In Memoriam

Comrade João Amazonas

Honorary President of the Communist Party of Brazil

January 1, 1912 to May 27, 2002

It was with great sorrow that the Manitoba Regional Committee of the Communist Party of Canada (Marxist-Leninist) learned of the death of Comrade João Amazonas, Honorary President of the Communist Party of Brazil on May 27, 2002.

Comrade Amazonas led the Communist Party of Brazil through the difficult period of the split in the International Communist Movement during the early 1960s, managing to keep the party on the path of revolutionary Marxism-Leninism. He also led his party through the dark days of the Brazilian military dictatorship, not only preserving the party in extremely difficult conditions of illegality, but also avoiding both the adventurism and right opportunism that has destroyed so many other revolutionary organizations in Latin America. In the years following the end of the military dictatorship, Comrade Amazonas led the Brazilian communists in establishing the Communist Party of Brazil as a major force within mainstream Brazilian politics, skillfully combining mass organizing with electoral politics. In the wake of the collapse of the Soviet Union when an unprecedented campaign of anti-communism was launched by U.S. imperialism, with Comrade Amazonas' continuing guidance the Communist Party of Brazil continued to grow and to extend its links with the masses of workers and peasants, positioning itself well to face the revolutionary situation which is rapidly developing in Brazil.

The mark of a great individual is to remain true to his convictions for his entire life. Comrade Amazonas was such an individual. He remained a staunch revolutionary communist to the end and made a lasting contribution to the world communist movement.