Entrevista a dirigente trotskista griego acusado por los nazis-Savas Michael-Matsas

http://www.ft-ci.org/Entrevista-a-dirigente-trotskista-griego-acusado-por-los-nazis?lang=es

Entrevista
Entrevista a dirigente trotskista griego acusado por los nazis

por : Wladek Flakin 
Martes 23 de julio de 2013

Realizada por Wladek Flakin y publicada el 19 de Julio de 2013 en Klassegegenklasse.org
Entrevista a Savas Michael-Matsas (66), militante trotskista griego y dirigente de Partido Revolucionario de los trabajadores de Grecia (EEK), quien fue denunciado por el partido fascista Amanecer Dorado. Deberá presentarse en la corte ya que la consigna “destrocemos al fascismo” fue considerada como un llamado a la violencia.
Tú debes presentarte ante el juzgado el 3 de Septiembre junto con el ex presiente de la Universidad Nacional Técnica de Atenas. Estas enfrentando cargos de difamación e incentivación a la violencia, luego de una denuncia hecha por el partido nazi Amanecer Dorado (Chrysi Avgi). ¿Dónde se originan estas acusaciones?
A comienzos del 2009, luego del gran levantamiento de la juventud griega de Diciembre 2008, el gobierno de derecha con asistencia de los nazis de Amanecer Dorado, desató pogromos en barrios de inmigrantes. Ante estos hechos la izquierda griega organizó movilizaciones antifascistas, de las cuales nuestra organización participó.
Amanecer Dorado realizó una denuncia legal contra todos los partidos de izquierda, incluidos el Partido Comunista de Grecia (KKE), SYRIZA, ANTARYSA y también el EEK, así como también contra asociaciones de inmigrantes y activistas independientes.
La denuncia fue revivida en 2012 por el derechista gobierno de Samaras y la policía inició los interrogatorios de los que estábamos citados en la denuncia. En Junio de 2013, de los 80 acusados fuimos seleccionados dos: Konstantinos Moutzouris, el ex rector de la Universidad Nacional Técnica de Atenas y yo.
¿De qué se te acusa?
La acusación se basa en un panfleto de nuestro partido editado en ocasión de las movilizaciones antifascistas de Mayo de 2009. De acuerdo a la acusación, yo, como secretario general, soy responsable de todo texto del partido, aún si no lleva mi firma.
El hecho de que soy de origen judío hace el caso aún peor. En internet hay slogans como “maten a la rata judía” y que indican que yo soy un agente de la conspiración judía mundial que busca establecer un "régimen judío bolchevique" en Grecia.
Los cargos de difamación se refieren a nuestra condena a los ataques fascistas contra los inmigrantes. La consigna “destrocemos al fascismo” es considerada como incitación a la violencia y el llamado a la participación en las marchas como “perturbador de la paz cívica”.
Konstantinos Moutzouris está acusado de permitir que el portal de noticias independiente Indymedia opere desde el campus universitario.
¿Por qué los fascistas eligieron este ataque legal?
Al igual que el Frente Nacional de Francia, los fascistas griegos eligen el camino legal para proporcionarle al estado fundamentos para el ataque contra la izquierda. Pero estos ataques “legales” están siempre combinados con ataques físicos ilegales contra la izquierda, comunidades de inmigrantes, así como también contra sinagogas y cementerios judíos.
¿Cómo pudo Amanecer Dorado desarrollarse en cuatro años pasando de ser un grupo minúsculo, cuando la denuncia fue hecha, a un partido con 21 miembros en el parlamento?
Su ascenso está indisolublemente ligado a la destrucción del estándar de vida de la población. Durante los últimos tres años de aplicación de medidas draconianas de austeridad impuestas por la Troika (compuesta por la UE, el Banco Central Europeo y el Fondo Monetario Internacional), millones de personas, especialmente pertenecientes a la clase media, han sido arrojados al desempleo y la pauperización. En el contexto de esta tragedia social, el sistema político burgués, que rige al país desde hace décadas, se encuentra completamente desacreditado. Una parte importante de la población votó por el partido de izquierda reformista Syriza, lo que lo transformó oficialmente en la oposición, en tanto que otra parte de la población recurrió a la extrema derecha.
Los nazis tienen vínculos con el aparato represivo del estado desde tiempos de la guerra civil griega de la década del ’40 y del período de la dictadura de 1967 a 1974. Pero estas conexiones se han reforzado después de la revuelta juvenil de 2008. Debido a la crisis actual, los fascistas están recibiendo ayuda del estado: están protegidos frente a la prosecución criminal, mientras los fiscales eleven cargos contra los antifascistas. No resulta mera coincidencia que la mitad de la policía haya votado por Amanecer Dorado en la última elección.
¿Cómo puede ser enfrentado el peligro fascista?
Necesitamos en forma urgente conformar un frente único de todas las organizaciones de la clase obrera, los inmigrantes y la izquierda contra los nazis. El colapso del estado de bienestar ha generado un vacío que los nazis, demagógicamente, intentan llenar con proposiciones como “solo para griegos”. Para resistir esto deben ser creadas redes de solidaridad social, así como grupos obreros de autodefensa contra los ataques fascistas.
Pero por sobre todo necesitamos pelear por una salida socialista a la actual crisis, con un programa de emergencia con medidas contra la catástrofe social vigente. Debemos derribar al gobierno capitalista de sirvientes de la troika, suspender los pagos a los usureros del capital internacional y acabar con las medidas de canibalismo social. Necesitamos un gobierno de los trabajadores, a partir de una lucha en conjunto con los trabajadores de toda Europa contra la UE imperialista y por los Estados Unidos Socialistas de Europa.
Traducción Sebastian När alla Vet.

