preparing for a resolute fight against the US, together with the people of the communes, calls upon us to unite in the anti-imperialist front. As US imperialist aggression becomes increasingly concentrated on Venezuela and World War 3 is accelerated by the imperialist forces, we hereby resolve to organize the Defense Brigade “21st Century Che Guevara.” We ourselves must become a fortress of the anti-imperialist front, stand firmly in solidarity with the Venezuelan people’s government, and rise with unwavering determination to overthrow imperialism to hasten the final victory of the anti-imperialist camp.
As heirs of revolutionary Gwangju, we resolve to fight against imperialism and devote all our strength to building a new world of independence, people’s democracy, peace, and prosperity.
Rage toward the imperialists!
Unity to the anti-imperialist front!
Viva Chávez! Viva Maduro! Viva Venezuela!
Speech of the youth and student member of the PDP
Dear proud youth and student comrades!
At this moment, our Party and our people stand at the very center of the perilous war crisis brought about by US imperialism. No matter how craftily US imperialism distorts reality through its deceitful “New Cold War” stratagems and massive propaganda, it can never conceal its aggressive nature. US imperialism is a brigand that tries to plunder 350 billion dollars plus 600 billion dollars from the ‘ROK,’ and it is an aggressor that slanders Venezuela as a “narco-state” while mobilizing even nuclear aircraft carriers in an attempt to overthrow the people’s government. In East Asia, in order to fully escalate World War 3, the US imperialist forces are conducting relentless US–Japan–‘ROK’ joint military exercises and nuclear-war drills, deliberately manufacturing a “Second Caribbean Crisis.”
The imperialist camp is now urging the Trump administration toward an invasion of Venezuela by handing the leader of the pro-US fascists in Venezuela, María Corina Machado, a so-called “Nobel War Prize.” At this juncture, we must recall the fact that last year US imperialism manipulated the pro-US fascist Yoon Suk-yeol behind the scenes to provoke the war in the ‘ROK.’
Today, under the US imperialist Indo-Pacific Strategy, its lackey forces—the colonial ‘ROK’ and its junior ally Japan—are clamoring for “nuclear possession,” thereby heightening the war crisis in East Asia. As long as the ruler of the ‘ROK,’ held on a leash by US imperialism, marches down the path of war and betrayal, it is only natural that it becomes the target of our people’s struggle. Looking back on how US imperialism has trampled upon our nation’s dignity and our people’s honor, we youth and students—born as sons and daughters of a colony—deeply feel the sufferings of the past and reaffirm our unshakable resolve to expel the US occupation army, those predatory brigands.
Because of the plunder and exploitation committed by US imperialism and the comprador capital that serves it, our people endure miserable agony each day under low wages, long hours, and dangerous labor. Our youth and students, who should be exploring truth and envisioning a bright future, are forced into debt, precarious work, and lives barely worth living. The fate of the country and the fate of the youth are one and the same. To overcome polarization and inequality, economic crisis and livelihood collapse, and the permanent war crisis, the road before us is clear: we must drive out US imperialism and liquidate the pro-US fascists and traitors. The present era demands that the youth and students stand at the forefront of the anti-imperialist front and rouse the entire people to uprising.
Korea and Venezuela are bound together in a shared destiny, for both face the same common enemy—the imperialist United States, a brigand and an aggressor. Whether in the ‘ROK’ or in Venezuela, in East Asia or the Caribbean, if war breaks out in one place, World War 3 will immediately enter a full-scale phase. Today, what we require is courageous action—uniting with the Venezuelan people on a single anti-imperialist front, repelling US aggressive forces, and securing genuine peace. As proud members of the “21st Century Che Guevara,” an organization of militant international solidarity, we youth and student Party members will rise in the struggle against imperialism. In this World War 3 situation, we will stand in the vanguard, delivering decisive blows to US imperialism, overthrowing the imperialist system, and advancing the global independence.
