Opposition Grows

‘A: performance’, that was how Nicaraguan Foreign | Minister, Rev. Miguel | D'Escoto described Ronald | Reagan's address to the | joint session of Congress in Washington, on Wed, April 27th M83, Reagan attacked | ithne popular resistance to oppression in Central AmerNicaragia, allegations about many foreign troops in Nicaragua he even claimed that Nicer agua (population 2.9 million) wae threatening US security.

‘We don t hare any foreign frodpd in Niearerua', replied DEscotn, ir Reagan was hing and Ae boew he war iving, © But 2 weeks after Rewgan's apeech, Washington further tightened the ecomomle screws agains! Nicaragua by cutting ite super quota to the US by 90%. Like the danders and the military attacks this action wera furthet attenipt to destabilise the Sanilinista Goverment j A performance and. a lie Reagan's speech may have be been but it gave a green lleht to ihe counterrevolutionary fonts gentrs Pengseed in desinbilisation efforts: agai the workers and peasants pow | Sument of Nicaragua. With | invaded Nicaragua, this time under ocr of an artillery barrage provided by the proeLs Facies army. [hia sequence of events Followed the pattern of the widechared SUBSCRIPTION RATES :

Tures ] Montrevtl, Frater, S308 Montreuil), Pnence, US. war against Nicaragua. that has gone on for over 2 years : slander and lies from Washington, dollans fron tae Pentagon and CLA to the contra and siepped up military and economic pressurcs from both the contras and their US backers. Only by relying og their mass support and on massmebilisation in chiding organisation of a peoples militia, have the Sun: dinistas been able to hald back the US pressure.

And in we ite of the con tras attacks Sandinista forse have scored a number of tnilitary successes, routing, anumber of contra banda in early May.

But. crucial factor in shaping US policy is shown by the fact that Reagan had to give his performance in Conpress in the first place. There-are open divisions among the US rulers over the best way to reall back the Central American revolution. Unlike the sit uation in the 60's, the US cannot dimply send im the Marines as they did in the Dominican Republic in 65.

Today there's widespread opposition among US workers ind youth to any thought of direct US ruff: itary intervention in Central America. This is the soscalled *}iennar syed rome” thal so -wores the Wushingtan strategists.

And thus Ben cat ral by the APL-CIO - the Ea by the recent US trade union congress -for an-end to US military mmd ccontmic aid to the genocidal Salvadotean soVvernment, During the Vietnam War the righ yeas leader of the AF LACH International Viewpoint A fortnightly journal of world politics News analyals, important documents and information an the world workers movement.

Recent issees have contained important articles on Ireland, the Socialist Government in France, the anti-war movernent land extensive coverage of the Central American Rewoluteon.

Shenting - 6 ments £9 (GSPF) t year £10 (ra FFt -Gommoiis EN) fear fF amen! fe french frmnes if possible, Persone! cheques to PEC and mati te: (k, 2 rue Rickard Lenoir, 9308, Postal orders fo PEC, OCP Account ne, 2322-427 Pans. Bonk ronson to PEC, ONE Robsoterre, So rue de Paris, ALSO AVAILABLE FROM:

| Avoca Park, Andersonstewn Dublin - 38 Clanawley Read, Dublin Belfast « Horizon Bookshop, | Just Books, 5 Winetavern Street. George Meaney, backed the LS war to the hilt . Sow under pressure from US workers the APL/CIO has had to distance italf from Reagan.

This is-why the Democratic Party alco fear that the Reagan Administration can’t defeat the Nicaracuan workers and peasants, reponse of the Reagan administration haa been more les about Nicaragoa. Thos on the UN Security Council on May 9th, US representative Mrs Jeanne Kitkpatrick claimed that the contras have popForeign Minister d'Escoto. Indeed TV audiences the world over have sean who the contras really ure -ex-members of ousted dictater Somoca’s National Guard, responsible for the dauehter of thousands of Nicgraguans. And those aud: iences have also seen clearly who the supporters of these contras are « the LS Government-and their Honduran allies.

But the. carmipaipn 22 on efforts by US busines interests in Ireland in watering down the De Rogsa/ Andrews Dall resolution critical of LIS. Central Amencun policy Hows how high the stakes are. Foo lrish socialists, republicans end trodes unionists therefore, the task of the day & ‘clear -we must mobiles to defend EL SALVADOR

----- pull-quotes -----

ica, aiming. in — at | Cuba. fn making er

| 8 week reports emerged that a further (200 com tras head

and the stakes are ae The recent success{u