The supporters of the Fourth International in Brazil, the Workers League and the Communist Workers Party, have issued a joint statement calling for mass action against the visit of President Geisel to Britain next week. In it they say:
The recent withdrawal of the mandates of three deputies of the legitimate group of the Democratic Movement in Brazil (MDB), the permitted opposition party, is an integral part of the evident movement to the right by Geisel's bonapartist Government, initiated in the first quarter of 1975 with the repression of workers, students, union leaders, and militants and leaders or the communist Party or Brazi.
The withdrawal of these parliamentary mandates attacks the whole of the mass movement, principally the sec tors representing the petty bourgeoisie, which saw the MDB in the elections of 15 November 1974 as the only alternative opposing itself to the military dictatorship, and the only channel of expression for their discontent. JOURNALIST These actions also represent a counter-offensive of the most right wing sections of the Government, momentariv neutransed arter tne moonisa tions which followed the assassination oine tournalise viadimir herzoo and the death of the worker Manuel Fiel Filno in the prisons or the dictatorship.
These sections of the Government see repression of all forms of organised opposition and mobilisation of the mass movement as the only means of ensuring the continuation of the present regime. Thus for this military and civil far-right any 'opening' whatsoever. even i under strict control ds orolecec in the expansion plans ou Geisel and his team, is synonymous with social chaos, disorder, and a threat to their domination Hence. understanding the withdrawal of parliamentary mandates as part of a process or a broad rontwara move ment or tne recime deepening me ex ploitation and repression of the working masses, and understanding the necessity of uniting the struggle for the defence of living standards with the more general political struggles in society, the Workers League and the Communist Workers Party call on the other organisations who claim allegiance to the working classes, and on the combative sectors of the MDB, to organise a national campaign in defence of the popular vote -for the revoking of Al5 ['Institutional Act No 5' - the repressive law which serves as the 'legal' foundation for the present dictatorshipl, the legalisation of all workers and popular parties, and for immediate free elections.
FRATERNAL Finally, the Workers League and the communist workers rary call on then fraternal organisations in the Fourth international, particularly ine Revolutionary Communist League of France and the International Marxist Group of Britain and other political parties, trade unions and workers organisations, to speak out together to show their active solidarity with the workers and people of Brazil during the forthcoming visit of General Geisel to these countries.
To denounce the super-exploitation of the workers, the lack of the most elementary democratic liberties Tor the broad masses, the torture and assacsination of hundreds of revolutionaries and democrats in the prisons of the dictatorship, rendering it impossible for the dictator to stay in France and Britain, would contri bute decisively to the erosion and isola-non or me brazilan dictatorsnip, as well as giving a display of true proletarian internationalism.
Down with the withdrawal of parlia mentary mandates, Institutional Act No 5, and all repressive legislation!
For the independent organisation freedon to demonstrate of workers. stu dents. peasants. and intellectuals.
For the destruction or the military dictatorship, for the legalisation of workers and popular parties. ana to immediate genuinely free elections!
For the convening of a Revolutionary Constituent Assembly!
For international solidarity with the Brazilian workers and masses! PLATFORM PARTY: Labour member