THE(HE DAY AFTER THE ORGANIZATION OF)AmericanAmerican States voted in May to censure Gen. DAY StatesAFTERvoted(THE)in (ORGANIZATION)May to censure Gen. (OF) Manuel Antonio Noriega, National Public Radio was on Manuel Antonio Noriega, National Public Radio was on the phone to its correspondent in Panama City. Doesn’t the phone to its correspondent in Panama City. Doesn’t the OAS have a reputation for being rather ineffectual? he the OAS have a reputation for being rather ineffectual? he was asked in an on air interview. “It does have that was asked in an on air interview. “It does have that reputation,” he replied, “but the last time they did this reputation,” he replied, “but the last time they did this waswas in 1979 when they called on Nicaragua’s dictator in 1979 when they called on Nicaragua’s dictator Anastasio Somoza to step down. (A dramatic pause.) And Anastasio Somoza to step down. (A dramatic pause.) And withinwithin a year he was gone.” a year he was gone.” NPR’sNPR’s revolution sin sandinistas was an unintended revolution sin sandinistas was an unintended reminderreminder that the media barrage surrounding Panama’s that the media barrage surrounding Panama’s elections much of it orchestrated by the Bush elections much of it orchestrated by the Bush Administration wasAdministration was a dry run for the Nicaraguan vote a dry run for the Nicaraguan vote due in earlydue in early 1990. Despite radical differences between the 1990. Despite radical differences between the two countries, the 16 month old U.S. war on Panama two countries, the 16 month old U.S. war on Panama sharesshares several essential characteristics with Washing several essential characteristics with Washing ton’s decade oldton’s decade old battle to topple the Sandinistas. A dev battle to topple the Sandinistas. A devastating trade and credit embargo has shattered the econ astating trade and credit embargo has shattered the economyomy of each; covert financing and coordination have of each; covert financing and coordination have helped opposition politicos gamer support from the con helped opposition politicos garner support from the consequent popular dissatisfaction; and concerted manipula sequent popular dissatisfaction; and concerted manipulation of the U.S. media has turned Panama and Nicaragua’s tion of the U.S. media has turned Panama and Nicaragua’ s leadersleaders into demons deserving of whatever punishment into demons deserving of whatever punishment the Unitedthe United States should decide to mete out. States should decide to mete out. In Panama, these tactics helped give birth to a strong In Panama, these tactics helped give birth to a strong national movement to overthrow an enemy of the United national movement to overthrow an enemy of the United States, and even built significant sentiment in favor of the States, and even built significant sentiment in favor of the use of U.S. military power to accomplish that goal. Of use of U.S. military power to accomplish that goal. Of course, Bush’s success went no further; Noriega is still course, Bush’s success went no further; Noriega is still there. In Nicaragua, where the revolution has resisted ten there. In Nicaragua, where the revolution has resisted ten years of imperial onslaught, victory must seem even more years of imperial onslaught, victory must seem even more elusive. However, administration strategists may well elusive. However, administration strategists may well look to their relativelook to their relative success in Panama particularly in success in Panama particularly in the smoke and mirror realm of the battle for hearts and the smoke and mirror realm of the battle for hearts and minds and conclude that in Nicaragua political victory minds and conclude that in Nicaragua political victory can still be snatched from the jaws of military defeat. And can still be snatched from the jaws of military defeat. And they may be right. they may be right. THOUGH IT HAS NOT RECEIVED MUCH PLAY T (HOUGH IT HAS NOT RECEIVED MUCH PLAY)in the U.S. press, Bush is locked in battle with key in the U.S. press, Bush is locked in battle with key congressional legislators over how (not whether) to inter congressional legislators over how (not whether) to interfere in the Nicaraguan elections. These members of fere in the Nicaraguan elections. These members of Congress want all U.S. funding of the opposition to be Congress want all U.S. funding of the opposition to be channeledchanneled through above ground, congressionally con through above ground, congressionally controlled institutions, particularly Congress’s own Depart trolled institutions, particularly Congress’s own Department of Dirty Tricks, the National Endowment for De ment of Dirty Tricks, the National Endowment for Democracy. The administration, with Quayle as point man, mocracy. The administration, with Quayle as point man, is adamant that the CIA is the proper conduit thr bankroll is adamant that the CIA is the proper conduit for bankroll ing our men in Managua, and that Congress should not ing our men in Managua, and that Congress should not tamper with the covert nature of such assistance. tamper with the covert nature of such assistance. So great is the bipartisan consensus in the Bush era that So great is the bipartisan consensus in the Bush era that the Washington war over Nicaragua has been reduced to the Washington war over Nicaragua has been reduced to such battles over bureaucratic turf. No one has yet to break such battles over bureaucratic turf. No one has yet to break decorum by mentioning the economic war or