On the opening day of the founding congress of the Revolutionary Communist International, we were proud to receive fraternal greetings from comrade Ivan Pinheiro, the historical leader of the Brazilian Communist Party (PCB), and member of the Central Committee of the newly founded Brazilian Revolutionary Communist Party (PCBR).
Pinheiro had been amongst the leaders of a left-wing opposition in the PCB, until the left was bureaucratically expelled by the party’s nationalist-reformist leadership last summer. After the expulsion of the revolutionary wing of the party, which included the overwhelming majority of the youth, the comrades regrouped as the Brazilian Communist Party – Revolutionary Reconstruction (PCB-RR).
Comrade Caio Dezorzi pictured far left / Image: PCB-RR Twitter
After an extraordinary XVII Congress of the PCB held two weeks ago, the comrades have now refounded as the PCBR. Two comrades of the International Marxist Tendency (IMT), which this week is refounding as the Revolutionary Communist International (RCI), attend this extraordinary congress as invited guests: comrade Caio Dezorzi, leading member of the Organisation of Communist Internationalists (OCI), the Brazilians section of the IMT; and comrade Ben Curry from the international leadership of the IMT.
At the extraordinary congress, comrade Caio Dezorzi spoke as a guest at the opening ceremony, whilst comrade Ben Curry brought international greetings and presented the party with the gift of a copy of In Defence of Lenin by Rob Sewell and Alan Woods, on behalf of our International.
Ivan Pinheiro embracing comrade Ben Curry / Image: PCB-RR Twitter
Worldwide, the sharpening of the contradictions of capitalism, and especially events like the Ukraine War, are drawing a sharp line between genuine revolutionaries and those so-called ‘communists’ in the official parties that have adapted in a reformist manner to their own bourgeoisie, and who have lined up behind one or other imperialist power.
Of course, there are differences between the RCI and the PCBR – inevitably – but we agree on one fundamental question: we stand firmly on the principle of proletarian class struggle, against any collaboration with the bourgeoisie and any form of ‘stageism’, which puts off the socialist revolution to a far off, distant future.
We present the full greetings to the founding conference of the Revolutionary Communist International below.
Greetings from comrade Ivan Pinheiro
Dear comrade Alan Woods,
It was with great honour that we heard the words of comrade Caio Dezorzi, of the Internationalist Communist Organisation, at the inaugural public act of the XVII (Extraordinary) Congress of the PCB – PCB-RR, and of comrade Ben Curry, of the International Marxist Tendency, at the opening of the concluding stage of the Plenary of the delegates to this Congress, which ended in an atmosphere of unity and willingness to contribute to the struggle for the Revolutionary Reconstruction of the Party and the Communist Movement in our country.
We have decided to adopt the name Partido Comunista Brasileiro Revolucionário (PCBR – Brazilian Revolutionary Communist Party) from now on, a decision that we have clarified in the Political Note that I am attaching.
Both comrades who represented the IMT tradition at our Congress made clear their intention to contribute to bringing us closer together in unity of action, in our country and in the world, in the perspective of the struggles that pave the way for the Socialist Revolution, on the road to communism.
For our part, we are willing to continue our contacts and debates, with unity of action as our central objective. In this sense, we have already signalled the need for a face-to-face bilateral meeting in Brazil, probably in July, for a political assessment of our Congress and of the World Conference of the International Marxist Tendency, which is planning the foundation of the Revolutionary Communist International, to be held soon in Italy, the results of which we are keen to see.
I express here my personal wish, which certainly coincides with that of the entire leadership and militancy of the PCBR, that the World Conference of the IMT achieves its objectives, strengthens proletarian internationalism, the anti-capitalist and anti-imperialist struggle and our relationship, based on common interpretations of the character of imperialism, the war in Ukraine, capitalist restoration in China and on a decisive task for revolutionaries today, which is the fight against the reformism and opportunism that flourish in the ranks of the so-called left, including in self-declared communist parties.
Finally, I couldn't fail to register the emotion of the delegates to our Congress, mine in particular, when comrade Ben Curry handed me the two volumes of your book on Lenin, which will be in my possession until the day the PCBR has a physical space of its own, fit to house this important contribution.
Revolutionary greetings,
Ivan Pinheiro, member of the PCBR Central Committee