By Rafael Morera Ramos
On Saturday, March 29, the Revolutionary Workers’ Party (PRT), section of the International Socialist League (ISL), together with the Revolutionary Socialist Organization (OSR), the Workers’ and Peasants’ Movement (MTC) and the Costa Rican Left Party (PIZCO), convened sit-in in the center of San José. We demonstrated in defense of the sovereignty of the brotherly Panamanian people over the Canal, in the face Trump’s serious threats for taking over it.
We read the joint statement in front of the Legislative Assembly and then marched down Central Avenue to the Plaza de la Cultura. In the Square we made brief contributions explaining our cause to the people gathered there.
This activity was positively greeted and observed by the people who passed through the streets. When we passed by with our flags, many people recorded us and some even raised a fist and repeated our slogans. In addition, during our sit-in on Central Avenue, some interested people came up and asked us about the reason for our mobilization, showing interest and discussing with comrades. We distributed two thousand copies of the statement.
The central slogans of the demonstrations were: “Trump you’re a criminal, get out of the Canal” “‘Yankee go home’, Get out of the Canal!”
Joint Statement
Costa Rica: US Imperialism Out of The Panama Canal!
Trump insists on regaining control of the Panama Canal. If it does so, imperialist chains in the region will deepen. The United States uses its confrontation with China as an excuse for the immediate deepening of its position as an imperialist country with respect to the Central American states, through militarization, political interference and economic investment.
The governments of the region are representatives of the submission of the Central American bourgeoisies to the United States. The peoples of Central America have little to expect from such governments. Politicians like Mulino, President of Panama, represent an oligarchy that for decades has profited from the wealth generated by the Canal, wealth that has never been used to satisfy the interests of the Panamanian working people.
In Central America, the processes of class struggle have had a fundamental anti-imperialist feature and of Central American unity of workers and peasants, unity from below. To confront Trump we propose to take back the internationalist flags of the working class. We call on the trade unions of the region, peasant and popular organizations to mobilize to confront Trump’s imperialist policy against the brotherly Panamanian working people.
Trump out of the Panama Canal!
For internationalism that rejects imperialist meddling in our peoples!
The Panama Canal should be completely under the control of the Panamanian working people and not the interests of the United States!
We reject imperialist military presence and call to mobilize in defense of the Canal for the Panamanian people!
Signing organizations:
Partido Izquierda Costarricense
Pan y Rosas
Organización Socialista Revolucionaria
Movimiento de Trabajadores y Campesinos
Partido Revolucionario de las y los Trabajadores
