CHILE - Ten years of struggle

Ten years ago in Chile the attempt by Salvador Allende and his Popular Unity Government to establish a ‘peaceful road to socialism’ ended in disaster with a bloodbath led by the Generals of the Chilean Army and the deaths of tens of thousands of working class militants.

SOCIALIST REPUBLIC has spoken to Patrico Riesco of the Socialist Party of Chile [PS CNR], in exile in Ireland. Below we print his comments on the downfall of the Popular Unity Government, and _ the recent growth of a new resistance to the Generals in Chile.

Latin America has for too long been ‘America’s backyard’ and progressMSeptember next will mark the 10th anniversary of the downfall of the Popular Unity Government in Chile.

With the election of Allende in Chile, history was made. as Marxist president elected by a people anywhere in the world.

The Allende Government was a _ popular government that had the support of the majority of the working class people. The reason was simple:Allende — carried out deep reforms that were in direct benefit of the working people. The nationalisation of the copper mines and the banks, the agrarian reform etc., were in itself revolutionary measures that no one can deny.

However, the right wing andthe Yanks were not sleeping and they decided from the very first day of the Popular Unity Government that ive forces there battling against dictatorship face the machinations of the CIA and the armed . might of the American Army. The Chilean disaster proved the impossibility of a ‘parliamentary road’ to socialism and in Uruguay the defeat of the Tupamaros proved that armed struggle alone was not successful.Now the victory of the mass struggle of workers in Nicaragua has brought a new wave of hope to Latin America and a new threat to the Chilean Generals. Reagan’s response is the threat of invasion and all-out war. Our response should be increased solidarity with the struggle in Latin America.

and watch the Allende Government carry out transformations in ‘their society’.

What failed in Chile was the concept of the ‘peaceful road to socialism’.The strate ment was wrong. It is not possible to achieve socialism by peaceful means. In any capitalist country, the bourgeoisie will not hesitate to use the army as their last resource to repress those who want a_ better society. Without privileges for anybody.

The Chilean workers and peasants were at last able, through years of class struggle to elect a Government of their own and to carry out profound transformation in society, but unfortunately, they did not have the means to defend themselves when, on September 1973 the Army was used by the right wing and American imperialism to overthThe peace women at Greenham Common in England have ‘mounted ground patrols after a spate of attacks on their camp. The patrols began as thousands of Salvador Allende.

It is 10 years since. The Army have done everything possible to silence any opposition to its rule. From the beginning they had _ the support not only of the multinationals, but also of the middle classes and their political party in Chile - the Christian Democrats. It is only now, after 10 long years of struggle by the Chilean people, 10 years of fighting back, of resistance, that the Chri- | stian Democrats are realising their mistake when they supported the coup that toppled, Allende. For years, they were expected to be part. of the Government of Pinochet.Of course Pinochet and his masters_.

bomb on Hiroshima.

In a series of attacks cement has been poured into the camp water Supply, paint sprayed at the multinationals and -the Yanks ignored them after they used them to save democracy in Chile.

Pinochet is now isolated, but he still has the full support of the army and the Reagan Administration. Internally, the opposition is growing daily.Press reports will like to make us believe that the Christian Democrats are at the front of the opposition but this is not so.

The working class in Chile, is and will always be, at the front of the opposition to the Junta. It is they who have been making sacrifices, _who have been fighting organising and agitating against the dictatorship. They will have to be the beneficiaries of any changes in Chile, and there will have to be many changes.

The Christian Democrats are in opposition now for their own ends.Sections of the left in Chile, wrongly, have been calling on the Christian Democrats for the formation of a common front of opposition. The Christian Democrats are taking a reactionary direction and would very much prefer to. enter into negotiations with the military, than to form an alliance with the left. Besides, the American State Department is already looking at the situation closely and if they see Pinochet in more trouble than he is now, they will no doubt, require the services once again of the Christian Democrats.

The working class is showing us the way forward in Chile. Today all over Chile revolutionary actions are taking place.Confrontations between the people and the army are taking place daily. The people know very well that they will have to rely on their own organisation and strength.

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they were not to stand by _ C.