The second congress of Bandera Roja-MDP was held in Caracas on 8-11 December with the slogans "the unity of Marxist-Leninists" and "for a new political power". The congress made a resolution for the merging of the two organisations under the name Bandera Roja (Red Flag). Alongside over 200 delegates who were elected by local and regional conferences, representatives from other organisations in Venezuela participated in the congress and debates actively.
Our congress was also honored by the delegations from the Communist Party of Albania, Communist Party of Colombia (M-L), Marxist-Leninist Communist Party of Ecuador, Communist Labour Party of Dominican Republic and Revolutionary Communist Party of Turkey. They contributed to the discussions with the spirit of proletarian internationalism. Also, the sincere salutation messages were read from Marxist-Leninist, communist fraternal parties.
The slogans on which our second congress was based indicated the immediate and important tasks in front of our party for the approved general political line to be put into practise: to prepare the party and the people for the work in the forthcoming period.
Having analysed the popular insurgence on 27-28 February 1989, the military interventions in February and November 1992, the changes that took place afterwards and the current political situation, our congress came to the conclusion that Venezuela is in the deepest crisis of its history. The political system which has been experienced since 1958 has completely gone bankrupt today. Reactionary parties, official trade unions and national army which are the pillars of bourgeois-democratic regime have lost their credibility as they lack the capacity to realise the changes demanded by the majority of the people. They can no longer guarantee the continuity of this political system.
The congress approved the analysis of the party in regards to the fact that we are face to face with a revolutionary situation. The forthcoming combat will be one between revolution and counter revolution. In the first camp we have patriot, democratic, progressive and revolutionary forces whose aim is to establish a new political power, a democratic system and a system which allows to solve the problems of the country and realises national sovereignty where the demands of the people can be met. Whereas, in the other camp we have the present ruling bloc comprised of the financial oligarchy and their corrupt parties who sells out the country.
In a country like Venezuela where it is no longer possible to solve the problems through the existing institutions, reactionary forces are afraid of a popular uprising. They are searching for a fascist regime which allows them to impose by means of blood and force the neo-liberal policies of the IMF which will draw the country into a civil war . Our congress put it as a main task for the party to prepare itself and the people for this combat vis-a-vis such a perspective of reactionary forces.
Revolutionary struggle for a new political power is the main task for all the patriots of Venezuela. The party's policy of unity in this direction was approved by the congress. It has become an immediate task to make more effort for a body which can solve the main existing contradictions in society, which can unify around a democratic and anti-monopolist programme (not a socialist programme yet) all patriot, democrat, progressive and revolutionary forces and even some religious circles and some sectors of the army.
The contradiction which needs an immediate solution today is the one between the majority of the Venezuelan people and financial oligarchy which benefits from an anti-patriotic alliance between the grand national bourgeoisie and imperialism. Another important task is to unite Marxist-Leninists under the umbrella of a single party with the aim of a new political power. Marxist-Leninists of Venezuela have waged their struggle in separate organisations for various reasons.
At a time when the class struggle has reached its undeniable present stage and when the preparation of the people for the final combat is on the agenda, it is not appropriate to carry out the struggle in separate parties for those whose guide is Marxism-Leninism and who advocate socialism as an alternative against bourgeois regime. The congress has given the task to the newly elected central committee to make active effort to reach the aim of unity. There is no doubt that it will be success if we take into account the unity in the approach to the fundamental questions of revolution such as strategic aim, the character of the revolution, the approach to the party, the programme for revolutionary change, etc.
The development of a line which aims political power puts important tasks on the party especially in organising the masses in order for them to play their role. The congress has identified the line which must be pursued to form popular councils as autonomous organisations of the masses. These councils will fulfil the tasks that will appear during political movement and armed struggle.
The initial task in front of us is to prepare the party so that it can implement the approved political line and at the same time to expose the mask of Rafael Caldera's government. Caldera, by uttering demagogy, had declared that he would abandon neo-liberal policies and had created great hopes for a change in the various sections of popular movement. In fact, he remained loyal to his class and continued to keep the same road left by Carlos Andres Perez.
The congress and internal discussions proved the fact that the Venezuelan working class has their vanguard Marxist-Leninist party which is able to meet the requirements of all conjunctions and able to solve the problems. However, we know that we must change some approaches in order to mobilise the revolutionary potential of the Venezuelan people. It is also essential for us to abandon bureaucratic and routine methods. The political situation in our country requires the party to have a theoretical openness and political flexibility which allows it to utilise fully all sorts of forms of struggle from legal and peaceful ones to illegal and violent ones.
The congress has also approved the party's international commitments. The task we are aware of and undertake as a part of the International Communist Movement is to strengthen this movement by actively participating in the International Conference of M-L Parties and Organisations and by contributing to the other fraternal parties.
As Marxist-Leninist fighting in the ranks of Bandera Roja, we once again announce our commitment to the interests of the working class and labouring people of Venezuela. We are aware that we have a great responsibility. However, we know that we are not alone. We also know that we have the internationalist support of the International Marxist-Leninist Movement and of the revolutionary movement in Latin America as a whole which is fighting against imperialism and its new colonialist forms.
- Long live Marxism-Leninism!
- Long live proletarian internationalism!
-Unity of Marxist-Leninists for a new political power!