Revolutionary Workers Party, Mexican section of the Fourth International). It deals with the gains of the Salvadoran revolutionists and the impact of this on Mexico.
In fact, one of the most important aspects of the Central American struggle is its affect on one of the decisive countries of Latin America, one that is closely linked with Central America, and one that has a 1,500-mile-long common border with the U.S.
What stage do you think the Salvadoran revolution has reached?
Answer. The offensive campaign the Salvadoran army mounted against the guerrillas from June 1981 to June 1982 failed. What is more, it failed despite the growing military aid, training, and techniadvise provided by the U.S. That means that the elite units trained in Miami, which were a key element in the counterinsurgency strategy of the impe rialists, have not been able to accomplish their objectives. A whole series of attempts to retake areas held by the guerril-
Parallel to the failure of the military offensive against the guerrillas is a growing crisis, of the Salvadoran bourgeoisie. A large part of the Christian Democratic Party has come to the conclusion that the Faribundo Marti Front cannot be defeated militarily and therefore it is necessary seek a negotiated solution. ARENA, the ultrarightist party of Major d'Aubuisson, however, is certain that negotiating with the guerrillas would mean a development like Nicaragua.
What's been happening in the revolutionary movement itself?
It has been getting stronger and more effective. The revolutionaries have been able to restore bases of cooperation, which had been somewhat I disrupted. It is no secret that there have
FMIN
FDR FDR been and continue to be a series of political differences in the front. But solution seems to be emerging. It is based on two elements.
The first is the formation of a single army, with a single military command. This is a basic need, since the guerrillas are up against a centralized army. There has been considerable progress on this. Formally, the guerrilla forces have been united under a single command, but in practice this process has not been completed
Secondly, and this is still more positive than the first, the movement is beginning to recover in the urban areas. That is, it is beginning to reestablish its links with the workers and the trade unions, especially in the case of the electrical and a series of fundamental decision-making textile workers. These were lost fundamentally as a result of the crisis connected with the relative failure of the August 1980 strike. The unions were taken over by the military. A large part of the working-class vanguard were either imprisoned or had to flee to the mountains. The workers movement in the urban areas was, therefore, decapitated.
Now, links are beginning to grow between the armed struggle and the revolutionary organizations involved in it and the traditional defense organizations of the workers. This raises the possibility of impelling certain processes of self-organization of the salvadoran workers, which is essentia in order to bring the basic changes ir the relationship of forces.
The revolution in El Salvador is not just a military affair but depends on the mass movement and politics. It is not just a question of mobilizing support for the guerrillas but of the masses taking powers into their hands. Making the revolution involves these processes of self-organization and politically and socially weakening the bourgeois state.
Thus, the gains that have been made in
First, assuring the militarily unity of the revolument.
tionary forces and in rebuilding the workers movement in the urban areas show that the revolution has not been stagnating but is on the advance. This will become much more clear in the coming months.
Q. Whal is the role of the Salvador
Communist Party in the struggle?
4. It's hard to say, it is the smallest of the organizations involved, and does not have a very visible role.
Q. What do you think now aboul the international relationship of forces the with?
A.
changed.
U.S.
demonstrated
Sections of that.
central axes.
start.
ment. o a half ago.
also of building mobilize
U.S. imperialism.
tionist
El Salvador.
in such bodies.
A united
The
For example,
Secondly, it is
The
There are ap-
French.
Q.
tions
A.
Every day regardless of with and to
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ront nterand eting velop
5
been wiped out, despite all Sharon's boasting.
What is most discrediting the Israeli involvement in the eyes of the Jewish masses is the intervention of the Israeli army on the side of the Phalangists in a religious war that is spreading blood-