the manipu decorum by mentioning the economic war or the manipu lationlation of the press. Open interference in the electoral of the press. Open interference in the electoral processprocess by the region’s most vested interest hardly raises by the region’s most vested interest hardly raises anan eyebrow. eyebrow. The turf battle does hold serious implications for The turf battle does hold serious implications for Nicaragua.Nicaragua. Bush has already called the elections hope Bush has already called the elections hopelessly flawed,lessly flawed, and seems determined to use covert assis and seems determined to use covert assistance to convince the oppositiontance to convince the opposition to withdraw, as occurred to withdraw, as occurred inin 1984. Congressional leaders, meanwhile, seem more 1984. Congressional leaders, meanwhile, seem more intentintent on helping the opposition win at the polls, some on helping the opposition win at the polls, something which does not seemthing which does not seem altogether impossible. In fact, altogether impossible. In fact, even governmenteven government partisans concede that the FSLN could partisans concede that the FSLN could lose its two thirds majority in the National Assembly, lose its two thirds majority in the National Assembly, thereby altering significantly the country’s political status thereby altering significantly the country’s political status quo. (Continued FSLN control of the presidency does not quo. (Continued FSLN control of the presidency does not seemseem to be in doubt.) to be in doubt.) The difference in approach is more than one of style. The difference in approach is more than one of style. WhileWhile these members of Congress would like to wield these members of Congress would like to wield influenceinfluence over Nicaragua’s future, Bush’s sole interest is over Nicaragua’s future, Bush’s sole interest is destabilization.destabilization. Stymied in its attempts to overthrow the Stymied in its attempts to overthrow the revolution,revolution, this administration, like the last, pursues a this administration, like the last, pursues a strategy of exacting maximum suffering from the Nicara strategy of exacting maximum suffering from the Nicara guan people. guan people. T HOUSANDS KILLED OR MAIMED, THE T(HOUSANDS KILLED OR MAIMED, THE)economy in ruins, the early advances of the revolu economy in ruins, the early advances of the revolutiontion in education and health care undone, the leaders in education and health care undone, the leaders condemnedcondemned to unending rounds on the donor circuit of to unending rounds on the donor circuit of Western EuropeWestern Europe and Canada, the level of political partici and Canada, the level of political participation dropping precipitously and with it the only means pation dropping precipitously and with it the only means forfor recouping initiative.. .one can only wonder if the recouping initiative…one can only wonder if the UnitedUnited States has not won this war. Not satisfied with States has not won this war. Not satisfied with destroying the threat of a good example, Washington now destroying the threat of a good example, Washington now insists on peddling to the world the “badinsists on peddling to the world the “bad example” it has example” it has wrought.wrought. As a member of El Salvador’s FMLN told As a member of El Salvador’s FMLN told NACLANACLA recently, the lesson of Nicaragua’s economic recently, the lesson of Nicaragua’s economic disaster “has been at best painful.” disaster “has been at best painful.” Nicaragua faces hard times in its second decade, as has Nicaragua faces hard times in its second decade, as has every other revolutionevery other revolution in modern times. Building social in modem times. Building socialism is a long and tortuousism is a long and tortuous process, full of setbacks as well process, full of setbacks as well as advances,as advances, particularly in a small agrarian country next particularly in a small agrarian country next door to thedoor to the United States. The difficulty of achieving it United States. The difficulty of achieving it makesmakes it no less worthy a goal a fact that the impatience it no less worthy a goal a fact that the impatience andand idealism so characteristic of U.S. political culture idealism so characteristic of U.S. political culture often tend to blind us to. often tend to blind us to. As the tenth anniversary of the revolution approaches, As the tenth anniversary of the revolution approaches, the power the United States still holds overthe power the United States still holds over Nicaragua is Nicaragua is enormous.enormous. But like the NPR correspondent, the grin gos But like the NPR correspondent, the gringos stillstill fail to understand that there has indeed been a revo fail to understand that there has indeed been a revolutionlution in Nicaragua one which defeated on the battle in Nicaragua one which defeated on the battlefield the most powerful nation on earth. That revolution field the most powerful nation on earth. That revolution will carry forth the struggle no matter what malicious will carry forth the struggle no matter what malicious plans Bush or the Congress put forth. Nicaragua has won plans Bush or the Congress put forth. Nicaragua has won its dignity, and dignity does not come cheap. Maybe you its dignity, and dignity does not come cheap. Maybe you can’t eat it, but neither can you move forward without can’t eat it, but neither can you move forward without it.MF it.
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