Greece: Down with the Trial against Savas Michael-Matsas!/ Grécia: Abaixo o julgamento contra Savas Michael-Matsas!

Greece: Down with the Trial against Savas Michael-Matsas!

Send email of this petition to:

eek@ath.forthnet.gr

Petition before the courts of the Greek State to stop the trail of Savas Michael-Matsas

The Nazi organization “Golden Dawn” has launched a lawsuit against Savas Michael-Matsas, in his position  as Secretary-General of the EEK, accusing him of “defamation” and “incitement to physical attacks”. At the same time, the Nazis circulate online photos of Savas Michael with the fierce anti-Semitic appeal “Hit the Jewish vermin”. The Greek State authorities have accepted the demand for defamation and prosecution of Savas Michael will take place in the courts of Athens on September 3, 2013.

We strongly denounce this witch hunt launched by the Nazis, with the connivance of the Greek authorities, and demand an end to the persecution of Savas Michael and all anti-fascists.

Grécia: Abaixo o julgamento contra Savas Michael-Matsas!


Enviar e-mail desta petição:
eek@ath.forthnet.gr


Petição perante os tribunais do Estado grego para interromper o processo  contra Savas Michael-Matsas

A organização nazista "Golden Dawn", lançou uma ação judicial contra Savas Michael-Matsas, em sua posição como Secretário-Geral da EEK, acusando-o de "difamação" e "incitamento a ataques físicos". Ao mesmo tempo, os nazistas circularam  fotos on-line de Savas Michael com o apelo anti-semita feroz "Esmagar  o verme judeu". As autoridades do Estado grego aceitaram a demanda por difamação e a acusação contra Savas Michael terá lugar nos tribunais de Atenas, em  de setembro de 2013.

Nós denunciamos veementemente esta caça às bruxas lançada pelos nazistas, com a conivência das autoridades gregas, e exigir um fim à perseguição a  Savas Michael e  todos os anti-fascistas.

