COMMUNIST PARTY REACTIONS TO 20TH CPSU CONGRESS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78-00915R000400430002-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: November 11, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 21, 1998
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: April 2, 1956
• Content Type: REPORT

Sanitized - Approved For ReleasaC,A-RDP78-00915R000400430002-8
2 April 1956
COMMUNIST PARTY REACTIONS
TO 20TH CPSU CONGRESS
Reaction of Latin American CPs to the Denigration of Stalin
(March 1956) .
1. The denigration of Stalin is clearly a severe shock for the CPs
in Latin America. The fact that the shock came in two "waves"
(open and secret sessions) intensified the confusion. The Parties
which reacted immediately to the first wave were less well off than
those which remained silent.
2. CP Brazil, whose voice on line matters has been accepted as
authoritative by other CPs in Latin America, has been silent. Past
emphasis on Prestesspersonal friendship with Stalin may be an
especially troublesome factor.
3. CP Colombia and CP Panama are confused and are awaiting
authoritative clarification. A leader of CP Bolivia reportedly stated
that that Party has accepted the criticism "in view of current Soviet
foreign policy." He claims that no division has occurred in the Party
over the Stalin issue. At the same time, this must be a particularly
distressing matter for CP Bolivia. It is one of the few CPs in Latin
America which has been engaged in active competition, on a "Stalin
vs. Trotsky" basis, with an organized Trotskyite party, It must be
small consolation that Trotsky is stilldenigrated to the extreme.
4. CP Cuba reacted swiftly to the first wave of denigration. On 25
and 29 February and again on 3 March it minimized the scope of the
criticism and its effect on Stalinrs stature. It praised him very highly,
while admitting he made some mistakes. However, as for the error
of "cult of personality", CP Cuba attributed this error to CPSU and
expressed the expectation that CPSU would, explain how this error came
to be made.. CP Cuba also strove to defend Stalinrs works which had
been criticized by Mikoyan. Clearly this Party, which was so far out
on a limb at the time of the Browder denigration, was out there again.
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5. CP Chile staggered through the two waves, between 29 February
and 29 March. The Party paper manifested a cautious approach to
the Stalin question and apparent lack of guidance. The first article
on 6 March concentrated on the violation of collective leadership and
on the evils of cult of personality, without directly accusing Stalin.
Subsequent articles on 9 and 13 March discussed the XXth Congress
but ignored the Stalin issue entirely.
Harassed by the "bourgeois press" on 20 March, the Party paper
quoted British Communist Harry Pollit to the effect that Stalin made
mistakes in connection with collective leadership but made enduring
contributions --development of industry, construction of socialism
and the defeat of Hitler. The following day a delegate of CP Chile to
the XXth Congress stated that the Congress had corrected Stalin's
mistakes regarding collective leadership and particularly with
respect to the inevitability of war.
On 29 March severe criticism of Stalin was expressed in obvious
reaction to the second wave, The Party paper declared that in the
1930's Stalin began to place himself above the Party, imposed his will
over that of the Party, made unilateral decisions and finally liquidated
collective leadership. This caused grave damage to the CPSU and the
international workers' movement. The criticism was modified some-
what by praise of Stalin for his struggle against Trotskyite and
Bukharinites, for his work in connection with the construction of
socialism and the creation of a powerful socialist industry which was
instrumental in the defeat of Hitler.
Like CP Cuba, CP Chile pointed out that the drive to restore
collective leadership was initiated at the XIXth Congress when Stalin
was still alive.
One of CP Chile's delegates to the XXth Congress repeatedly met
with top Party leaders immediately upon his return to Chile on
16 March.
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Sanitized - Approved For Release : CIA-RDP78-00915R000400430002-8
Sanitized - Approved For Release : CIA-RDP78-00915R000400430002-8