Successful 2nd LIS Congress
Of the 10 al 14 March the Second Congress of the International Socialist League was held in Barcelona. During five intense days of debate, delegates and guests of 25 countries in the five continents analyzed the political situation and the class struggle in the world, the opportunities and challenges ahead of us revolutionaries. He closed voting on different documents, resolutions and campaigns that synthesize the elaboration in the sections, enriched by discussion at the event and a new International Executive Committee.
In the historic grounds of Alberg Xanascat, with its beautiful panoramic view of the city of Barcelona, Delegations from America were arriving, from the Southern Cone of the continent to the United States, passing through Central America, Western and Eastern Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa and the Maghreb, from Asia, Middle East and Australia. Many others connected virtually, where dozens of leaders from all sections and sympathetic organizations also followed the event.
A congress steering committee was formed with Alejandro Bodart from the Argentine MST and Imran Kamyana from The Struggle from Pakistan (both of the coordination of the LIS), Chaia Ahmed Baba from the Western Sahara youth and Ezra Otieno from the Revolutionary Socialist League (What led them to found it and what journey have they taken so far?) from Kenya to start the event.
The representativeness of the delegations that participated, the level of the debate and the tasks and direction voted on reflect the growth and progress of the LIS throughout the year since the First Congress held at the end of 2021. Our organization managed to pass the test of war, deploying a principled policy and a series of high-impact initiatives and campaigns, such as the one carried out for the freedom of prisoners in Nicaragua, all of which has allowed us to strengthen ourselves in our countries and add new organizations. We leave our II Congress with more energy to face the challenges that lie ahead and take a new leap in the development of our parties and our international.
On the first day of the Congress, the world situation was discussed. The world document projects was enriched by the report, the debate and various contributions that showed a high level of agreement on the perspective of a world crossed by the systemic crisis of capitalism, growing social and political polarization, the sharpening of the inter-imperialist disputes since the war in Ukraine and important opportunities for the construction of revolutionary parties throughout the world.
The second day started with the point of global economic crisis. The report and discussion deepened the analysis and perspectives of the systemic crisis of capitalism.
Then the point of the Ukrainian war and the situation in Eastern Europe were discussed.. Oleg Vernyk's report on the coordination of the LIS and the Ukrainian Socialist League (LSU), along with the discussion, they deepened the analysis of the war and the resistance of the Ukrainian people against Putin's invasion and the debates with sectors of the campist left and capitulating before Russian imperialism. The independent and class policy that the LIS has been developing in support of the Ukrainian resistance was reaffirmed, for the withdrawal of Russian troops and the dissolution of NATO.
The debate was enriched by the interventions of comrades from the LSU who are fighting on the front lines and by the comrades of the Belarusian LIS and union leaders Roman and Maxim, present at the meeting, that they contributed about the difficult situation under the Lukashenko dictatorship and the perspective of the working class in the East that could be opened up with the possible victory of the Ukrainian masses. A comprehensive resolution developed by the coordination of the LIS was resolved and enriched by the debate on politics and intervention in the war.
The third day Europe and America were discussed. The point of Europe had the outstanding intervention of the comrades of the La Chispa current, leading the formation of a new NPA in France, and the companions of the UK LIS. A central point of the debate was about the strikes that shake those two countries and invigorate the global situation with the arrival on the scene of the powerful European working class.
The second point began with a report from Latin America and the participation of colleagues from the Tempest Collective from the United States. The ongoing rebellion in Peru was a central issue in the discussion, as well as the important advances in the construction of the LIS with the unification of our organizations in Brazil to launch the new Socialist Revolution party, the upcoming unification of our organizations in Colombia and the progress in Central America since the trip of the International Commission for the Life and Liberty of Political Prisoners in Nicaragua, reflected in the presence of colleagues from various countries in the region.
The fourth day had an intense agenda, with points on the Middle East, Africa and Asia. comrades from the LIS Turkey and Lebanon opened the point with reports focused on the popular and worker rebellion in Iran, the Palestinian struggle against the Zionist State of Israel and its new fascist government and the open situation in Turkey after the devastating earthquake that shook the south of the country and Syria.
Kenyan classmates, Tanzania and Western Sahara opened the point on Africa. All young leaders, representatives of the broad radicalized vanguard that has grown on the continent since the rebellions of the Arab spring and opens a great opportunity for the LIS to expand the organization on the continent. The discussion papers on African socialism and revolutionary pan-Africanism presented by the RSL comrades were discussed; the Njaa Revolution Campaign (of hungry) that promote in Kenya for the control of prices and distribution of food; the sharp expressions of gender oppression that we must combat on the continent; the struggle of the Saharawi people against the Moroccan occupation and the solidarity campaign of the LIS. Above all, discussed how to best take advantage of opportunities to strengthen and expand the LIS, resolving the call for a first Pan-African Congress of the LIS with organizations from a dozen countries with whom our partners come in contact.
Asia point was opened by fellow Struggle from Pakistan. The discussion focused on the political situation and opportunities in the Indian subcontinent and the complex situation in Afghanistan since the withdrawal of US imperialism and the Taliban takeover..
On the last day of the congress, the environmental point and the orientation and direction of the LIS were discussed. The environmental point resolved a campaign for the COP30 that will possibly take place in Brazil in 2025 and the organization of a second LIS World Socio-environmental Forum.
Then the world situation papers were voted on, economic crisis, Europe and Latin America, and resolutions on Ukraine, Africa, Gender, Environment, Palestine, Nicaragua and Belarus.
By last, the balance of the LIS was discussed in this year marked by the profound changes produced by the war in Ukraine and the forward orientation. Despite the complex debates that the war introduced to the world revolutionary left, The LIS has expanded in this period with incorporations and unifications in various regions and comes out of the congress strengthened. He himself reaffirmed the project of uniting currents from different traditions based on revolutionary principles and a healthy method of fraternal discussion and joint action campaigns..
The congress closed voting a new coordination with incorporations, the creation of an international Gender Commission and the resolution of various initiatives. Between them, the publication of a new number ofPermanent revolution, the LIS magazineand its quarterly regularity, to print and distribute in all countries and languages where we have work; the first Pan-African Congress of the LIS; an international seminar on economics to deepen the analysis of the world crisis, the role of China and the development of the inter-imperialist dispute; the second LIS International Socio-environmental Forum; an international forum on Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua to develop the debates around these processes; and international solidarity campaigns with Ukraine, Nicaragua, for political prisoners in Belarus, the Njaa Revolution in Kenya, among other.
The delegates and guests who participated in the event left Xanascat with energy and enthusiasm to return to their countries to intervene in the dynamic class struggle and build the revolutionary parties and the International that we need to advance in resolving once and for all the crisis of revolutionary leadership of the world working class. That is the project of the LIS, who has made an important leap in this congress.
Below are the documents and resolutions adopted:
Contribution to the debate on the world situation. towards more crisis, wars and revolutions
Resolution on the war in Ukraine
The world economy in its maze. Roadmap
Resolution on socio-environmental movement. policy and guidance
The socio-environmental expression of the civilizational crisis. Discussion Notes
Resolution on gender struggles and revolutionary politics
The situation in Latin America. Analysis, policy and tasks of the LIS
Europe, in the key of war, crises and social struggles
Resolution on imprisoned Belarusian labor activists
Resolution on Palestine and Israel
