The voraciousness of the capitalist system, with finance capital and monopolies at the top, the policies of bourgeois governments, through privatization among other things, have resulted in a further orientation of the health systems to profit and the undermining in particular of the public health system. This is why in many cases they are on the verge of collapse in the face of the current pandemic.

This economic and financial crisis, which already affects the most important imperialist powers, has led to a strong decline in production in China as well as in the USA, Europe, Japan and also in most of the oppressed countries. Seen from a historical perspective, this world economic and financial crisis will have an unforeseeable depth, duration and consequences.

We reject the attempts of those in power to utilize the Coronavirus pandemic to cover up this economic crisis and place the burden on the backs of the broad masses!

These governments make billions of dollars available to the banks and corporations, money which is not being used, as it should be, for immediate improvement of the health systems, for the protection of the environment, and for the urgent social protection of the masses of people. In many cases those in power try at all cost and under entirely inadequate hygienic conditions to maintain industrial production and even increase exploitation under these circumstances.

The ICOR welcomes, promotes and supports strikes as in Italy, Spain, the USA, China and other countries, mobilization and other forms of protest of the workers and popular sectors!

Especially in the oppressed countries there is a large percentage of unemployed persons; there are thousands of workers who live on casual work, street vending, are self-employed or small traders, and who in this situation are left penniless, do not even have enough to feed themselves. And even if they do get state aid, it is generally inadequate.

For this reason, in several countries, such as Argentina or Uruguay, there is a great upswing of people's kitchens in the proletarian neighborhoods, an expression of solidarity, a first major step and a nucleus of the autonomous organization of the masses with a view to militantly confronting the effects of the present crisis. There are also solidarity networks in Colombia, Haiti, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, the Philippines and many more countries. In the imperialist countries too, tremendous solidarity and mutual willingness to help has developed among the masses.

The ruling classes in many countries take advantage of the health crisis and the necessity of social restriction in order to curtail democratic rights and freedoms by banning demonstrations and protest actions; in many cases this is extended into general curfews, for the enforcement of which not only the police but also the armed forces are mobilized. These are very dangerous measures and are directed against the struggle of the workers and broad masses! Those in power utilize these measures to advance domestic fascistization.

This reality also exacerbates the situation of women, who in addition to the effects of the crisis take on more domestic chores and greater responsibility for the care of children and older people, and themselves are victims of more cases of domestic patriarchal violence.

International tensions are increasing due to threats of war, blackmail and sanctions of the USA against countries like Iran, Cuba, China, Venezuela or Nicaragua.

This dual health and economic crisis will sooner or later open the way to the development of political crises, which already are very pronounced in many countries. This can pave the way for revolutionary ferment.

However, this system can be overcome only in a revolution through the struggle of the international proletariat and its allies! For that we need strong revolutionary organizations and a strong ICOR! A system whose purpose lies in maximum profits for the monopolies, not humanity, its needs, and respect for nature, cries for an upsurge of the struggle for socialism! The guiding principle of socialism is the overcoming of the exploitation of humanity and nature and the development of the productive forces in the unity of economics and health. Only the power of the working class will guarantee these principles!

The ICOR, which promotes the international coordination and cooperation of revolutionary parties and organizations with a revolutionary and socialist perspective, calls on this May Day for developing solidarity, organization and struggle with maximum energy, and proposes the building of a worldwide anti-imperialist and anti-fascist front and an immediate action program for this purpose:

 

• Real suspension of payments for the state debt imposed on the oppressed countries!
• Creation of new jobs in the health sector on a large scale and increase of the salaries paid in this sector!
• Fight for a change in the health system that centers attention on people.
• Immediate intensification of protective measures for all employees in the health sector and in other sectors where work continues. Fight national egoism and rivalry in the research of causes, in diagnosis and in treatment! For a scientific debate understandable to the masses!
• No to the reactionary attempt to shift the burden of the crisis to the broad masses and the working class!
• No to the restriction of democratic freedoms and rights!
• Immediate stop of all currently socially non-essential production! Release from work for wage and salary earners in these sectors, with full wage compensation!
• Production the maintenance of which currently is indispensable must be carried out with the greatest possible guarantees for health, the disinfection of machines and tools, and observance of the minimum distance of 1.5 to 2 meters!
• Immediate state aid and emergency care for children, the elderly, and persons in need of help. Immediate aid for the homeless, refugees, undocumented migrants, and persons in precarious situations! Far-reaching measures for free health care, including food and medicine for all at the expense of the profits of big capital!
• Strengthen your level of organization for mutual aid and solidarity, in struggle against the shifting of the crisis burdens to the masses of the population!

