Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Marxist-Leninist Communist Party of Spain (PCE (M-L)) | Jan. 3, 2026 | Translated for the Red Phoenix by Colosio–

One after another, the worst predictions about the degradation of the global imperialist landscape are being confirmed. In the face of the vain illusions of those who speak of a “multipolar world” as a palliative measure against capitalist barbarity, reality stubbornly demonstrates the exact opposite; the global division of spheres of influence among imperialist powers is undergoing a complete reorganization, due both to the rise of new imperialist powers seeking their own space and to the resistance of the old, declining powers that do not want to lose theirs.

Among these old powers, it is the US that is bearing the brunt of this new global landscape, pushing its bourgeoisie, increasingly brutalized and desperate to maintain its hegemonic position, to re-elect President Trump as the enforcer of the most radical measures.

Therefore, Trump allows himself the luxury of openly violating international law—nothing new, on the other hand, for those who occupy the White House—but also—and this is the dangerously new aspect—American law by unilaterally ordering, without prior debate in the representative chambers, a military attack against another state and the kidnapping of its president and his wife, in an evidently criminal act, but one that is perfectly consistent with the mandate received from his bourgeoisie: to secure the “living space” of Yankee imperialism—now openly threatened in much of Africa, Asia, and even Eastern Europe.

This consistency within the imperialist “logic” is also demonstrated by China and Russia’s response to the US assault. Despite declarations and signed agreements of collaboration and mutual support—less than 24 hours before the US attack, Maduro met at the presidential palace with a high-level Chinese delegation—both Beijing and Moscow have limited themselves to expressing their disagreement with and condemnation of the events in Venezuela, formally appealing to international law, but without committing to or specifying anything further in their responses. They both know very well that excessive zeal in defending that same international law and the right to state sovereignty could easily be used against them, given China’s claims—and threats—regarding Taiwan, and Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine. In other words, in this race to reconfigure the spheres of influence of the old and new imperialist powers, the crimes of the enemy serve as justification for one’s own crimes. Among arsonists, no one steps on another’s fire.

Meanwhile, Europe is witnessing this “criminal alliance” on its eastern and western borders, torn between establishing itself as an autonomous power, following the old Franco-German imperialist dream—that is, with its sights set on both Africa and Eastern Europe—or protecting itself by acting as the advance pawn of an increasingly unpredictable and aggressive United States, which also includes the European Union—and Greenland—among its potential victims. The truth is that in either case, the European bourgeoisie can only consolidate its position by intensifying the exploitation of workers, imposing the militarization of society, and curtailing their rights and freedoms as much as possible. However, along this path, it has found unexpected help from the “progressive” bourgeoisie, which has embraced the idea of building European “strategic autonomy,” serving as a rallying point for social democratic, opportunistic, and revisionist left-wing groups alike.

A good example of this can be found in Spain. Our “progressive” coalition government has spent the entire legislative term trying to have it both ways, supporting the most brutal imperialism while simultaneously paying lip service to international law and human rights. Specifically, regarding Venezuela, those who now speak of respect for national sovereignty have been supporting the Venezuelan coup-mongering opposition for years from within the Council of Ministers—let’s not forget, among other things, that in 2024 the self-proclaimed president of Venezuela, Edmundo González, hid in the Spanish embassy in Caracas before flying to Spain on a Spanish Armed Forces plane—while continuing to finance and collaborate with the terrorist organization NATO, despite the blatant violation of the conditions imposed in the rigged 1986 referendum.

In short, the bourgeoisie of all the imperialist blocs is burning through the final stages of the path to open, large-scale military confrontation, as the only way to divide up the zones of influence and economic exploitation. And for this to happen, the destruction of any remaining semblance of international law is a necessary condition, as already occurred in the lead-up to the two previous world wars. Capitalism can no longer regenerate itself; the degree of development of
this mode of production has reached a dead end in which the only—and last—resource left to it is to apply a brutal global “clean slate” to restart the process. The old dilemma between socialism or barbarism takes on its full meaning at this moment.

Therefore, in this complex and bewildering scenario, our class, the proletariat, finds itself so disoriented and confused by revisionist and bourgeois influence that it may even accept the call to enlist under the banner of the “lesser evil” imperialism, falling into the same errors that it paid so dearly for in the 20th century and forgetting that there are no alternatives in the class struggle: either you are with the proletariat or you are on the side of the bourgeoisie, without ambiguity or possible compromises. Venezuela today serves as a bitter reminder of this fundamental lesson that we cannot forget.

AGAINST IMPERIALISM IN ALL ITS FORMS

AGAINST THE CAPITALISM THAT GENERATES IT

SOCIALISM OR BARBARISM

Categories: Anti-War, International, Spain, U.S. News, Venezuela