About the Article from Mr.Saad - Brazil demonstrations in June

The long article (link bellow) from  Mr.Saad about mobilizations in Brazil in June have problems characterizing the federal government of PT. He does not see the federal government of Lula and Dilma as lackeys of imperialism. He sees an alleged conflict in the government between right and left. It does not exist. It is a Popular Front government and this already means everything. What he calls citizenship, a certain increase in social benefits of most of the low-income population, it was possible for a emergency policy focusing the most poor people, and  even with a favorable international context until 2008. These bonuses family policies for the poor was made exactly to avoid a social explosion  that has happened in the Arab world. But it was not the eradication of poverty. It is contradictory to defend the government Lula-Dilma pointing when Lula's own words that he said that the sectors of the bourgeoisie never before had so many benefits as they had in his government.

The  of this article has a typical speech of a militant  from  PT.

On the other hand the middle class and the media does not see a struggle between right and left within the government , but they  see something worse and wrong ...they  see social policies, even limited, in governments of Lula-Dilma as socialists .. . Communists ....  the middle class mostly white and elitist is profoundly anti-communist. This sector has  open  criticism for  PMDB having allied  a government "socialist and corrupt".... the magazine .... "VEJA" is an exponent of this absurd characterization ...

This Brazilian  weekly magazine "VEJA " has a weight similar to the old magazines  "TIME" and NEWSWEEK "in USA .... but the last 20 years this magazine has become what is the worst of bourgeois thought reactionary Paulista ....almost fascists....

The case is that there is not  a government that contains infighting between leftists  and rightists  ...not even a socialist-communist government as reported in the magazine .... is a Popular Front government lackey of imperialism ...

http://portside.org/2013-07-15/mass-protests-brazil-june-july-2013

THE GENERAL STRIKE IN BRAZIL- AFTER MORE THAN 20 YEARS

Our Opinion:

The reports of the newspaper Folha de São Paulo are biased. It is obvious that the number of participants could not reach 1 million as  the demonstrations in June. Those demonstrations in June had a strong level of democratic demands, such as "Out Corruption" and against the increase of transportation tickets, and even worse,they  were anti union and anti-parties. 

The fact that for more than 20 years there was not a general strike in this country does not help that woul have  a million people in acts of yesterday. The fact that members of the CUT are part of the federal government contributed to worsen the situation. 

But either way it was very positive to happen that day of struggle. For the new generation is the first time they participating in this kind of act. Obviously bureaucracies still have control. 

The contradiction of them is that even though the government Dilma, which is down in the polls, they had to do something because of demonstrations in June, they had to show they were able to put the people on the streets. 

There were nine Central  Unions-The most important were certainly the CUT, the Força Sindical  and Conlutas. And all they did speech not not making strong criticisms of the president Dilma. Even PSTU ( Zé Maria)made speech on democratic demands...

In São Paulo, where we were , subway workers and public transport worked normally. Then the demonstration focused on Avenida Paulista and for 4 hours. But it is not possible to analyze  Brazil yesterday only from São Paulo. The rest of Brazil, especially in Rio de Janeiro and in  the Northeast region it  was too strong, including clashes s with police. 

 In São Paulo, Paulista Avenue,  there was a salad of  groups: Union of engineers, Motorcylists Union-feminist movement-NGO fighting against the "unfair" taxes - Federation of Autonomous workers who have universitary  -left political parties and obviously we....small groups of revolutionaries.

 

http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=pt&tl=en&prev=_t&hl=pt-BR&ie=UTF-8&u=http://www.pstu.org.br/node/19568&act=url

http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=pt&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=pt-BR&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cut.org.br%2Fdestaques%2F23478%2Fcut-divulga-relato-das-mobilizacoes-ocorridas-no-dia-nacional-de-luta

http://www1.folha.uol.com.br/fsp/cotidiano/118541-sindicatos-fazem-manifestacoes-em-todo-o-pais-mas-adesao-e-baixa.shtml  

This link of the newspaper Folha de São Paulo   I made a better translation to English bellow...

Unions do demonstrations throughout the country, but membership is low.

