New dangers face Salvador masses

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THE setback suffered by the El Salvador junta leader Napoleon Duarte in last month's farcical "elections" leaves the workers and peas ants of Central America still facing growing dangers.

The extreme right wing parties which won the majority of seats in the "election" continue to debate and wrangle among themselves over who should form the new government.

Though Duarte lost ground and won only 24 of the 60 seats in the new Constituent Assembly, he and his so-called "moderate" Christian Democratic Party have the support of the Reagan administration.

Washington has made it clear that if the Christian Democrats are excluded from the new government, then the huge US military and economic aid which has propped up the puppet regime and fuelled its war against left wing guerrilla forces could come to a swift halt.

In particular Reagan has vetoed any possible appointment to the Presidency of the main right wing leader Major Roberto D'Aubuisson, notorious as a leader of El Salvador's savage death squads.

Possible alternatives include Rodriguez Porth -also a member of D'Aubuisson's extreme right Arena Grim warnings But other names bandied around include Christian Democrat Chavez Mena, a reactionary member of the Party of National Reconciliation, Colonel Garcia, and the leader of the 'Democratic Action Party', Rene Fortin Magana.

The military itself has uttered its own grim warnings to the politicians, pointing out that "the least alteration in the economic and military support which is D'Aubuisson: vetoed by Reagan given to us could bring a collapse". . The army itself, insists C in C Gutierrez, is and always will be political.

Meanwhile the Reagan government is preparing for the worst and sizing up the possibilities of other methods of stabilising capitalist rule in El Salvador.

In particular the State Department is looking at the prospects for regulating a regional "peace plan" designed to isolate the Salvadorean guerrillas.

An 8-point package has been put to the Nicaraguan government which has been ominously described as a "positive act" by a Sandinista spokesperson. officials have suggested that it might be "easier to deal with Castro and Ortega than with D'Aubuisson."

While the imperialists remain clearly in disarray however there are real dangers of a further political disorientation of the left wing forces in El Salvador.

Ally with Duarte

One guerrilla leader told reporters that the victory of the extreme right in the "elections" changes the political situation.

"Open and legalised fascism calls for a solid military confrontation with its forces and tor a policy of broader alliances to fight against them. That would include the Christian Democrats."

Barely has Duarte lost the election before elements opposition by the class and peasantry.

Only the revolutionary overthrow of capitalist rule and the smashing of the bloodstained state machinery - its army, police and other agencies - can create the basis for real democracy for the masses of El Salvador.

Workers' defence The mobilisation and political preparation of the forces to carry out such a struggle must begin with the fight to organise the self-defence of the working class in the towns - which were shown in the elections to be still very much under the heel of the military.

And in the countryside too the agricultural workers and poor peasants musi organise in revolutionary councils - beginning now in the liberated areas.

As the struggle advances, such councils can and must take the lead in expropriating the property of capitalists and landowners, establishing workers' control over production and distribution, and crushing the fascists and other reactionaries.

There is no way in which the bourgeois Christian Democratic politicians -however "liberal' their speeches may appear in contrast with D'Aubuisson's fanatics - will participate in a front which is committed to such a perspective.

Rital IUF AND SOUT Yet it is this kind of programme which alone can secure nauunal liberaiton antinonl tiharnitan and democratic rights for the masses of El Salvador.

That is why socialists, while campaigning for solidarity to the guerrillas and an FMLN victory, reject the notion of a "broader' cross-class alliance in El Salvador.

*Black all aid and supplies to the iunta!

*Victory to the FMLN!

*Smash and destroy the repressive state apparatus!

*For a workers' and peasants' government!

IDARIT TNC!

black United Front This new joint statement by the TUC and the Solidarity Trade Union Working Group (Solidarnosc members in exile in Britain) gives the STUWG an official stamp of recognition at last. But there is still no move by the TUC to organise action for Solidarnost - or even give the STUWG office facilities.

AT A meeting with representatives of the Solidarity Trade Union Working Group in the UK at Congress House on April 6, Mr Len Murray reiterated the firm support of the TUC and British trade unionists generally for Solidarity as the representative trade union organisation in He reaffirmed the call of the General Council for the release of all Solidarity members in detention or prison, for the ending of martial law, and for the commencement of constructive dialogue between the authorities and the elected FIERANS Solidarity jolidarity leadership I Mr Murray told the Solid arity TUWG representative that the General Counc would continue to take adva tage of any opportunity t remind the Polish regime o their demands. They ar maintaining their shipment of food to be distributed b the Polish Episcopal Charit Commission to those in nee in Poland.

Assist The Solidarity Trad Union Working Grou discussed with Mr Murra the practical difficulties i which Solidarity operates : a trade union in Poland i conditions of martial la' and put forward suggestio for ways in which the Britis trade union movement migl assist in achieving its obje tive of restoring trade unio freedom to Solidarity.

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SOUTH HEID AFRICA! H SYANHO

VEER 2HI0I USTOMARY NOMINT IN CENIRAL AMERICA SOCIAL USTICE