Country Prepares for Invasion
The following article is from the March cuss the gravity of the situation and the 29 issue of Intercontinental Press, a sister immediate measures that need to be taken.
One of these meetings, held in Managua on March 17, brought together representatives of every single union in the city. Similar gatherings have taken place in By Michael Baumann
MANAGUA--Nicaragua is mobilizing Emergency networks of defense, producto defend its revolution against further fion, food distribution, price control, inblows from the United States. formation, health and sanitation, and
In the space of only four days, Reagan's construction are being set into place. threats have been backed up by the bomb- There is wide popular support for this ing of two bridges near the Honduran bor- decisive response to the U.S. -backed der, an attack on two fishing vessels in attacks, including measures in the decree Nicaraguan territorial waters, and the establishing a state of emergency in the killing of three soldiers in a clash with a country March 15. counterrevolutionary band. "The situation in the country is tending
This is obviously just the beginning, rapidly toward a situation of war, " exand from factories to farms, the entire plained Lucio Jimenez, secretary general working population is preparing to assure of the Sandinista Workers Federation (CST). defense of the country and continued pro- "The workers have been asking for such duction of the essentials of life under con- a decree for some time, because while we ditions of war. were raising production, the bourgeoisie
Hundreds of meetings have been held at workplaces throughout the country to dis- With the decree a blow can be struck comes to Western Europe this summer. against the agents of Yankee imperialism in Nicaragua, and we are demanding that it be applied against them."
On the legal front, the government decreed a suspension of the constitution, suspended news broadcasts on capitalist-owned radio stations, and ordered pre-publication review of all newspapers and periodicals. Also suspended was the broadcast of "opinion programs of political parties and all other organizations."
These measures are to remain in force for thirty days, at which time they may be renewed if deemed necessary.
### MASSIVE RESPONSE
Response to appeals for militia volunteers bers of the Sandinista Youth alone have en-
Here in Managua, thousands have turned of the several centers.
ter in U. Am bor the inc ply der ter ma por sab giv mo imp the
In this respect, the imperialist propaganda, More than ever, the future of the Nicara-
In Matagalpa, a city of 40,000 to the north, 2, 500 volunteered March 16. After several hours of evening training, the new recruits held a march through the main street of the city in answer to Reagan. In Juigalpa, a city to the east, a similar demonstration was held the same night after the evening's training.
In Leon, a city of 250,000, five centers of militia training were required to accommodate all the volunteers.
In addition to joining the militias, the people of Nicaragua are contributing whatever skills they have to the defense of the revolution.
Doctors and nurses are being organized into medical brigades to assure battlefield care and general medical care for the population under conditions of war.
A brigade of engineers and geologists is being formed to aid the population in constructing bomb shelters.
And in a country where the battle for culture and literacy remains one of the highest priorities, special brigades of artists, performers, teachers, and journalists have been formed to ensure support to the means of communication, accurate news and historical accounts, and mobile cultural events.
Special attention has been paid to the critical task of guaranteeing continued supply and distribution of food.
"If we don't assure our people gallo pinto, * especially those on the frontline, it will be a disaster. Hunger, not the enemy's bullets, will defeat us. the words of coution of Narciso Gonzalez, president of the National Union of Farmers and Ranchers (UNAG), following a national emergency meeting of the organization March 17. The meeting was held to discuss precautionary measures that are already being taken to assure food supplies as well as to work out plans for provisioning the cities
The National Executive Committee of the Rural Workers Association (ATC) met the same day to discuss how branches of the ATC would ensure continued agricultural production, particularly of such major items as coffee, cotton, rice, and beef.
Established at the same time were plans for vigilance committees of AT members to prevent sabotage of crops and machinery, and attacks by counterrevolutionary bands.
Special attention has also been paid to distribution of food once it has reached the
In the large central markets where most food is sold, a major effort has been made to enroll individual market-stall proprietors in the militia and vigilance committees, and in some cases to fortify the markets against military attack.
Trenches have been dug at the Roberto Huembes outdoor market in Managua, where two-thirds of the proprietors have already joined the militia or the Sandinista Defense Committees (CDS).
Price-watch committees have also been established to ensure that no one takes advantage of the heightened tension to artificially hike food prices.
In Managua's Eastern Market, thirty-four CDSs are already on duty for precisely this purpose. In the large supermarkets, the supermarket workers' union is fulfilling the
All of these steps are proceeding calmly, in a highly organized way.
The watchword was given by Junta of National Reconstruction member Sergio Ramirez, in a nationally televised speech
"Defense is not solely a military matter; it also requires production, work, and above
That is what the country needs at this time."
And that is what it is getting. *Literally, "spotted rooster, " a popular Nicaraguan term for rice and beans.