Putin quotes Che Guevara and Fidel Castro at event in Russia with PT

In yet another rapprochement with autocracies, parliamentarians from the Workers’ Party (PT) were in Moscow, Russia, to participate in the Russia-Latin America International Parliamentary Conference. The meeting began on the 29th and continued until this Monday (2). The aim was to create alliances between the Russian government and Latin American countries.

“Our bilateral cooperation will become one of the locomotives in the creation of a new multipolar world order on the planet,” said Leonid Slutski, chairman of the Committee on International Affairs of the State Duma, the lower house of the Russian Parliament, about the meeting.

The Kremlin invaded Ukraine in 2022 with the aim of annexing the neighboring country’s territory. The annexation war received support only from the dictatorships of China, Iran and North Korea. Therefore, Moscow is now seeking support in Latin America.

As Duma spokesman Vyacheslav Volodin revealed, South America sent 200 representatives, including parliamentarians from Brazil and Venezuela. According to the document to which the People’s Gazette had access, the Brazilian subtitles with members at the event were from PT, PCdoB, MDB, PSD and PSB. Images posted on social media confirmed the participation of politicians from the first four acronyms mentioned.

Also according to the list, the members of the Brazilian delegation who were in Russia included: Veneziano Vital do Rêgo (MDB-PB), vice-president of the Senate, Irajá Silvestre Filho (PSD-TO), Arlindo Chinaglia Junior (PT-SP) , Carlos Zarattini (PT-SP), Francisco Celeguim (PT-SP), Miguel Ângelo (PT-MG), Valmir Assunção (PT-BA), Reginete Bispo (PT-RS), Orlando Silva de Jesus Junior (PCdoB-SP ), Mario Maurici (PT-SP), Laura Sito (PT-RS), and Acilino José Ribeiro de Almeida, National Secretary of the Popular Socialist Movement (linked to the PSB).

In the social mediafederal deputy Valmir Assunção (PT) informed that the Brazilian delegation also met with representatives of the governments of Cuba and Venezuela, who were present at the event promoted by Russia.

Nods to the left and mention of Che Guevara and Fidel Castro

The event in Russia lasted four days and, this Monday (2), Putin gave an ideological speech to those present. In his speech, the Russian said that Latin America follows an “independent policy” and can play a “fundamental role in world politics.”

In a nod to left-wing parties, the Russian president praised well-known leftist dictators in his speech: “Latin Americans have always fought for independence and the history of their continent is full of the most notable examples […] This also happened in the second half of the last century, when the continent gave the world altruistic fighters for justice and social equality such as Salvador Allende, Ernesto Che Guevara and Fidel Castro.”

Putin also reiterated his country’s interest in strengthening ties with Latin American countries. “We are convinced that promoting direct dialogue between parliaments will open up opportunities to deepen our cooperation and expand it through new areas of joint activity,” he said.

Russia repeats Chinese strategy to get closer to Latin America

The summit held in Moscow, between September 29th and October 2nd, was the first of its kind held by Russia and can be seen as an attempt by the Kremlin to get closer to Latin America. While he finds himself isolated from the world after invading Ukraine more than 18 months ago, Putin has sought support from developing nations. The war provoked by Putin has already left more than 200,000 dead.

The Russian government organized discussion tables on various topics and reiterated its interest in increasing its partnership with Caribbean and Latin American countries. The strategy applied by Putin is the same used by Xi Jinping, of China. Facing a kind of “Cold War 2.0” with the United States, the Asian giant has been getting closer and closer to countries in Latin America and Africa.

This year, the Communist Party of China received a delegation from the PT in Beijing and, just over 10 days ago, the secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Communist Party of China, Li Xi, was the one who came to Brazil. Here, the high-ranking member of the Chinese government signed “international cooperation” agreements with the PT and met with Lula and the vice-president of Brazil, Geraldo Alckmin (PSB).

The rapprochement between the parties is observed with caution due to the autocratic regime imposed by Xi Jinping in China. Having been president for more than 10 years, Jinping is accused of a series of crimes against human rights, of restricting the population’s access to the internet and manipulating the news published in the local press. The same happens with Vladimir Putin’s Russia.