By Liason Comittee – Alternativa Socialista and Luta Socialista (ISL)
On October 2nd, in the midst of an economic crisis that is causing historic increases in unemployment, poverty and hunger rates, Brazil will vote for president, governors and federal and state legislators. The growing crisis raises the question of a social outbreak which the bourgeoisie tries to avoid by all possible means. The project of class conciliation of the Frente Amplio with Lula and Alckmin at its head, is today the best bet of the economic power, but this does not make the Bolsonarist extreme right disappear, which still maintains 30% of the electorate, according to the polls. Political polarization is installed in the streets, even so, there is a significant space for the left, which reached 5% and 11% in important states such as Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.
“Lula-lá” is not enough to defeat Bolsonaro and Bolsonarism.
Bolsonaro continues to lose support in high places, both inside and outside Brazil. His anti-democratic bravado fails to convince more than his circle of militiamen, corrupt businessmen and a base that, according to polls, means 30% of the electorate. This is not enough to launch a coup adventure, which does not mean that it is not a priority task to defeat this government of misery, violence and hunger. This is what we have always defended, even when some spoke that the “conservative wave” had arrived to put an end to all the democratic conquests, also now, where these same ones today join the bandwagon of Lula and the PT calling to trust in the ballot boxes and strengthen the Brazilian bourgeois democratic regime. The socialist left must be clear and forceful: it is urgent to throw Bolsonaro and Bolsonarism out, for that, the only way out is to build and strengthen the mobilization in the streets, without trusting the bourgeois governments and their institutions, on the road to build an independent, anti-capitalist and socialist political tool and thus fight for a government of those who never governed, a government of the working and poor people.
The majority leadership of the PSOL is wrong in abandoning the construction of an independent political alternative, falling for the siren songs of the Broad Front of class conciliation with Lula and Alckmin at its head. In these elections, the left has to present its program in favor of the conquests and rights of the majorities, nobody else can do it. Only socialists can propose real solutions against unemployment, high prices, violence, environmental destruction and hunger. Starting with the urgent break with agribusiness, banks and corporations, nationalizing banking and foreign trade, to democratically organize and plan the economy and production according to the needs of the people.
We, from the Comité de Enlace -Alternativa Socialista and Lucha Socialista, internal currents of the PSOL and members of the International Socialist League- do not accept this liquidationist road and we raise our classist, anti-capitalist and socialist candidacies for these elections throughout the country.
Socialist candidacies that do not run away from the struggle!
In Pará: the collective candidacy 50225, of the “Collective of Struggle. In defense of public service”, for state deputies (provincial), with comrade Silvia Letícia at the head, together with Rayme Sousa, Karina Lopes, Andréa Matos and Wladimir Varela, which aims to defeat the fiscal adjustment plan of President Bolsonaro (PL) and Governor Helder Barbalho (MDB), who together have reduced salaries, scrapped public services in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic and withdrawn rights from civil officials, such as pension reform. Reinforcing that it is necessary to defeat Bolsonaro in the streets and then defeat him at the ballot box.
In Paraná: comrade Jean Henrique 50123, candidate for provincial congressperson, raises the banners of the working class, the peripheries, women, lgbtqia+ and black people. With the main slogan, “We are a Socialist Alternative against Bolsonaro and Governor Rato, without alliances with the right!”, we propose a program to confront the attacks of a government allied with the extractivist agribusiness and the corporations of the countryside and the city, without relying on alliances with the exploiters. It is the turn of the anti-capitalists and socialists in the state of Paraná!
In São Paulo: the collective candidacy 50222, for state deputies, “Unidas na Luta” (United in the Struggle) which brings together five women from different fronts of struggle. They are workers, teachers, mothers, students and artists. With Professor Suzete at the head, together with Vanderleia, Amanda, Maura and Luciana, they present themselves as “candidates who understand that we need policies that represent the working class, women, youth, the artistic class and the peripheral peoples”.
In Rio Grande do Norte: Professor Joaquim 50222, for provincial congressperson, is a worker, public official, who is for a mandate in defense of free and quality public services.
In the Federal District: We present the candidacies for legislator and district legislator of Juliana de Freitas and Angelo Balbino with the slogan Lute como uma Professora – Fora Bolsonaro e o governador Ibanez.
All our candidacies of the Liaison Committee (Alternativa Socialista and Luta Socialista) are candidacies of the structures where we have political grounds. The most important element is the construction and strengthening of a true left and revolutionary pole that calls for not trusting the next government to be elected. Our candidacies seek a greater integration of the two organizations that make up the Comité de Enlace towards the unification of our political organizations.