SP has blocked roads, but traffic holiday, Rio, anarchists try to invade central government building

The protests organized by unions reached every state in the country, but far distant recalled the demonstrations that took to the streets last month. Besides the agenda focused on labor rights mobilizations of yesterday have not had the same popular participation - many acts were small.

The demonstrations, which were part of the "National Day of Struggle", gathered about 90 thousand people in 18 capitals, according to official estimates. At the peak, those protests convened in order to reduce bus fares mobilized more than one million.

In São Paulo, 7,000 gathered at the Paulista Avenue, which was blocked for four hours. The Folha busted "protesters" getting money  at $ 70 reais, paid for them in the act and be able to eat. Highways and avenues were closed by protesters, but the capital lived climate of holiday, with traffic below average.

Demonstrations made  timid against Dilma and its economic policy and not even in defense of the president  political reform. Traveling to Uruguay, she supported in speech the  acts, but condemned the blocking of highways.

In Rio, the scenes of violence seen in June were repeated with PMs (Military Police)  confrontation between anarchists and supporters of a group  named  "black bloc" which preaches the destruction of capitalist symbols. They tried to invade the building  of state government. Similar group protested in front of the TV Globo in São Paulo, which was tarred.

 

REFLEXIONS ABOUT THE MILITARY COUP IN EGYPT

1-Any revolutionary knows that  the bourgeois democracy is actually a dictatorship of the bourgeoisie on the proletariat. The use of the term "democracy" is nothing but a scam. In times of political crisis, mainly economic,  the bourgeoisie is usually give up this facade of "democracy" and appeal to a Bonapartist regime or openly fascist.

2-The elections within the bourgeois democracy are a gigantic fraud. They are financed by the companies and corporations, i.e. the bourgeoisie finances its candidates, because an election campaign has very high financial costs. The bourgeoisie does not care to finance candidates pseudo-leftists like  (PT-PSOL-in Brazil) or the PS in France or the so-called Popular Fronts, they know that once elected these pseudo lefties will rule for themselves, the bourgeoisie.

3-The global economic crisis wich started in 2008 does not allow the world bourgeoisie, especially in semicoloniais countries, such as Egypt,  to give any economic concession to  workers.

4-The mass of workers in Egypt overthrew the Government of Mubarack in a incomplete revolutionary uprising process. Incomplete because this same mass still have democratic illusions.This due to a  lack of leadership of a mass revolutionary party, with a revolutionary internationalist program. This made it possible for the bourgeoisie to drive what could be a truly revolutionary process directly to the illusion of bourgeois democracy. In the context of Egypt's history of the last 60 years are the military the rulers of the regime to the bourgeoisie in the form of a military dictatorship, adopting a pró-imperialista approach with Anwar Al Sadat in the  70s  and continued by Mubarack. The military never ceased to have strong influence, even with the fall of Mubarack and the subsequent convening of bourgeois democratic elections that had follow with the election of Mursi, a representative of the Muslim Brotherhood, in June 2012.

5-Revolutionaries had No illusions that the Muslim Brotherhood would make a democratic Government, even along the lines of bourgeois democracy. The Islamists    have    lack the subtlety needed to feel that his policy could not be  imposed the same reality of a theocratic Government of Iran's model in the Arab world and  Egypt  that have became a  powder keg since the beginning of the so called Arab spring. Egypt today is an explosive mixture divided among a mass of supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood who see Iran as a model to be followed and other  mass  frankly hostile to a dictatorial theocratic government, but that mass can't see that bourgeois democracy is another form of dictatorship, and that especially in times of global economic crisis, will not  meet their needs to decrease social inequalities, poverty, unemployment, etc.

6-But even the so-called bourgeois democracy is not the reality of the current Egypt. We must call it what really happened in Egypt: a military coup. This is something that we inhabitants of Latin America we recognize very well. In this characterization we don't fit any support for the Muslim Brotherhood, but the last thing that the working Egyptians  masses   needed is the "protection" of a  military coup.

