By Sergio García
It is no secret that the beginning of this year brought us a continuity of political, economic and social crisis, combined now with the political-electoral dispute that the forces of the capitalist regime impose on the political agenda promoted by their related media accordingly.
The anti-capitalist and socialist left, organized in the FIT-U, is an important political and social actor and we try to dispute, in all the fields of political and social struggle, the parties of the system and their agents in unions, universities, schools and poor neighborhoods. As well as in socio-environmental and gender struggles. Everything we do on a daily basis could even be of much more strength if the FIT-U would ever assume the challenge of transforming itself into a common political force, of organized internal currents, that acts in unity in every struggle, something much deeper than an electoral front.
We have been stating this debate from the MST and we will continue insisting towards this objective. When periods like this one arrive, periods of strong electoral dispute, we deeply intervene without losing sight of the strategic horizon that everything we do, including participating in the elections, is in function of gaining more political weight and visibility, to strengthen the left for the struggles to come and for the political struggle for a government of the workers and socialism.
The agreements reached and the advance of the MST in the FIT-U
In a year that will find us supporting and promoting different workers’ and popular struggles, we are now at the same time addressing the debates within the FIT-U on the conformation of provincial lists, and starting the first debates towards the national elections. In the case of several provinces, we fortunately have already agreed on unified lists in La Pampa, Neuquén, Río Negro, San Juan, and we are taking steps forward in La Rioja and in the city of Trelew.
In all of them, in one way or another, our party has achieved important advances. Not without strong debates in some cases, the attempt of not recognizing the previous progress we had achieved, or having to accept in some places something less than what we were really entitled to, as in the list of legislators in Neuquén, where we are also part of the rotation.
Taken together these five provinces plus the city of Trelew in Chubut, our party advances in its political location, it will place the candidates for governors of San Juan and La Rioja, and it is at the top of expected positions such as deputies of La Pampa, councilmen of Neuquén, deputies of Río Negro, councilmen of Bariloche and councilmen of Trelew. We also headed the mayor’s office of the capital city of La Rioja, the list of councilmen of the capital city of San Juan and other municipalities of that province. That is to say, that even with strong debates and with some contradictions and concessions made in favor of unity, we have also managed to advance more regarding the reality of each of these provinces and cities.
Debates to come
Another batch of provinces is beginning to be discussed within the FIT-U. Being a national and widespread party, the MST participates in almost all the provincial elections to be held. We put all that political and militant strength at the disposal of strengthening our front. In order to do so, we are fighting to overcome some of the more closed or sectarian visions that exist in the FIT-U and make it difficult to put together unified lists.
If there is a challenge, taking into account this last problem, it is the case of Salta, where we are facing an almost grotesque situation. The comrades of PO intend to start the debate with two false claims: ignoring the very clear triumph of the MST in the PASO 2021 and also trying to proscribe the only left-wing councilor of the whole province.
Such a position, logically, is liquidating the FIT-U, so we hope that the comrades reflect deeply on both issues.
On our part, we demand a unified list of the whole FIT-U in Salta, since that strengthens us as a whole to confront all the bosses’ parties, to defend the positions won in each place, including the combative Orán, and to go for new left-wing deputies and councilmen in the province. There are conditions of political visibility for all members, but we must start from acknowledging the reality that emerges from the combination of the results of the PASO 2021 and our present militant and social extension, besides leaving aside any anti-democratic attempt to proscribe recognized left-wing fighters.
Together with Salta, discussions have also started in Mendoza and Jujuy. In the first case, we have to see if there are conditions for an agreement in a very dynamic province where the MST has been advancing and may be today the second force of the front having obtained more than 30% of the votes in the previous PASO. Province where there will be PASO and in any case, in the absence of an agreement, the unity of the FIT-U in the general elections is guaranteed. In the case of Jujuy, where the FIT-U comes from a great election in 2021 obtaining a national deputy, comrade Vilca, it is planning to defend that political space and go for new achievements in the legislature, the councils and in the election of constituents. Our party, which acts solidly from the council of Palpalá with Betina Rivero and supported by the development of our militant work there, also in the Capital and in other cities of the interior, will make its best contribution to the political struggle to come, raising the importance of the visibility of our ideas and referents in the lists to be formed.
The FIT-U regarding the national debate
Along with all this, we continue arguing for a unified list in Tucumán, and soon debates will begin in other very important provinces such as Córdoba with our comrade Luciana Echevarría and Santa Fe with Jime Sosa, among other early elections that will take place. We will take our proposals and pre-candidatures to each of them. In each case we will continue debating if positions that pretend to ignore our reality in each province arise again, and with clear proposals we will fight for unitary lists in all the cases where it is possible.
At the same time, the scenario towards the presidential elections is developing. It is already being disputed due to the magnitude of the current crisis and because there are only a few months left for the PASO. It is not by chance then that also within the FIT-U there are three presidential pre-candidatures launched from the three main parties of the front. It is logical that in view of the important agreements that exist and also in view of the existence of nuances and differences, there are different pre-candidatures, profiles and ideas. In our case we are proud to put to debate before the militancy, the vanguard and the thousands of workers and young voters of the left; the formula Cele Fierro as president with Alejandro Bodart as vicepresident. Proposal with which we also address thousands of people disappointed with the national government. We are going to continue promoting these pre-candidatures and our ideas these months. As we have publicly announced, we are open to discuss the possibility of a national agreement. We will promptly enter into this debate and we will make the greatest united effort. And if a unified list is not achieved, we have the PASO for the workers to decide and then we will all go together to the general elections. All of this being aware that, as we have already expressed within the FIT-U, the conditions for an agreement exist if we leave aside hegemonic positions, seek balance between the presidential ticket, the main candidates in Buenos Aires and CABA, plus the electoral reality and the strength and militant extension throughout the AMBA. And that from all this arises the possibility of making visible the best referents of the front, the only way to expand our reach to millions and not to limit the capacity of the FIT-U. That is the challenge posed.