 

 

Signatories (as of 27 April 2020, further signatories possible)
1. ORC   Organisation Révolutionnaire du Congo (Revolutionary Organization of Congo), Democratic Republic of the Congo
2. UPC-Manidem   Union des Populations du Cameroun - Manifeste National pour l’Instauration de la Démocratie (Union of Populations of Cameroon - National Manifesto for the Establishment of Democracy), Cameroon
3. CPK   Communist Party of Kenya, Kenya
4. MMLPL   Moroccan Marxist-Leninist Proletarian Line
5. PCT   Parti Comuniste du Togo (Communist Party of Togo), Togo
6. PCPCI   Parti Communiste Proletarien de Côte d'Ivoire
7. MLOA   Marxist-Leninist Organization of Afghanistan
8. CPB   Communist Party of Bangladesh
9. CPI (ML) Red Star   Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Red Star
10. Ranjbaran   Hezb-e Ranjbaran-e Iran (Proletarian Party of Iran)
11. NCP (Mashal)   Nepal Communist Party (Mashal)
12. PPRF   Patriotic Peoples Republican Front of Nepal
13. БКП   Българска Комунистическа Партия (Bulgarian Communist Party)
14. PR-ByH   Partija Rada - ByH (Party of Labor - Bosnia and Herzegovina), Bosnia and Herzegovina
15. MLPD   Marxistisch-Leninistische Partei Deutschlands (Marxist-Leninist Party of Germany)
16. UCLyon   Unité Communiste Lyon (Communist United Lyon), France
17. UPML   Union Prolétarienne Marxiste-Léniniste (Marxist-Leninist Proletarian Union), France
18. BP (NK-T)   Bolşevik Parti (Kuzey Kürdistan-Türkiye) (Bolshevik Party (North Kurdistan-Turkey))
19. KOL   Kommunistische Organisation Luxemburg (Communist Organization of Luxemburg)
20. MIKSZ   Magyar Ifjúság Közösségi Szervezete (Organisation of Hungarian Youth Community), Hungary
21. RM   Rode Morgen (Red Dawn), Netherlands
22. MLGS   Marxistisch-Leninistische Gruppe Schweiz (Marxist-Leninist Group of Switzerland)
23. TIKB   Türkiye İhtilalci Komünistler Birliği (Union of Revolutionary Communists of Turkey)
24. MLKP   Marksist Leninist Komünist Parti Türkiye / Kürdistan (Marxist Leninist Communist Party Turkey / Kurdistan)
25. KSRD   Koordinazionnyj Sowjet Rabotschewo Dvizhenija (Coordination Council of the Workers Class Movement), Ukraine
26. MLP   Marksistsko-Leninskaja Platforma (Marxist-Leninist Platform), Russia
27. PCC-M   Partido Comunista de Colombia – Maoista (Communist Party of Colombia - Maoist)
28. NPCH (ML)   Nouveau Parti Communiste Haϊtien (Marxiste-Léniniste) (New Communist Party of Haiti (Marxist-Leninist))
29. PCP (independiente)   Partido Comunista Paraguayo (independiente) (Paraguayan  Communist Party (independent))
30. BDP   Bloque Democratico Popular (Popular Democratic Bloc), Peru
31. PPP   Partido Proletario del Perú (Proletarian Party of Peru)
32. PC (ML)   Partido Comunista (Marxista Leninista) (Communist Party (Marxist-Leninist)), Dominican Republic
33. PCR-U   Partido Comunista Revolucionario del Uruguay (Revolutionary Communist Party of Uruguay)
34. CPA (M-L) Communist Party of Australia (Marxist-Leninist)