Colombia: solution is revolution, not votes

BOGOTA, COLOMBIA– Over 50 Progressive Labor Party (PLP) members and friends marched today in the capital to celebrate International Workers’ Day, May Day, and the fight for the dictatorship of the working class. While raising our communist flags and banners, our young leaders led our contingent with valor . They took the lead  chanting various slogans, including "If you vote, prepare for disappointment,”  "The only solution is a communist revolution!”
In response to our militancy and revolutionary leadership, several workers observing the march stopped, raised their fists and joined in on the chants. Our commitment to an international communist revolution makes a difference particularly in contrast to the groups led by the revisionists, liberals and fascists who have nothing to offer the workers. These misleaders rely on ideological and political disarmament in order to continue exploiting us and preparing us to serve as cannon fodder in their future military conflicts.
From the start of the march we distributed copies of CHALLENGE and flyers to the mass organizations of students, trade unions and women workers. We exchanged ideas about inter-imperialist rivalry, capitalist decay, the electoral circus, antiracism, a worker-led international revolution and communism. We agreed to keep in touch with a number of workers through our literature.
Bosses electoral circus paralyzes the working class
May Day was commemorated this year under intensified state repression in preparation for the upcoming presidential elections. More militant action on behalf of the working class was effectively demobilized and funneled into cynical support for Gustavo Petro,  fake leftist   presidential candidate, whose tenure as Mayor of Bogota served as a prime example of why the working class can’t rely on liberal misleaders. He directed mass organizations to flock to the polls rather than to mobilize workers and he wants workers to rely on the  liberal fascists to “solve our problems.” The marches reflected the politicians’ propaganda.  Speeches lacked a spirit of struggle and turnout was low.
In Colombia as in countries all over the world, the main contradiction is the sharpening splits within the ruling class. This internal battle for control over power, profits, control of natural resources, cheap labor and drug trafficking routes manifests itself in the current electoral situation. The capitalists need us to validate their oppressive fascist system through voting. But many workers know that any politician who assumes the presidency, senate or chamber will only be a puppet of either the mafias or political families that govern this country according  to the ruthless logic and needs of world imperialism.
Keep the communist red flag high
We ended our protest in an orderly manner, collecting our flags and taking the necessary precautions to leave in small groups. We are committed to and recognize that only increased confidence in the working class and enthusiasm for the struggle will strengthen our political work. Only the Progressive Labor Party, political struggle and qualitative and quantitative advancement of the workers, under communist leadership, will be able to free us from this criminal system.
Racism, forced displacement and the murder of working-class leaders in general, show us that capitalist democracy is a farce that gives many workers false hopes for change. On this May Day, and every day, we know that only when  masses of worker reject racism, sexism, nationalism, wage slavery and the union sellouts can we hope to one day put an end to the capitalist nightmare. Join PLP and fight for international communist revolution!