Venezuela’s Communist Party Culminates Conference, Ratifies Support for Hugo Chavez

Coro, 10th August 2011 (Venezuelanalysis.com) – On Sunday the Venezuelan Communist Party (PCV) concluded its XIV Congress in Caracas following 3 days of discussions. Over 526 national delegates and 43 international representatives attended the conference, which was convened in conjunction with the PCV’s 74th anniversary.

Issues on the agenda included; leadership, the 2012 presidential elections, an assessment of the Bolivarian revolution’s progression to date and the creation of the “Patriotic Pole” – a coalition of pro-Chávez political forces. Carolus Wimmer, PCV Secretary of Foreign Relations, stated that the Conference would be influential in determining the party’s “new national direction”.

“The PCV must adapt its structure to the historical moment. We have 80 years of history and the recognition of the Venezuelan people; that is why we exist, if it were any other way, we would just be a sect” said Wimmer.

In a brief telephone call to the Congress during its initiation ceremony, Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez thanked the PCV for their “constant support”.

“Our alliance is much more than conjectural, it is a historical necessity which we have to keep building…the path (towards socialism) is full of contradictions and dilemmas, but it is the path; we are heading towards a new hegemony” remarked the president, who was confirmed as the PCV’s official candidate for the 2012 presidential elections in Saturday’s plenary session.

On Friday, delegates split into working groups in order to discuss documents issued from the Central Committee, which were then addressed and debated on Saturday afternoon and Sunday.

During the Congress, the president of the National Assembly, Fernando Soto Rojas, stated that it was necessary to create a new international financial system that was not dependent on the U.S. dollar. The head of the legislative body called for an urgent international debate on the subject, particularly amongst Latin American nations and other states such as Iran and Russia.

One of the issues consistently addressed throughout the Conference was that of workers’ control. Since 2003, the PCV has been working with the workers’ control movement to get a new and revolutionary work law passed through the National Assembly. In July, over 2000 workers marched to the National Assembly and handed over 45,000 signatures demanding new legislation and increased worker empowerment.

“Without a conscious working class, there will be no socialism” said Oscar Figuera, president of the PCV, who also stressed the need to work in unison with communal councils and peasant activists.

“The opposition are killing each other to choose a candidate, we’re debating how to deepen the Revolution because we already have a candidate, and his name is Hugo Chávez Frías” continued Figueras.

In concluding the Congress, the PCV reiterated its commitment to the workers’ struggle for a “new and revolutionary labor law”, the creation of socialist worker’s councils and the need to advance a “popular revolutionary consciousness”.

The party also affirmed the importance of creating the “patriotic pole” as an important step to creating unity and breaking free from the “chains of imperialism”. Elections for the Central Committee saw over 40% of its membership occupied by new representatives – mostly from the Communist youth and workers’ movements, and Oscar Figuera was also reelected as party leader.