7-Even Obama, who denies,  the military coup had widespread support from the U.S. Government, as it is  free of Mursi, a sympathizer of Iran's regime, an ally of Hezbollah and Hamas, and at the same time the U.S. guarantees to Israel security on the border with Egypt, as well as had already done the military dictatorship under the regime of Mubarack. The irony is that the Assad regime in Syria has given support to the coup, but this can be explained by the fact that most of the rebels in war against Assad are Islamists.

8-But the Muslim Brotherhood is almost centenary (since 1928), they  suffered several setbacks under the Governments of Nasser, Sadat and Mubarack , and still reached the Presidency competing against secular parties. There is no evidence that the brotherhood will kick in their struggle to demand the return of Mursi, so as there is no evidence that the military and the sectors that are composing the new provisional Government will give up something. The conclusion is that the crisis is likely to increase and may develop into a civil war.

REFLEXÕES SOBRE O GOLPE MILITAR NO EGITO

Egito

1- Qualquer revolucionário sabe que a democracia burguesa na verdade é uma ditadura da burguesia sobre o proletariado.  O uso da expressão "democracia" não passa de uma farsa. Em épocas de crise política, e principalmente econômica , a burguesia costuma abrir mão dessa fachada de "democracia" e apelar para um regime bonapartista ou  abertamente fascista.

2- As eleições dentro da democracia burguesa são uma fraude gigantesca. Elas são financiadas pelas  empresas e corporações, ou seja, a própria  burguesia financia seus candidatos, pois uma campanha eleitoral tem custos financeiros altíssimos. A burguesia não se importa em financiar candidatos pseudo-esquerdistas ( PT-PSOL-no Brasil) ou o PS em França ou as chamadas Frentes Populares, ela sabe que uma vez eleitos esses pseudo esquerdistas vão governar para ela mesma, a burguesia.

3- A crise econômica mundial começada em 2008 não permite que as burguesias mundiais, principalmente em países semicoloniais, como o Egito,  dar qualquer concessão econômica aos trabalhadores.

4- A massa de trabalhadores do Egito derrubou o governo de Mubarack em um  processo de insurreição revolucionária incompleto. Incompleto porque essa mesma massa ainda têm ilusões democráticas.Isso por falta da liderança de um partido revolucionário de massas com um programa revolucionário  internacionalista. Isso tornou possível para a burguesia dirigir o que poderia ser um processo verdadeiramente revolucionário diretamente para a ilusão da democracia burguesa. No contexto da história do Egito dos últimos 60 anos são os militares os governantes do regime  para a burguesia na forma de uma ditadura militar , adotando uma postura  pró-imperialista com Anwar Al Sadat nos anos 70 e continuado por Mubarack. Os militares nunca deixaram de ter forte influencia, mesmo com a queda de Mubarack e a consequente convocação de eleições democráticas burguesas que se seguiriam com a eleição de Mursi, representante da Irmandade Muçulmana , em Junho de 2012.

5- Nenhum revolucionário tinha ilusões de que  a Irmandade Muçulmana  faria um governo democrático, mesmo nos moldes da democracia burguesa. Faltou e falta  aos islamitas  a sutileza política necessária para sentir que não poderiam impor a mesma  realidade de um governo teocrático de  modelo iraniano ao  barril de  pólvora em que o  mundo Árabe e o Egito se transformaram desde a chamada Primavera Árabe. Hoje o Egito é uma mistura explosiva dividido entre  uma massa de  apoiadores da Irmandade Muçulmana que vêem o Irã como modelo a ser seguido e outra de  massa francamente hostil a um governo teocrático ditatorial, mas que não consegue enxergar que a democracia burguesa é outra forma de ditadura, e que principalmente, em época de crise econômica mundial,  não atenderá as suas necessidades para diminuir  as desigualdades sociais, a miséria, o desemprego, etc.

