CWI MEMBER Dimitri Silveira from Brazil spoke at the meeting of the Inter-Barrial Assemblea Popular of Buenos Aires, Argentina, on 17 February. This was attended by 2,000 people, mainly delegates from the local assemblies.
Some of these assemblies have been organising the “cazerolazos” – mass street protests typified by people banging their empty pots and pans – against the financial collapse, political corruption and capitalist recession in Argentina.
Dimitri raised the need to convene assemblies, locally, in workplaces and in schools, to form action committees. These should be developed as an alternative power to the government.
He called for the establishment of a workers’ government and raised the need for an international struggle against imperialism.
These points went down very well. However, he had less than four minutes to speak!
He proposed supporting the ISR’s international day of action for free education on 15 March. This was agreed as was a call for mobilisations of school students etc on that day.
Workers’ assembly
ANOTHER EVENT last weekend was a National Assembly of Employed and Unemployed Workers.
This assembly was in fact a split from the official Assembly of Pickets – los picketeros, which is controlled by the CTA trade union federation and the Partido Communista Revolucionario/Corriente Combativa Classista. The latter is a Maoist organisation that has a few thousand members.
It is in opposition to the CCC and the CTA policy of opening dialogue and discussions with the government that the assembly was called.
6,000 attended this assembly. It is trying to unify with the Assembleas Barriales. However, some of the speakers had a sectarian position towards the CTA rank and file. The assembly agreed to work towards organising a general strike.
On 20 February there will be a massive protest to commemorate three months since the killings of the 30 youth by the police. Some of the local assemblies have adopted the 30,000 disappeared (under the military regimes of the 1970s / 1980s) and the 30 youth as honorary presidents.
