Both represented major Union Democratica Popular (UDP).
Siles Suazo the leader of the Movimento Nacional Revolucionario de Izquierda (MNR-I,. the Left "Revolutionary Nationalist Movement); Paz Zamorra of the Movimiende Izquierda Revolucionario (MIR Movement of the Revolutionary Left, originally a guerrilla organisation).
The economic ministries of labour and mines were given to Communist Party representatives. The 1980 coup was taged expressly to preven from assulfille office. That is the extent of the turnaround.
During the military takeover, the headquarters of the national labour confederation, the COB (Central Obrera Bolivian Workers Federafrom tanks. The leadere tanks. leadership of the COB was arrested, and violent military assauls WelC launched against the working-class nelgnbourhoods.
large number of workers were killed, it is still impossible to say how many. Hundreds were sent concennon camps. ( The COB was outlawed, and broken.
In fact, the July 1980 COlo repeat the Argentine miltarv takeover March 1976 in Bolivia. It Hernan Siles Suazo and Victor Paz Zamorra.
components was on the section of the CONLOS cocare bustucss unal the 1980 coup was essentially based. Its most direct Rally the murderous military regime in Argentina.
This, to a considerable extent, explains the standoffish attitude taken by which refused to recognise the regime.
The political failure of the junta is symbolised by the tact that LWO years call the UPD It had to Tne back government rescue bourgeois rule. That the relationship vis-a-vis the workers movement and the masses of the poor. And in this situation, the bitterness of the workers and the poor toward the military is very sharp.
This inaugural address, Siles Suazo called for economy, Wal discipline on the job, productivity'. At the same ume, ne promisea workers a share in the management ot the state owned enter. prises, which dominate the mining industry. taking office, the president had pledged to reform the armed forces and punish those officers involved the cocaine trade; at the same time he promised that his government would not attempt to 'take vengcance against the military'.
In the UDP assumed the mediating role that the military expected . of it. It was not the UDP leadership that forced the corelinquish formal control of the governical. The coalition leadership, Bolivia Fund who on this page shows, military in Europe.
Challenge London N1 2XP. Banner of the Bolivian Trotskyists on May Day Demonstration well as the union tops had opposed the unlimited general strike of September. was the ranks and the leaders closest to them, especially in the miners' union, that forced it.
This development the same time reflected the pressure of an upsurge expressed in mans and actions, which forced the restoration of the legal Socialist Challenge is opening a fund to assist the the POR (Combate). The workers and peasants of that country in the past shown immense courage in now have an historic onnortunity. But as the article • Up. Also dare the will ot donations acknowledaed and sent direct to the POR. We ap peal to our readers to give as much as possible as they can for a socialist movement whose resources are var leo compardo to socidust movements Send cheques made out to Socialist D Biggs. Bolivia Fund, PO Box 50, status of the COB in May.
The fact is that a new coup is being prepared now; that is obvious. And it would be a far more murderous one than the last, because it would face rebuilt and stronger WOrKer and organisations, and more determined opposition At the same time, neither the military nor any bourgeois government can offer the masses any economic concessions The next military government will nave to force lne popula• tion to accept the results of a connue disaste. precedented even the dreary history of Bolivian economic development.
ment, including two Comhas met the military's exas the UDP atocclaulols titude to the general strike and the strike demonstrated that it would. Now it faces one of Lne world's worst economic situations.
depends on the political struggle that is opening up in the left including the UDP, which holds the government The coalition in office is far from homogeneous. Ironically the most rightwing component of it is the MIR which calls for government national unity representatives forces. Communist which follows the usual line of seeking an alliance bourgeois forces, does not go so far It represents the biggest working-class component of the coalition.
Viewpoint Latest issue includes major articles on the situation Spain Poland and ! Bolivia wit! an extended interview with a of TOLSK VIS movement. Individual copies 65p from The Other Socialist Challenge Siles Suazo's party, the MNR-I is divided into a number wings. The right wing wants to rebuild the old MNR as the typical bourgeois nationalist par ty it was. But the youth in solutions.
the UDP is vulnerable to pressure from the left, if a clear and determined left pole can be built The Bolivian section of the Fourth Obrero Revolucionario (POR Acvolutonary Workers Party) is trying to build a revolutionar regroupment in order to be able to intervene forcefully in the political process that has opened up The strategic objective of the POR is to begin to struggle under the UDP government and for a confrontation in the not very distant future the At present tha does involve opposition to the government, but a strategy of Dressurile it alu CADUsIll the capitulationist leader ship.
Booksnop, Street. London Subscriptions £l6 per an man. le to checies, Send Richard Lenir, 93102 , to: IV Montreuil, France.
20 November 1982
Challenge Scotland Side Kings Arms and every Sat
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