Nicaragua under threat Alain VITOLD
Since the beginning of July tension has mounted yet another notch in Nica-
The noticeable increase in the (counter-revolutionaries), and killed in these operations, have forced the government to take a lot stiffer attitude to its neighbouring countries. Daniel Ortega, co-ordinator of the governing junta, announced to the 100,000 people gathered in Masaya for the third anniversary of the revolution on July 19 that Nicaragua was the victim of a 'silencing inva-
Commandant Luis Carrion, viceminister of the Interior, was more precise: "The aggression has already begun. We can no longer go on saying that we must prepare for war because the war has already started.'
Between Thursday July 1 and Sunday July 18 the Sandinista People's Army (EPS) was involved in its biggest battle since the fall of Somoza, with a military unit of over two hundred which was enNicaraguan border, in the Atlantic Coast
They were from Honduras and had a considerable supply of weapons, incluthem to bring down a helicopter. After two weeks of fighting the EPS put this battallion to fight, killing seventy five 'contras', but losing around fifty men.
According to the Sandinistas the fifty-odd armed attacks between May 1 and August 1 have caused more than a hundred deaths among the civil popu-
The main attacks have -Monday July 19, a two-engined aircraft from Honduras launched two rockets against the fuel depots at the port of Corinto. These are the biggest depots in Nicaragua and their explosion would have caused the death of thousands of people.
-Saturday July 24, a group of 'contras' tried to blow up a hydroelectric power plant near Bonanza on the Atlantic
Seven militia, including one woman, were killed.
-Saturday July 25, one hundred 'contras' from Honduras attacked the village of San Francisco del Norte. The de. fence of the village was undertaken by two score of peasant-militia, but they were unable to stop the attacks. Fifteen militia were killed, and several were tortured beforehand. Eight others were captured. The attackers painted the symbol
FDN (Nicaraguan Front) and slogans like 'With God and patriotism we will fight communism!' Then they retreated across the Honduran border where army lorries and troops were waiting for them to protect their re-
According to Miguel d'Escoto, Minister of the Interior, the United States want to make Honduras 'the Israel of
Women militia in Nicaragua on the alert (DR) Central America', the policeman for imperialist order and interests in the region. The US general Nutting stated publicly that there were 120 North American advisors in Honduras. In the New York Times of Thursday July 8, Raymond Bonner quotes a Honduran official who said, •We cannot accept a socialist government in Nicaragua. It will be us or them.'
The Reagan administration has just spectacularly increased its economic and military aid to Honduras. Twenty-one million dollars will be for the extension of three airports. It has already been agreed to give 41.2 millions for the purchase of goods and military materials. Another hundred million will have been promised to president Suazo Cordoba and the Army chief, General Alvarez, during the trip they made to Washington in midJuly. New combined American-Honduran manoeuvres took place between Monday 19 and Saturday July 31, at some 20 kilometres from the Nicaraguan border. ever unstable. Strikes break out regularly. For example, the teachers went on strike in mid-August in pursuance of their demands for wage increases and democratisation of the primary schools.
Present North American strategy is to encircle Nicaragua, to keep up the internal tension and completely isolate El Salvador. The formation of Democratic Central American Community (CDCA), which includes El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica, and, since July 7, Guatemala. Strong pressure has been put on Panama to join.
Internally the most significant of fensive has come from the Church and religious orders. These have grown amazingly in number and wealth. The Minister of the Interior has counted nearly two hundred, of which 99 are in the capital, Managua. As they are violently anticommunist they are a base for the regroupment of the opposition to the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN).
The Catholic hierarchy tries to isolate the progressive sectors of the Church, in particular the four priests who are governmental ministers. The Sandinistas are sure that it is around the campaign to defend religion under threat' that the next big international propaganda campaign will be made.
The level of mobilisation of the masses reflects the importance of what is at stake. The militias are more and more numerous (at least 200,000 women and men) and can mobilise with impressive speed at times of danger. All the local centres and the important economic objectives are guarded day and night by militia in arms
The day after the killings at San Francisco del Norte an almost spontaneous demonstration gathered more than 50,000 people, proof of an extraordinary level of combativity. Three years after the fall of Somoza, despite immense economic difficulties, despite imperialist plans, the Nicaraguan revolution has shown itself to be deeper and stronger than ever. International solidarity also must continue to be as strong as is necessary for the stakes involved.