April 2013 Fighting Fund Appeal

An event like the death of Hugo Chavez can focus our attention on what our priorities in life should be. Here is a man who worked 21 hours a day, every day, for the revolution! Although his death is a great loss, the Venezuelan Revolution will continue. Chavez is an example for all of us. We must follow his example and put all our efforts and resources into building the revolutionary leadership the international working class requires.

The Venezuelan Revolution is the beginning of world revolution, not the end. After the Venezuelan Revolution started, we saw how upsurges spread across Latin America, then to North Africa and the Middle East, and then on to Europe and back to North America with Occupy and the Quebec student movements.

But movements need leadership if they are to lead the workers to victory. In Venezuela, the revolution has not been completed. 60 percent of the economy remains under the control of the big corporations, many of them based in the U.S. The forces of the International Marxist Tendency, who fight in the left wing of Venezuela’s United Socialist Party (PSUV), must win their battle against the right-wing bureaucracy of that party, which has dragged its feet and openly sabotaged many Chavez’s pro-worker policies.

The weekend of March 9 and 10, the Pakistani section of the IMT held its annual Congress with over 2,800 comrades, contacts, and sympathizers in attendance! They organize and operate this large meeting, along with travel to and from it, in a country that is extremely poor, underdeveloped, and embroiled in bombings, killings, and utter misery.

We must understand that U.S. imperialism has a massive role in both causing and continuing this poverty. Therefore, the workers and youth in the U.S. have an obligation to help these comrades in their struggle. This will in turn help us with our fight against the common class enemy.

Or take a look at Mexico. This country is under the boot of U.S. imperialism. When elections occur in Mexico, you can be sure the American ruling class sends plenty of money down to protect its interests.

However, workers and youth there are setting up a mass workers’ party, Morena, which came out of the PRD. The IMT in Mexico is working to help build that party and challenge the Mexican ruling class and U.S. imperialism. This is critical for the Mexican workers. Mexican capitalism and U.S. imperialism want them to pay for the crisis caused by the banks and other corporations. American workers need to see Mexican workers as their allies. Together we can fight austerity both north and south of the border!

However, building the IMT in Venezuela and around the world requires money. The WIL needs more money both to expand our work and forces nationally, and also to help our comrades in other countries, especially the poor ones.
How about holding a party to raise much-needed resources for the WIL Fighting Fund? It can be a fun event, and at the same time gives us serious cash. Or why not set up an automatic payment though PayPal and contribute $5 or $10 a month to the WIL? (Write us or visit www.marxistbooks.com for information on how to set this up). Some supporters give money on a regular basis to members of the WIL to develop our political work. A supporter in NYC gives us $30 per month. He forgot his February contribution and is giving $60 in March. Others have given all or a portion of their tax returns. That is the way forward!

Our Fighting Fund target for the first six months of 2013 is $8,400. So far we have raised nearly $3,700. Help us reach our target so that someday we can all attend the funeral of capitalism—that will indeed be a joyous occasion! In the words of Hugo Chavez: Socialism or Death!