Elections in Chile led to the victory of the Left Front. Gabriel Boric, the Left far-reaching front candidate, won with 55.8% of the vote against a rival who not only has a reputation for being right-wing, but also goes so far as to openly defend military fascism of 70s and 80s and believes that the way to save this long and narrow country of the South American subcontinent is to return to the neoliberal power of General Augusto Pinochet, butcher of the Santiago Stadium. The election was a decisive battle between unbridled neoliberalism relying on American massive capital and the people who want to curb capitalist greed. In this large-scale national struggle, a large part of Chile's center-left and -right, which has dominated the country for nearly two decades, has been turned to the left so that lest the republic in its country be again under the domination of looting neoliberalism.
This victory was the accomplishment of a movement that, a few years ago, was initiated by the intelligent left-wing Chilean initiative with the policy of unity of action and culminated in an enthusiastic protest rally led by Gabriel Boric, then only thirty-six years old, lasted and was able to bear fruit during the all-inclusive electoral coalition at the end of the 2021. A movement that, both in its formation and in its conclusions, was inspired by Allende's rise in the 1960s and early 1970’s and breathed with Victor Jara's songs with popular guitar. At the same time, it enriched the past by summarizing the lessons learned from the struggles of the last 50 years between Chile and Latin America. This alliance and the coalition campaign of the entire Chilean left, from the communist to the green, as the common voice of the working masses of the country and the support of a part of the middle class to its program and platform, has put the Chilean left to another test.
This accomplishment is not limited to Chile. Although a milestone for Chile, it is in fact a quarter-century-long path in Latin America, where countries are more affected by each other’s developments than anywhere else on the planet. The victory of the left in Chile, apart from the continuation of left developments in the region over the last two decades, is especially in the continuation of left orientations in Peru, Bolivia and Honduras, and also a point of reliance for left self-confidence in two important Latin American countries, Brazil and Colombia, which face the main line-up of the left coalition on the one hand and neoliberal populist right on the other in the run-up to the New Year elections. Without underestimating the difficulties of stabilization and progress of this left, these achievements should be respected. Neither the indigenous right is idle, nor can the United States tolerate these developments in its backyard!
The victory of the left in Latin America, by ensconcing in the position of implementing justice-seeking programs, is joyful and a symbol of possibility of success for the left in the world. Given that the situation in Iran, and in part even in our region, is quite different from that in Chile and Latin America, these victories are also encouraging for the Iranian left, with the message that the strongholds of the recent four decades of neoliberalism and right-wing populism can and should be conquered by taking a united stand on a global scale. Nevertheless, the democratic unity and justice-seeking is the common denominator and main issue. There, if the left is faced with the question of how to use the democratic political atmosphere, to any extent, to bring about justice, in Iran, however, it is faced with the fact that in order to advance the justice-seeking process, how to settle democracy through transitioning from the Islamic Republic? The Chilean left message to us has more methodical and practical characteristic than platform characteristic. The Chilean left message for its counterparts in the Iranian left is forming coalitions and alliances for the transition from the Islamic Republic to the establishment of a secular and democratic republic.
Happy with the victory of its Chilean comrades, the Left Party of Iran (People’s Fadaian), sees message from the success of the Latin American left for the Iranian left that if sharing action there has been the product of a process of dialogue focused on solidarity, cooperation and collaboration, here, too, the condition for success is the purposeful organization of the dialogue process among the left forces. We Congratulate our Chilean comrades and we are inspired by their success.
Political-Executive Board of the Left Party of Iran (People’s Fadaian)
December 25, 2021
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