“Our movement for Palestine is not new. It stands on the shoulders of those who stood up to South African apartheid, proud peace campaigns over decades, and our history of solidarity with those fighting for justice in Latin America.”
Jeremy Corbyn MP on why our solidarity with Latin America matters.
Our political leaders are stumbling through crisis after crisis to convince themselves that the tired ‘solutions’ of austerity and war are the only options, including through the continuation of an unethical, inconsistent foreign policy that fails to treat all human life with equal value.
For over a year, millions of us demonstrated for a ceasefire in Gaza.
We were ignored, maligned and demonised, whilst human beings have been forced to endure a level of horror that should haunt us forever. Families have been wiped out. Neighbourhoods obliterated. Futures destroyed.
We are part of a wider movement that wants to see an end to all wars: in Ukraine, Yemen, Sudan, West Papua, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and elsewhere – understanding that the human, economic and environmental consequences of all-out escalation of any one of these could be catastrophic.
Our movement for Palestine is not new. It stands on the shoulders of those who stood up to South African apartheid, proud peace campaigns over decades, and our history of solidarity with those fighting for justice in Latin America, which started for me with a visit to Chile in 1969 on the eve of Salvador Allende becoming President.
I’ve never forgotten going to a folk concert in Viña del Mar and seeing the sense of relaxed joy of a lot of people listening to the music of Victor Jara: the sense of inspiration, and the way in which, where some people’s political awakening comes through reading and an intellectual understanding of the road to socialism, others’ comes through the sense of inclusion that music and poetry can bring.
I was also there for the May Day march, an incredible show of unity, and just thought, ‘This is amazing’.
Many of us were then, of course, active in solidarity with the Allende-led Government and in building opposition to Pinochet’s coup that overturned it.
I got a lot of inspiration, as did thousands of others, from the popular movements in Chile. And since, have got inspiration from those striving for a better world in so many countries.
We have not only stood against those opposing coups – from Chile to Honduras to Bolivia – but also with those taking action to reduce poverty and suffering, such as the Governments of Brazil, Colombia and Mexico today, who also show an ability and willingness to actively facilitate de-escalation and diplomacy on the world stage.
Throughout, Cuba’s internationalism has been an inspiration.
We cannot forget about the importance and power of international solidarity, and that we cannot succeed at home without solidarity abroad.
A more equal, just, and peaceful world is possible – let’s build it together.
- Jeremy Corbyn is speaking at an upcoming Arise Festival Rally on Tuesday, February 11th addressing the key issues facing our movement: “Winning a Socialist Future – Ending Austerity, Racism and War.” Register and see the full line-up here.
- You can follow Jeremy Corbyn on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter; and follow Jeremy Corbyn’s Peace and Justice Project on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X and Bluesky.
You are doing such wonderful work, Jeremy and hundreds of thousands of us support your work. You are a light in the darkness, and we support the light.
Suzanne Philipps