Letter Nicaragua
Socialist Organiser1983 1983-08-18Read it in the scan (PDF), scan page 16 →
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THE delegation of seven people from Scotland have been very well received by the Sandinistas and the country is festooned with posters saying 'Todas los armas al pueblo" , the Fourth Anniversary slogan of the 1979 revolution.
Contra forces from Honduras have killed over 500 Nicaraguan defence forces in the past few months and the whole country is on a state of alert against the possibility of an American invasion.
Despite the American blockade of Nicaragua, there are amazing developments in housing and health care for the poorest people, including the introduction of minimum and maximum wages and the construction of a very large number of cheap houses for the homeless people. The government is also attempting to deveiop thermal energy, and build railways from the Pacific to the Atlantic coast.
Junta The government of the the revolutionary forces and the Council of State of 51 members, who represent the trade unions, women's organisations, youth, the churches and the private sector. All proposals for future changes in the country have to go before the Council of State for discussion, including agreement of pluralism in elections as thére are eleven political parties, six of whom fought the revolution.
There is now discussion on bringing in military service for the Nicaraguans, although the effect of this is nil as virtually all Nicaraguans are in local militia or in the army in some way. Each local community has its own street committees which oversee public health, education, security and defence against invasion.
The demands that are constantly expressed to us are for the Americans to lift their military and economic blockade and to withdraw the forces in Honduras, and to send the American fleet home.
We have met the representatives of the Council of State and some of the trade unionists who all expressed complete support for the revolution of 1979 and hatred of the Somoza dietatorship and the legacy of poverty and misery that has left. Everyone we have met expresses hope for the future and a determination that there will be decent living standards for all as soon as possible.
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country relies on a junta of three people, the nine commanders of