Haiti: Workers strike on Vertière anniversary

HAITI,November 18—Every year on this day, we celebrate the Battle of Vertière, the last battle before the declaration of independence from France on Jan. 1, 1804. This year, however, was significantly different as tens of thousands of workers and students all across Haiti took to the streets to join the battle against massive corruption in the PetroCaribe scandal (where the bourgeoisie has pocketed billions of dollars meant to fund education, infrastructure, etc.). Demanding the ousting of Jovenel Moïse, in whom they have no confidence to find and punish the guilty, the masses barricaded the streets. Their bosses responded by sending out all of its armed might, including hooded thugs known as cagoulards, who murdered at least a dozen protesters.
Many understand that this battle is not easy to win because, just like exploitation, corruption is a disease in the lungs of the capitalist system, and to defeat the disease we have to get rid of the entire system itself. We have to  replace it with one that serves the interests of the working class.
In one provincial town, there were only a dozen Progressive Labor Party (PLP) members and friends on the street some people were afraid to participate in the marches because the government is running a campaign of terror; in fact, there were more police than protesters. Yet in spite of police presence, our action was a success, and we continued the planned course. Although our numbers were small, we persisted with signs in hand, and we chanted without stopping. The message was clear: “the bourgeoisie and its state are anti-worker, anti-progress, and anti-well-being and they must go.”
The theft of the PetroCaribe funds is awakening Haitian workers and students. We can take advantage of this situation to strengthen our fight. The fight against corruption is a fight against capitalism.We are engaged in it! La lutte continue (the struggle continues)!