6- Mas mesmo a denominada democracia burguesa não é a realidade do Egito atual. Há que se denominar o que realmente aconteceu no Egito: um golpe militar. Isso é algo que nós habitantes  da América Latina reconhecemos muito bem. Nessa caracterização  não cabe nenhum apoio à Irmandade Muçulmana, mas a última coisa que as massas operárias egipcianas precisavam é da tutela da cúpula  militar.

7- Mesmo Obama negando, o golpe militar teve amplo apoio do governo americano, pois se livra de Mursi, um simpátizante do regime do Irã, aliado do Hezbollah e do Hamas, e ao mesmo tempo os EUA garantem à Israel segurança na fronteira com o Egito, assim como já havia feito  a ditadura militar sob o regime de Mubarack. A ironia é que o regime de Assad na Síria tenha dado apoio ao golpe, porém isso se explica pelo fato de que grande parte dos rebeldes em guerra contra Assad são islamitas.

8- Porém a Irmandade Muçulmana é quase centenária (desde 1928), sofreu vários revezes sob os governos de Nasser, Sadat e Mubarack e mesmo assim chegou à presidência concorrendo contra os partidos seculares. Não há evidências de que a Irmandade irá retroceder em sua luta para exigir a volta de Mursi, assim como não há evidências de que os militares e os setores que estão compondo o novo governo provisório vão ceder alguma coisa.  A conclusão é que a crise tende a aumentar e pode evoluir para uma guerra civil.

BRAZIL: BEFORE THE GENERAL STRIKE ON 11th JULY

A “general strike” called by an anonymous Facebook group for the 1st July has not taken off. However on Sunday, 30the June, a number of important mobilizations took place, especially in Rio de Janeiro against the Municipal, State and Federal Governments as well as against the FIFA. The City of Rio de Janeiro and the State of Rio de Janeiro (Both have the same name) are both governed by the PMDB party, which supports on the federal level the PT-led government. The repression was violent.

As a result of the protests, these leading politicians and the president Dilma Roussef were unable to attend the final football game between Brazil and Spain at the Maracana stadium. By this they avoided the expected massive boos from the audience.

The popularity of the federal government, led by President Dilma Rousseff from the Workers Party (PT), is falling dramatically. As we said before, no ruler, nor right-wing party, nor center nor pseudo left party, is spared from popular hatred. Hence, the popularity of the state government of São Paulo, Geraldo Alkcmin (PSDB) – a traditional rightist party and the main opposition force to PT – is also falling.

Rousseff calls for a plebiscite for "Political Reform"

Reacting to this political crisis of the ruling class, Dilma Rousseff called for a plebiscite for comprehensive "Reforma Politica" (Political Reform). In her message on TV last week, she even talked about convening a constituent assembly to enact this Reforma Politica. In this she is barred by the constitution itself, which prohibits the convening of a constituent assembly for only one subject. Her proposal was also met with massive resistance from the bourgeois PMDB which is one of the biggest parties in Brazil and which supports the PT-led government. At the last presidential elections, the PMDB made a joint slate with the PT and got as a result its leader, Michel Temer, elected as the country’s vice president. The PMDB leadership felt betrayed because they were not informed by the President of these proposals. For all these reasons the country is facing now a crisis in its government.

Either way, Rousseff’s proposal for constituent assembly was denied by the Federal Supreme Court.

But Rousseff insists on making a plebiscite. Politicians, even those who support the government, are strongly reacting against it, because they don’t want political reforms which are not controlled by them. Therefore they are threatening to put a proposal for such a plebiscite which would prevent the re-election of Roussef.

In the context of the political crisis in Brazil, many people talk about the possibility of calling the former PT president, Lula da Silva, back to being a candidate. Such calls are also coming from sectors within the PT.

Political and Economic Crisis

All these mobilizations caused political earthquake. But in our opinion, it is the PT who loses most. Two months ago, Rousseff was approved by 57% in polls. This has plummeted to 30% - a precipitous drop of 27%. Before this, a re-election was guaranteed, but not anymore.

