The document "Elections, No! People's War, Yes!" (¡Elecciones no! ¡Guerra Popular sí!), published by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Perú (PCP) in May 1990, is an in-depth, comprehensive analysis of bourgeois "elections" as a counterrevolutionary tool. The document written in a clear and convincing manner by a Communist of the stature of President Gonzalo, is a devastating blow to the reactionaries, especially after "the bend of the road" (the capture of Chairman Gonzalo), when they tried to show the world that the defeat of the PCP was around the corner. In 1993, Fujimori boasted at the United Nations that the People's War would be annihilated by July 28, 1995.Since the launching of the People's War in May 1980, few countries have been the subject of an extraordinary amount of social-science, and counterinsurgency writing. One of them is Peru and its revolutionary struggle led by the PCP, especially the transformations taking place as a result of the People's War. Scholars in the United States, Europe, the former Soviet Union, Japan and Latin America have been gradually questioning the biased information and one-sided version of the U.S. Government and its puppet regimes in place in Peru Belaunde (80-85), Garcia Perez (85-90) and Fujimori (90-present), with respect to the revolutionary process in our country. The writings of the PCP have begun to circulate worldwide through the Internet and clandestine publications in pamphlets that flow from hand to hand. This is because Peru is one of the key focal points of the conflict between imperialist domination of the Third World and the revolutionary storms taking place in the oppressed countries today.
The U.S. is deeply concerned about the real challenge the People's War poses to its imperial domination of Latin America and intervenes directly on behalf of the Fujimori dictatorship to fight the insurgency under the guise of "fighting narcotrafficking." Toward this end, it is setting up Vietnam style fire bases in the Huallaga Valley (Department of San Martin) and in the border with Colombia abutting the Amazon river. All of these actions are in preparation to a massive military intervention at the time the People's War reaches the strategic offensive.
This real threat goes along with an intensive informational and psychological warfare campaign generated by the Peruvian intelligence services and their foreign advisors (e.g., CIA), which is being spread by the reactionary media and the "senderologists" who in turn, consistently slander the PCP as "blood thirsty," "allied with drug traffickers," "split in a two-line struggle," "contained and seeking peace talks," and even being "terrorist." All of this is for the purpose of shaping public opinion favorable to the illegitimate government of Fujimori, and principally to provide "moral superiority" and "justification" for the ongoing Yankee military intervention in Peru.
The English edition of "Elections, No! People's War, Yes!" provides English speaking readers with the opportunity to get behind the media lies and read for themselves the actual views and ideology of the Communist Party of Peru, which is advancing victoriously in the entire country for more than 17 years.
The document is divided into four chapters. Chapter 1 describes the class struggle before and after the first round of the Presidential elections in 1990. Chapter 2 analyzes the meaning of elections, and masterfully concludes that the people, especially the revolutionary ones, must not participate in those events because that is the road followed by the reactionaries to renew their authority and preserve the system of oppression exercised from the executive, parliament and its State apparatus.
Chapter 3 describes how in Peru, the thesis of the PCP with respect to elections, has been proven to be true. After Fujimori and his gang (Cambio 90, SIN, armed forces) took power, hunger and oppression against the people have been multiplied. This reaity is even acknowledged today by the regime itself. Extreme poverty has sky rocketed from 60% in 1990 to 85% by the end of 1997, to the point that now even the revisionists and apristas, who helped to elect Fujimori in 1990, feel very betrayed and repented. Therefore, the only revolutionary alternative left to the people before the elections is to boycott them.
According to Chapter 3 of the document, the PCP was right on target in the evaluation of the class character of the Fujimori government and its three objectives: to reinvigorate bureaucratic capitalism, restructure the old State and annihilate the People's War. The document stated that the current dictator Fujimori was a "hidden card" of imperialism and represented both factions of the big Peruvian bourgeoisie (the comprador and the bureaucratic faction), who in 1990 tried to fool the people presenting himself as a "defender of the people." That's why the demagoguery and empty chatter of the Fujimori "phenomena" was not a surprise to the PCP, who timely denounced him as a sinister individual and faithful lackey of U.S. imperialism. This categorization of the dictator is also correct, especially after the military coup or self-coup, in which the regime not only became illegitimate but handed the direction of the counterrevolutionary war to Yankee imperialism.
In addition to analyze the national problems and the ten years of People's War, Chapter 3 of the document addresses the international situation. It highlights the main contradiction on a world level (oppressed nations versus superpowers and imperialist powers) and within it, the role of vanguard played by the Peruvian revolution, which is acknowledged and recognized by the genuine communist parties in the world, who benefit greatly from the experiences and lessons of the People's War in Peru, demonstrating that only through Marxism-Leninism-Maoism and its application to the concrete reality of each country is it possible to emancipate the class and the people.
The People's War in Peru that in deeds upholds, defends, and applies Marxism- Leninism-Maoism, is the best response of the international proletarian ideology against the world counterrevolutionary revisionist offensive. By quoting Marx, Lenin, and President Mao, the document shows the current validity of such glorious ideology. In this respect, ON REVOLUTIONARY VIOLENCE AND PARLIAMENTARY CRETINISM, the document shows that they are part of an antagonic contradiction and evidently a fundamental part of Marxism. Marx and Engels taught: "Communists consider it unworthy to hide their ideals and purposes. They openly proclaim that their objectives can only be achieved by overthrowing the current order through revolutionary violence."
ON CLASS STRUGGLE, it reaffirms its condition as the motor of history. It differentiates the limits of the economic struggle and the political struggle, which is to conquer power. And on revolution the thesis of Engels states: "In politics there is no more than two decisive forces: The organized force of the State -the armed forces- and the disorganized force, which is the elemental force of the popular masses."
On SOCIALISM AND DICTATORSHIP OF THE PROLETARIAT it upholds the victories of Socialism under Lenin, Stalin and President Mao.
Finally, the PCP discusses the STRUGGLE AGAINST REVISIONISM. It states the following: "a fundamental question of Marxism-Leninism-Maoism is the struggle against revisionism: a continuous, implacable and necessary struggle in defense of the ideology of the proletariat and indispensable to develop the revolution, conquer power and persist in the struggle until Communism through the dictatorship of the proletariat, and the leadership of the communist parties . . . " The clear distinction from revisionism, the defense and mainly the application of Marxism-Leninism-Maoism, have allowed the development of the victorious People's War, whose greatest achievement is the New Power that is now being established. The perspective is the victory of the People's War nationwide. The People's War is in the stage of strategic equilibrium, and despite the complexity and fierce prolonged fighting in this stage, it is the inevitable step toward the offensive and the final victory!
Peru People's Movement (MPP) of North America and the The New Flag Magazine, December 1997.