IN THE FIRST OF OUR TWO-PART SERIES ON I El(N THE FIRST OF OUR TWO-PART SERIES ON)El Salvador, free-lance journalists Sara Miles and Salvador, free-lance journalists Sara Miles and
Bob Ostertag chronicled the ARENA party’s rise to state Bob Ostertag chronicled the ARENA party’s rise to state power through the shiftingpower through the shifting sands of a society at war. In this sands of a society at war. In this concludingconcluding portion the authors turn to ARENA’s oppo- portion the authors turn to ARENA’s opponentnent in the decade-old conflict, the Farabundo MartI in the decade-old conflict, the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front, and its own process of adapta- National Liberation Front, and its own process of adaptation andtion and innovation. innovation.
Armed revolutionary movements have been a constant Armed revolutionary movements have been a constant featurefeature of Latin America’s struggle against injustice and of Latin America’s struggle against injustice and foreign domination ever since the region as such was born foreign domination ever since the region as such was born in the fire of conquest and resistance nearly 500 years ago. in the fire of conquest and resistance nearly 500 years ago.
Significantly, each of the few movements which suc- Significantly, each of the few movements which succeeded in overthrowing the state did so not by strictly ceeded in overthrowing the state did so not by strictly followingfollowing the precepts of revolutionary theory, but by the precepts of revolutionary theory, but by challenging the standing orthodoxy, carefully and prag- challenging the standing orthodoxy, carefully and pragmaticallymatically adapting it to the reality at hand. adapting it to the reality at hand.
Throughout their nearly 20 years of existence, the Throughout their nearly 20 years of existence, the member organizations of the FMLN have fought “all the member organizations of the FMLN have fought “all the isms,”isms,” as one underground leader describes the continu- as one underground leader describes the continuinging debate. This polemic, which from the outside often debate. This polemic, which from the outside often seemed to be no more than bitter and divisive feuding, seemed to be no more than bitter and divisive feuding, reflected the need to rise above sectarian beliefs and reflected the need to rise above sectarian beliefs and mechanical thinking in order to build what is today the mechanical thinking in order to build what is today the strongest revolutionary movement in the hemisphere. strongest revolutionary movement in the hemisphere.
LIKE OTHER MOVEMENTS THAT HAVE CHAL-
L(IKE OTHER MOVEMENTS THAT HAVE CHAL-)lenged the domination of the United States, the lenged the domination of the United States, the
FMLN has been buried countless times by U.S. officials FMLN has been buried countless times by U.S. officials and their counterparts in the mainstream media. But when and their counterparts in the mainstream media. But when the guerrillas attacked the Estado Mayor (El Salvador’s the guerrillas attacked the Estado Mayor (El Salvador’s
Pentagon) last November, then hit 54 Pentagon) last November, then hit 54 differentdifferent towns on towns on election day in March, even the pundit class began to election day in March, even the pundit class began to wonderwonder whether, like Mark Twain, reports of the move- whether, like Mark Twain, reports of the movement’s death had been greatly exaggerated. ment’s death had been greatly exaggerated.
U.S. claims reflected not only the dictates of domestic U.S. claims reflected not only the dictates of domestic politics, psychological warfare and the inherent optimism politics, psychological warfare and the inherent optimism of the imperial mind, but the reality of appearances. In of the imperial mind, but the reality of appearances. In
“Rethinking War,” the authors point out that, according “Rethinking War,” the authors point out that, according to the Maoist scheme of guerrilla strategy in vogue in U.S. to the Maoist scheme of guerrilla strategy in vogue in U.S. counterinsurgencycounterinsurgency manuals, the FMLN in 1984-1988 did manuals, the FMLN in 1984-1988 did indeed appear to be losing: The size of their units shrunk indeed appear to be losing: The size of their units shrunk drastically; the spectacular attacks which had devastated drastically; the spectacular attacks which had devastated the Armed Forces’ morale all but stopped. the Armed Forces’ morale all but stopped.
What U.S. advisers and others failed to appreciate was What U.S. advisers and others failed to appreciate was that revolution is primarily a political phenomenon: Power that revolution is primarily a political phenomenon: Power is built from the base up, not seized by military coup. The is built from the base up, not seized by military coup. The
FMLN undertook vast efforts during those years to erect FMLN undertook vast efforts during those years to erect a nationwide network of clandestine collaborators,a nationwide network of clandestine collaborators, militia militia and commando cells, linking up with the social struggles and commando cells, linking up with the social struggles of the popular movement and reaching into the heart of of the popular movement and reaching into the heart of the enemy’s base of power. the enemy’s base of power.
