MLPD condemns fascist coup attempt in the USA – Don’t underestimate the situation!

The MLPD condemns the organized, coordinated and armed fascist coup attempt on January 6, 2021, by the still incumbent US President Trump and fascist forces in the USA. It calls for international solidarity with the antifascist protests, the workers’ struggles and the socialist forces in the USA. Even if the immediate occupation of the Capitol building was initially ended last night, the fascist danger in the imperialist superpower USA has by no means been banished. This was preceded by the beginning of a general societal crisis in the USA – the “model country of democracy.” Millions of workers, young people, activists of the “Black Lives Matter” movement, women have been on the streets in recent months against the Trump administration, institutionalized racism, and anticommunism, and increasingly also with fundamental criticism of capitalism. The general societal crisis now continues to unfold.

The fascist coup attempt started during the session of the US Congress on January 6, 2021, to confirm the election of the new US President Biden. Through today the current president Trump refuses to accept the election results. Armed fascist gangs with fascist symbols, nationally known fascist leaders such as Nick Fuentes, neo-fascist troops such as NSC 131 or persons connected with the fascist forces in Charlottesville stormed the Capitol, organized and armed, under slogans such as “Sieg Heil” or “Hitler was right.” The session had to be interrupted. There were four dead, dozens were partly seriously injured. According to Deutschlandfunk, there were also fascist attempts to occupy government buildings and similar provocations in ten other US states.

Already on december 19th, Trump had tweeted, “Big protest in D.C. on January 6th. Be there, will be wild!” Promptly, the fascist shock troops marched up on January 6. In Washington, Trump heated up the situation provocatively with his speech, from the start giving the fascist shock troops an anticommunist orientation to storm the Capitol against the supposedly radical left Democrats: “After this, we’re going to walk down and I’ll be there with you. … And that’s what happens in a communist country. Today is not the end. It’s just the beginning.”

During antifascist protests, such as those of the “Black Lives Matter” movement, the Capitol was cordoned off by a martial police contingent, and the National Guard was deployed. Despite the announcement of the “wild day,” the security forces supposedly were unable to successfully confront the putschists? Videos are already circulating in which police officers opened the barriers and posed for selfies with the putschists.

This clearly proves that this was by no means a spontaneous, unexpected riot by a “mob,” as the German press today partly describes it. This was an organized fascist coup attempt after the call of the fascist President, voted out of office, and with the support of parts of the state apparatus of violence.

January 6 was also declared a test for the day Biden takes office on January 20, 2021. Under public pressure, at around 10:00 p.m. Trump merely hypocritically called for people to “go home” from the occupied Capitol, while explicitly touting the fascist perpetrators as “very special” and of whom he is proud.

The fact that Trump apparently can no longer mobilize hundreds of thousands, that only a few thousand came together to support him, and that the runoff election for the Senate in previous Republican strongholds resulted in additional seats for the Democrats shows that the mass base for a fascist development is crumbling. Nevertheless, the situation must not by any means be underestimated! The organized buildup of fascist shock troops continues, as does fascist mobilization. Those who are now taking to the streets are the openly fascist shock troops of Trump supporters, ready for anything. Trump is not to be underestimated in his brutality, his lust for power, his narcissistic loss of reality, and his organized connections to the full range of fascist forces in the United States. In a situation where the Corona pandemic is unfolding unchecked, the world economic and financial crisis is deepening and the US is falling behind in the inter-imperialist competition with China, the systematic buildup and expansion of fascist shock troops is by no means simply focused on the election outcome, but preparation for the transition to openly fascist methods of government in tougher class battles.

A fascist coup in the USA would also change the entire world situation. This development is a warning to take seriously and fight the dangerous rightward development of imperialist governments and bourgeois parties in many countries of the world. “Nip it in the bud” becomes a common task of all progressive forces in the world.

The MLPD warned already on November 7, 2020 – when Trump’s election defeat became apparent – about the “danger of a coup by the fascist Trump.” Repeatedly this was seen as an exaggerated forecast. But the events of January 6 call for the highest vigilance. Former US General Flynn had already developed the plan in December of last year to declare a state of emergency and have the election repeated under the supervision of the US military.

A fascist coup attempt currently has little chance of success. Its failure was also helped by the fact that more and more reactionary Republicans also are backing away from Trump and the fascist methods. Both the Republican leader in the Senate, Mitch McConnell, and Trump's Vice President Mike Pence condemned the action. The National Association of Manufacturers even called for Trump's removal from office. In the Capitol, the congressmen and senators still continued the recognition process for Biden’s election during the night. The current determining forces in US finance capital have currently opted for Biden and thus for a return to the main governing method of the system of the petty-bourgeois mode of thinking. However, this is only a modification of the reactionary imperialist policy of the USA. With the events of January 6, an open political crisis has erupted in the US, an open Republican party crisis, and an open constitutional crisis of bourgeois democracy.

Trump’s ouster was a hard-won success of the progressive change of mood in the USA. In the German media, however, the progressive change of mood is largely ignored. Antifascist protests, however, developed immediately in Los Angeles, among other places, where several thousand demonstrators were attacked by Trump supporters. Anti-Trump demonstrations also took place in Portland, New York, Chicago and other cities.

The working-class and people’s movement should entertain no illusions that Biden will now pursue their interests. The MLPD calls for struggle against the imperialist superpower USA and for vigilance against the fascist coup attempts in the USA. The socialist organization “Freedom Road” (FRSO) from the U.S. stated: “It is imperative that all of us who yearn for a better future act. We need to stay in the streets and fight for an agenda that represents the interests of the people. The road ahead will be a difficult one, but the future is bright!”

In Germany the MLPD organizes the international solidarity with the antifascist and democratic movement, with the workers’ struggles and the socialist forces in the USA. Trade unions have announced a general strike in case of a coup. Together with the revolutionary world organization ICOR, the MLPD supports the building in the USA of strong revolutionary and Marxist-Leninist parties with deep roots in the masses. The revolutionary world organization ICOR has announced it will organize worldwide solidarity in case of a fascist coup! Trump has become the best-known and most-hated anticommunist in the world. The fact that millions turn against him all over the world is also part of coping better and better with the corrosive effect of anticommunism. The future belongs to genuine socialism!

The MLPD and the youth league Rebell call for making this a topic everywhere at the upcoming Monday demonstrations, and for broad participation – under health protection conditions. The MLPD connects this with the struggle against the policies of the German federal government and its rightward development. It is characteristic that Chancellor Angela Merkel, who otherwise likes to give the impression of being progressive, according to tagesschau.de only accused wire-puller Trump of “complicity” in the coup attempt.

Give anticommunism, fascism, racism and antisemitism no chance!

Up with international solidarity! For freedom, democracy, and genuine socialism!

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