Workers' Revolutionary Party (Mexico)
Encyclopedia
The Workers' Revolutionary Party (in Spanish
: Partido Revolucionario de los Trabajadores, PRT) was a Trotskyist
political party
in Mexico
. It was founded in 1976 by the merger of two Trotskyist groups: the International Communist League, associated with the United Secretariat of the Fourth International and the Mexican Morenists
.
In 1977, the Marxist Workers' League, associated with the Organising Committee for the Reconstruction of the Fourth International, joined the party. In the following years, other small groups of Trotskyists also joined the PRT, but the group associated with Moreno left in 1979 to form the Socialist Workers' Party. (Partido Obrero Socialista) (POS)
From their base in the 1968 student movement
, the PRT grew quickly, soon gaining bases of support among some telephone, electrical, nuclear, and hospital workers. By the 1980s, it was the largest far-left party to challenge the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party
(PRI). In 1981, the federal government recognized the PRT as an official nationwide party. In the 1982 general elections
, it was also the first Mexican party to raise gay rights as a campaign issue; the party fielded several openly gay candidates for the Chamber of Deputies
. It also entered informal alliances with the other main party on the far left, the United Socialist Party of Mexico (PSUM).
During the latter half of the 1980s, the PRT began to face a series of crises and in-fighting as its progress slowed. It has been alleged that the ruling PRI sent agents into the PRT to disrupt its activities. During the 1988 presidential election
, the PRT lost ground as an electoral party because of the campaign of leftist Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas
, who soon formed the Democratic Revolutionary Party
(PRD).
In 1996, after losing federal recognition, what remained of the PRT (led by Edgard Sánchez Ramírez) formed Socialist Convergence
.
In 1999, a group split off from Socialist Convergence and created a new Revolutionary Workers' Party
which also failed to secure recognition from the Federal Electoral Institute
. Several groups that split from the PRT-Socialist Convergence reunited in the Socialist Alliance
.
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
: Partido Revolucionario de los Trabajadores, PRT) was a Trotskyist
Trotskyism
Trotskyism is the theory of Marxism as advocated by Leon Trotsky. Trotsky considered himself an orthodox Marxist and Bolshevik-Leninist, arguing for the establishment of a vanguard party of the working-class...
political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. It was founded in 1976 by the merger of two Trotskyist groups: the International Communist League, associated with the United Secretariat of the Fourth International and the Mexican Morenists
Nahuel Moreno
Nahuel Moreno was a Trotskyist leader from Argentina. Moreno was active in the Trotskyist movement from before World War II until his death....
.
In 1977, the Marxist Workers' League, associated with the Organising Committee for the Reconstruction of the Fourth International, joined the party. In the following years, other small groups of Trotskyists also joined the PRT, but the group associated with Moreno left in 1979 to form the Socialist Workers' Party. (Partido Obrero Socialista) (POS)
From their base in the 1968 student movement
Tlatelolco massacre
The Tlatelolco massacre, also known as The Night of Tlatelolco , was a government massacre of student and civilian protesters and bystanders that took place during the afternoon and night of October 2, 1968, in the Plaza de las Tres Culturas in the Tlatelolco section of Mexico City...
, the PRT grew quickly, soon gaining bases of support among some telephone, electrical, nuclear, and hospital workers. By the 1980s, it was the largest far-left party to challenge the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party
Institutional Revolutionary Party
The Institutional Revolutionary Party is a Mexican political party that held power in the country—under a succession of names—for more than 70 years. The PRI is a member of the Socialist International, as is the rival Party of the Democratic Revolution , making Mexico one of the few...
(PRI). In 1981, the federal government recognized the PRT as an official nationwide party. In the 1982 general elections
Mexican general election, 1982
General elections were held in Mexico on 4 July 1982. The presidential elections were won by Miguel de la Madrid, who received 74.3% of the vote. In the Chamber of Deputies election, the Institutional Revolutionary Party won 299 of the 372 seats, as well as winning 63 of the 64 seats in the Senate...
, it was also the first Mexican party to raise gay rights as a campaign issue; the party fielded several openly gay candidates for the Chamber of Deputies
Chamber of Deputies of Mexico
The Chamber of Deputies is the lower house of the Congress of the Union, Mexico's bicameral legislature. The structure and responsibilities of both chambers of Congress are defined in Articles 50 to 70 of the current constitution.-Composition:The Chamber of Deputies is composed of one federal...
. It also entered informal alliances with the other main party on the far left, the United Socialist Party of Mexico (PSUM).
During the latter half of the 1980s, the PRT began to face a series of crises and in-fighting as its progress slowed. It has been alleged that the ruling PRI sent agents into the PRT to disrupt its activities. During the 1988 presidential election
Mexican general election, 1988
General elections were held in Mexico on July 6, 1988. The presidential elections were won by Carlos Salinas de Gortari, who received 50.7% of the vote, the lowest for a winning candidate since direct elections were introduced for the presidency in 1917...
, the PRT lost ground as an electoral party because of the campaign of leftist Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas
Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas
Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas Solórzano is a prominent Mexican politician. He was a former Head of Government of the Federal District and a founder of the Party of the Democratic Revolution .-Biography:...
, who soon formed the Democratic Revolutionary Party
Party of the Democratic Revolution
The Party of the Democratic Revolution is a democratic socialist party in Mexico and one of 2 Mexican affiliates of the Socialist International...
(PRD).
In 1996, after losing federal recognition, what remained of the PRT (led by Edgard Sánchez Ramírez) formed Socialist Convergence
Socialist Convergence (Mexico)
Socialist Convergence is a Trotskyist organisation in Mexico.It was founded in 1996 by the group formerly known as the Revolutionary Workers' Party, or PRT. It is a sympathizing organization of the reunified Fourth International...
.
In 1999, a group split off from Socialist Convergence and created a new Revolutionary Workers' Party
Workers' Revolutionary Party (Mexico, 1999)
The Workers' Revolutionary Party is a minor Trotskyist political group in Mexico. In 1999 it split off from the older Workers' Revolutionary Party, which is now known as Socialist Convergence. The revived PRT is close to the reunified Fourth International. It is a member of the new Socialist...
which also failed to secure recognition from the Federal Electoral Institute
Federal Electoral Institute
The Federal Electoral Institute is an autonomous, public organization responsible for organizing federal elections in Mexico, that is, those related to the election of the President of the United Mexican States and to the election of the members of the Lower and Upper Chambers that constitute the ...
. Several groups that split from the PRT-Socialist Convergence reunited in the Socialist Alliance
Socialist Alliance (Mexico)
The Socialist Alliance is an intended electoral alliance in Mexico created in November 2005 for the 2006 general elections. It includes several Trotskyist factions that split off from the old Revolutionary Workers' Party...
.
Further reading
- Robert J. Alexander, International Trotskyism, 1929-1985: A Documented Analysis of the Movement (Durham: Duke University Press, 1991), 607-618. ISBN 0-8223-0975-0