TheThe rebels’ success laid the groundwork for a new rebels’ success laid the groundwork for a new stage in the struggle launched early this year, which may stage in the struggle launched early this year, which may well constitute a greater challenge to military orthodoxy well constitute a greater challenge to military orthodoxy than the underground organizing of 1984-1988. In than the underground organizing of 1984-1988. In
“Rethinking Peace,” Miles and Ostertag write, “In- “Rethinking Peace,” Miles and Ostertag write, “Instead of greater centralization, the FMLN is working stead of greater centralization, the FMLN is working towards greater local initiative. In place of conventional towards greater local initiative. In place of conventional arms the FMLN proposes an…increase in the use of arms the FMLN proposes an…increase in the use of homemadehomemade weapons. Instead of greater emphasis on its weapons. Instead of greater emphasis on its permanent forces, the kid on the corner with a Molotov permanent forces, the kid on the comer with a Molotov cocktail has become the key.” The FMLN hopes this cocktail has become the key.” The FMLN hopes this
“irregularization” of the war will involve ever greater “irregularization” of the war will involve ever greater numbers of people in acts of revolutionary violence-a numbers of people in acts of revolutionary violence-a long drawn-out insurrection-to force negotiations or, long drawn-out insurrection-to force negotiations or, alternatively but not preferably, to spark a generalized alternatively but not preferably, to spark a generalized uprising that could lead to military victory. uprising that could lead to military victory.
T HE REBELS’ POLITICAL STRATEGY HAS T (HE REBELS’ POLITICAL STRATEGY HAS)changedchanged as well, offering, as Miles and Ostertag as well, offering, as Miles and Ostertag point out, a way out of a bloody debacle for the United point out, a way out of a bloody debacle for the United
States. “We are not talking about installing a socialist States. “We are not talking about installing a socialist regime,” Commander Francisco Jovel told the authors regime,” Commander Francisco Jovel told the authors bluntly. The FMLN plan for a postwar government is, in bluntly. The FMLN plan for a postwar government is, in thethe words of Commander Eduardo Sancho, “nothing words of Commander Eduardo Sancho, “nothing more than [a program for] the development of capitalism more than [a program for] the development of capitalism inin El Salvador.” El Salvador.”
This new political thinking, certainly influenced by This new political thinking, certainly influenced by
Nicaragua’s post-revolutionary experience, as well as the Nicaragua’s post-revolutionary experience, as well as the challenging of orthodoxy throughout the socialist world, challenging of orthodoxy throughout the socialist world, reflectsreflects the revolutionaries’ analysis of what is possible the revolutionaries’ analysis of what is possible for a small nationfor a small nation in the shadow of the United States. But in the shadow of the United States. But itit also rests on their conviction that, as the authors write, also rests on their conviction that, as the authors write,
“they have fundamentally altered the Salvadoran social “they have fundamentally altered the Salvadoran social equation equation…. …. [T]he current balance of power.. .provides an [T]he current balance of power…provides an adequate basis for moving the struggle to another, less adequate basis for moving the struggle to another, less violent terrain.” This seems to suggest that, even for a violent terrain.” This seems to suggest that, even for a powerfulpowerful guerrilla army led by Marxists, the essence of guerrilla army led by Marxists, the essence of revolution is neither military victory nor a transition to revolution is neither military victory nor a transition to socialism. It is the political struggle to build a broad-based socialism. It is the political struggle to build a broad-based movementmovement that, before and alter the moment of “triumph,” that, before and after the moment of “triumph,” cancan advance the interests of the poor. advance the interests of the poor.
The FMLN’s newThe FMLN’s new thinking is certainly controversial. thinking is certainly controversial.
Like successful revolutionaries before them, they are Like successful revolutionaries before them, they are pragmatists above all, and, if nothing else, their process of pragmatists above all, and, if nothing else, their process of adaptation has brought them closer to victory. “Strategic adaptation has brought them closer to victory. “Strategic time cannottime cannot be ten years,” Commander Leo Cabral told be ten years,” Commander Leo Cabral told thethe authors. “For the revolution strategic time is six authors. “For the revolution strategic time is six months, a year, a year and a half…” months, a year, a year and a half…”