The PT was the most affected, because its main ally the PMDB is a bourgeois party chameleon. The PMDB is the second largest party in Brazil and has control of the Senate. It is however prepared to form an alliance with anyone who wins the presidency in the next elections in 2014. So if the PT is down in the polls, it loses its main ally.

Various factors will make sure that the political crisis in Brazil will not diminish in the near future: Inflation is on the rise to at least 6.5%, industrial production is stagnating, US Dollar value reaches 2.15 Brazil Real, real wages drop and the world-wide wave of mass protests. All this indicates that the crisis is here to stay and that the dissatisfaction, which was hidden for a long time, has surfaced in full force. We can expect that the global economic crisis of capitalism will sooner or later increase the economic crisis in Brazil since it is – as a semi-colonial country and an a commodity exporter –  and thus dependent on developments on the world market.

Trade Unions call for General Strike on 11th July

The unions are calling for mass mobilizations on the 11th July. They are under massive pressure from the rank and file. The leaderships of the CUT (trade union controlled by the PT) and the CTB (trade union controlled by the Stalinist PCdoB which is also part of the ruling PT-led coalition) are in danger to discredit themselves since they are occupying positions in the government of Dilma Rousseff. Given the possibility of an electoral defeat for the PT-led government in 2014, they need to go back to the streets for pressurizing the government to implement certain social reforms. Since they do not want to appear to people as distant of Dilma Rousseff, they say that there is a dispute within the government between the right-wing parties in government (PMDB, PP, etc.) and the left-wing parties in government (PT, PCdoB). They declare to support the later against the right-wing forces in government.

By this the union leadership hopes to reoccupy the space lost on the streets. But in fact the demands are mostly the same as advocated by the federal government: End of Social Security Factor (1); 40 hours of work per week without salary reduction; Readjust worthy for retirees; more investments in health, education and security; Public transportation quality; End of the federal bill 4330 which extends the outsourcing; Agrarian Reform; End the auction of oil.

These demands are a classic expression of bourgeois reformism: they are either not concrete and therefore open for manipulation by the capitalists and government; or they are correct in itself but by far not enough giving the severity of the social crisis.

It would be however necessary to raise demands which would help to tackle the most burning issues for the working class. Such demands are:

* Cancellation of the Pension Reform

* Down with the Withdrawal of rights of public employees by the PT-Lula-Roussef government;

* Sliding scale of wages

* Re-nationalization of the oil industry under workers' control

* Re-nationalization of all privatized companies under workers control

* Radical land reform under control of the poor and landless peasants

The PSTU and PCO

The PSTU (main section of the Morenoite LIT-CI) and PCO are important parties, which claim to be Trotskyist, and which compete in the elections. The problem is that in order to accommodate to the labor bureaucracy, they debase their flags and lower their program. For example, the PSTU makes a call for the mobilization of the 11th July with the same demands of the government itself.

The PCO argues that we need to preserve the PT-led government against the supposed danger of the growth of right. The PCO even claimed that the corrupt politicians of the PT, which were convicted by the Supreme Court last year, were victims of the right which is attacking leftist parties. This weekend they repeated the same argument claiming that the PT-Dilma government is under fire from the right-wing forces and that it is necessary to protect the PT government. The truth is that the PSTU and PCO are capitulating to the Popular Front government.

Many speculate that the end of the Confederations Cup the demonstrations will decrease. We will see. Anyway this political earthquake has caused effects long enough to influence the presidential election of 2014. As revolutionary and Trotskyists, we are small at the moment. But we will take advantage of mass mobilizations on 11th July and will put forward our revolutionary demands.

Footnote:

(1) Social Security Factor: It is a pension law which basically increases the working time. The government states that life expectancy of the Brazilians increases and therefore they should work more to get the full benefits. However, the institute that calculates the life expectancy is a federal agency – the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE).