electoral voting places so that the election can bluff across the whole country. these elections.
will not vote in the March elections, around the ARENA "solution' to thie before a final test of strength lakes place in El Salvador, the question is whether the frandulent elections of March 19 prove to be the catulyst of Will MacMation thing of value in the proposals, both have since come to the position that the March elections must go ahead. The generals bave now openly stated that they are prepared to go it alone without threatened a coup if the clechons are cancelled. For its part the FMIN has kept the offer open whilst claiming that its rejection will lead to an inten- It is clear that the FMLNhave made gains from this political offensive Recent opinion polls suggest that 56% making it increasingly difficult for the US to hold up the electoral process as an indication of the legitimacy of the present political system. Thus the situation has become more polarised problem (rotal war to climinate the revolutionaries) and the FMLN solu- tion — goverment by the popular majority, it is only a matter of time what may he the final offensive against the US if necessary and have against the govemment and ARENA Page 21 the oligarchy and the any sificabion of the civil war. 'Come out and vote' - the National Guard help the regime with some canvassing. SOCLIST QUTLOOK no 12 February 1989 against popular activity. They want the army and paramilitaries to be confined to harracks for the election day and They are demanding the integration of the Democratic Convergence into the Central Electoral Council and the formation of a broad based Monitoring day and coordination of the intema- tional obscrvers. In addition they want the establishment of an electoral code which would represent a concensus clusion of the US government from the The FMLN communique argued that this is A last effort to avoid the claims will be a product of a fraudulent election) by providing the elections This offer has been made at a time when US policy towards El Salvador seeme to be changing. President Bush does not scem so personally ahsessed with Central Americaar Reagan. More important is that the US budget deficit has to be reduced by the terms of the In return they are demanding an im- mediate cessation of all assasinations, abductions and the general repression Council to maintain order on election among all the parties, and the ex- social explosion (which the FMLN with a higher purpose so that they con- play no role in the elections. Inbute to a lasting peace. electoral process.
TOCRACY L NoT DE B4Y-4 FOR VICE PRES. FOR PRESIDENT CORY LAUREL DOS The Philippines: 8G8.49 JUNE DELA CRUZ Si - SA PANAMAGITAM 1G BALOT. ASTICE UNDO PALAYAIN FIGHT Z AQUINO- LAUREL MUREL ANG PERA SA BULSI SA BALOTA /Reflex
ment was established, partly to give concessions to the mass mavement Tot of expectations were created amoung the masses. A land refom was But she only keeps power of the mercy of the any, Though she has replaced with an acceptable bourgeois govemment and not with "anarchy". Both Marcos and the AFP were of course the creatures of American imperialism. But since the Vietnam war and the Nicaraguan evolution the American government had learned that the best tactic is That is low the "February" revolution became a unique combination of a popular uprising and a military coup, a contradiction that shaped Philippines politics in the following months. A broad coalition govem- that had emerged against Marcos. From February to May 1986 new right= were de facto given to the workers without changes in the old Marcos Laws, some of the institutions from the Marcos era were removed, and a After May 1986 the right-wing hrought these reforms to an end. The minst progressive minusters were sacked, along with the nen-fascist former Defence Minister Juan Ponce Enrile, who represents the extreme nght that wants in suppress the mass movement with old Marons-style But the US and the majority of the AFP thought that tie Aquine government could ensure hourgeois stability better than a military dic- tatorship. Aquino had popular support as the figure-head of the Februay revolution" and as the widow of the famous opposition leader, who was Mrs Aquino had no problem winning local and national elections, and with no elections coming up before 1992 the should be safe in power. defeated five coups from factions of the military, she has also made huge SOCIALIST OUTLOOK no 12 February 1989 not always to support an American puppet to the bitter end. assassinated in 1983 when he returned from exile. promised by the govemment, tion of Marcor. He had called for presidential elections in Fehnary 1986 but it was the mask mnvement that triggered the coup. The US gave their port Aquino. They wanted to make sure that the Murcos dictatorship war 3 YEARS AGO a combination of a popular uprising and a military coup overthrew the Marcos dictatorship in the Philippines. The event became known as the February revolution and brought Corazon Aquino to power. Since then five military coups from factions of the Armed For- The government has declared total war against the communist led New People's Army (NPA), hut has not been able to win the war, The munist Party of the Philippines (CPP), may be about to declare the for- mation of a Provisional Revolutionary Govemment. Ar in 1917, the In February 1986 the Philippines became hot nows in the internation- al media when millions of people demonstrated, demanding the resigna- in the hope that a divided oppostion would give him an easy victory. But with the support of the Catholic church, the opposition agreed in unite around Aquinn (with the National Democratic Front and many legal left. mass orgunisations calling for a boycott. Convon Aquino declared her Millions of people demonstrated in support of her victory, to get rid of Inside the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) the Refor the AFP Movement' (RAM) had been preparing for a coup for a long time: support to Marcos until the last minute, and then shifted nveright in sup- National Democratic Front (NDF), which includes the N/'A andthe Com victory not only in the ballot box but also of the "parliament of the street" February" revolution could lead to an 'October revolution. ces of the Philippines (AFP) have failed. Marcos. Marces claimed he had won the election. Page 22
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