Partido Patria Libre (lit. ''Free Homeland Party'', PPL) is a
far-left
Far-left politics, also known as extreme left politics or left-wing extremism, are politics further to the left on the left–right political spectrum than the standard political left. The term does not have a single, coherent definition; some ...
Marxist–Leninist communist party in
Paraguay
Paraguay, officially the Republic of Paraguay, is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the Argentina–Paraguay border, south and southwest, Brazil to the Brazil–Paraguay border, east and northeast, and Boli ...
. It defines its goals as "
Marxist–Leninist,
socialist patriotist, and
anti-imperialist
Anti-imperialism in political science and international relations is opposition to imperialism or neocolonialism. Anti-imperialist sentiment typically manifests as a political principle in independence struggles against intervention or influenc ...
."
History
The PPL was founded by former activists of the Popular Democratic Movement (MDP) on 3 February 1990, under the name Corriente Patria Libre (lit. ''Free Homeland Current''). In February 1992, it was renamed Movimiento Patria Libre (''Free Homeland Movement''). It acquired its current name in December 2002 after the movement was officially registered as a political party.
The PPL has strong roots in the movement for left regroupment and led the United Left (Paraguay) (IU) alliance, which also included the
Workers' Party
Workers' Party is a name used by several political parties throughout the world. The name has been used by both organisations on the left and right of the political spectrum. It is currently used by followers of Marxism, Marxism–Leninism, Maoism ...
(PT), the Socialist Revolutionary Nucleus (NRS), the April 19 Indigenous Movement (M-19 Abril), and the Paraguayan Socialist Party (PSP). The
Paraguayan Communist Party (PCP) withdrew from IU in 2003.
In the
2003 presidential elections, Tomás Zayas of the United Left received about 0.3 percent of the vote (4,550 total votes). In the
2003 legislative elections, PPL candidates won 1.1% of the vote in the Chamber of Deputies and 1% of the vote in the Senate. Neither result was significant enough to win any seats. The party did not participate in the
2008 general elections, but contested the
2013 elections, in which it received around 0.1% of the vote, again failing to win any seats.
Ideology
The PPL platform calls for, among other things,
*the consolidation of national independence, including political and economic independence
*the abolition of repressive laws and decrees;
*protection of freedom of thought, freedom of political organization, freedom of association, freedom of expression, freedom of the press, and the right to strike;
*an end to impunity for past human rights violations;
*a national plan for economic development directed by the state;
*wide-ranging agrarian reform;
*a national plan for health, education, and housing;
*the eradication of all forms of discrimination and oppression;
*full participation of women in the political, economic, and social spheres;
*special attention to the needs of children, seniors, and the disabled;
*the preservation of the environment and wise exploitation of natural resources;
*the eventual political and economic integration of Latin America based on socialist principles.
References
Report Nº 86/08Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
{{DEFAULTSORT:Partido Patria Libre
Communist parties in Paraguay
Far-left politics in Paraguay
Political parties established in 1990
Political parties in Paraguay