Minneapolis, MN – About 40 protesters held signs reading “No war for the holidays” and “Stop endless wars” to engage with holiday shoppers at the busy intersection of Hennepin and Lagoon Avenues in the Uptown neighborhood of Minneapolis, December 21.
The 52nd anniversary of the founding of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) was observed with a December 7 march by tens of thousands of members and supporters in Gaza City. The PFLP is playing a leading role in the struggle to end the Israeli occupation of Palestine. Over the past week Israeli authorities have arrested 50 Palestinians in the West Bank and accused them of being members of the PFLP.
On November 24, Hong Kong held local elections for all 18 district councils in the city, with 452 of the 479 council seats up for grabs. Amid the polarized political atmosphere created by the protests and riots that gripped the city this year, turnout was much higher than past local elections. In total, 2,931,745 people cast ballots for their local district councils; about 71% of the 4,132,977 registered voters.
Miami, FL – On December 1, immigrant groups representing several different countries in the Caribbean and South America rallied together at the Torch of Friendship to show unity and strength against U.S imperialism and far-right political violence in Latin America. Various groups of immigrant activists united in what they said was just the beginning of a new movement in South Florida to bring together the various struggles in Latin America against neo-liberalism and neo-colonialism.
Arlington, TX – On November 13, the University of Texas at Arlington Progressive Student Union (PSU) hosted a national leader of Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Tom Burke, who gave an eyewitness report on Venezuela and the Bolivarian revolution.
NY, New York – On the evening of November 15, over 150 people gathered on 42nd and Broadway to demand that Israel, backed by the United States government, stop the murder and occupation of Palestinians.
Minneapolis, MN – 50 protesters rallied at the intersection of Lake Street and Bloomington Avenue in Minneapolis on November 14 in response to a call for emergency response protests. On November 8, Bolivia’s military staged a coup and ousted democratically elected President Evo Morales. Even though Morales accepted asylum in Mexico, the people’s movements have refused to back down and have been protesting in the capital. Protests internationally have been organized to show solidarity with the indigenous and workers’ movements opposing U.S. interference in Bolivia.
Chicago, IL – Events have not gone well for the coalition of generals and reactionaries that overthrew Evo Morales on November 10. Far from consolidating their control over the government and the country, the right-wing forces now stand on the back foot, facing the full force of an organized and enraged mass movement ready to defend their constitution and their elected government.
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) General Secretary, George Mavrikos, against the coup in Bolivia.
Minneapolis, MN – Several Twin Cities area peace and justice groups have called for an emergency protest to show opposition to the U.S.-supported coup in Bolivia. The protest will be held Thursday, November 14 at 5 p.m. along the sidewalks at Lake Street and Bloomington Avenue in Minneapolis. The Minneapolis action is one of many protests happening all over the world in solidarity with the progressive movements of Bolivia.
New York, NY – Over 100 people gathered by the Bolivia Mission at the United Nations on November 11 in response to the forced resignation of Bolivian President Evo Morales. People came out to oppose the U.S.-backed right-wing coup in process and to speak out in support of the progressive, national democratic government.
Chicago, IL – Today, a military coup took place in Bolivia. The first act began on October 20 – the day that Evo Morales was re-elected president by a ten-point margin against his nearest opponent, starting with violent protests in the country's urban middle-class neighborhoods. The final act was carried out by the head of the Bolivian Armed Forces, Gen. Williams Kaliman, who went on national television today and demanded that Morales resign. This followed a day of police mutinies in key cities, and in totality it was clear that the elected government had lost the support of the armed apparatus of the state. Without arms to fall back on, and fearing the slaughter of their supporters, Morales, his vice president Álvaro García Linera, and the president of the Senate, Adriana Salvatierra resigned. Morales stated, ”I am resigning so that my comrades will not continue to be intimidated and threatened, so that [the reactionaries} will stop burning their homes and persecuting the humble people.”
Freedom Road Socialist Organization stands in opposition to the wave of political repression that is being unleashed in the Philippines. The U.S.-backed regime of President Duterte has carried out a series of raids on homes and offices, jailing more than 60 participants in the progressive and national democratic movement.
New York, NY – Several dozen organizers and community members gathered outside the Philippine Consulate on 5th Avenue, November 4, to demand that the government of the Philippines release the 62 organizers of legal, mass organizations who were arrested Negros and Metro Manila.
The following speech was delivered by Fight Back! editor Mick Kelly at a Minneapolis October, 2019 celebration of the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese revolution. Kelly is a member of the Standing Committee of the Central Committee of Freedom Road Socialist Organization and is responsible for its international relations.
Fight Back News Service is circulating following Oct. 24 statement from the Provisional Committee of International League of Peoples’ Struggle (ILPS) – Latin America and the Caribbean.
Chicago, IL – Last year, Brazil emerged from its greatest political crisis since the dictatorship to find that Jair Bolsonaro, an extreme right winger, was now president. His victory marked the high point of the so-called ‘roll-back’ of the Pink Tide, a political phenomenon that saw left-wing governments elected across Latin America, on platforms of sovereignty and freedom from U.S. interference. Bolsonaro’s election was a moment openly celebrated in the halls of the White House, as many hoped that the few isolated governments left standing from the Pink Tide movement would soon be snuffed out.