demonstration in London. Portrait of Farabundo Marti carried on Sunday's day March The aim was to disrupt election as much possible, and to use the opportunity to demonstrate the strengin ol the guerrillas. Between Wednesday and Saturday sporadic attacks including the destruction of half of San Salvador's bus fleet continued but the guerrillas staged their main attacks on polling day.
In San Salvador itsell people queued sunrise to vote. The reason is obvious. Since voting is compulsory and stamped, Causal asking a lot of the ordinary people ol San Salvador not to vote -- ine pricc not doing so could be dying at the hands of the national guard or the death squads.
In the countryside things different large areas are controlled the guerrillas, and despite raids by government troops the daily repression is much less severe.
As people queued 1o vote in San Salvador gunfire could he heard all over the city. A long battle look place in one of the middle class suburbs, in which an commando twelve held down scores of government troops several hours.
Eventually the use of armoured personnel riers with heavy cannon resulted in the death of the whole commando - Dut guerrillas attacked army their heroic action showed that capable of striking anywhere they chose in the capital.
Meanwhile the FMLN took control of the provincial capital Usulutan sixty miles south east of San Salvador. and infiltrated the north eastern provincial capital Sanwas cut off Francisco Gotera, wanc All over the country major highways were cut and communicaitons disrupted. Attempts by the army highways. and ticular the route Usulatan, were prevented hy fierce resistance by the FMI.N.
Nobody guerrillas to attemp hold Usulatan and San Ciotera indefintely. By the very nature of things, it is much more ditticult tor the guer rillas to permanently hold toWns.
Nonetheless they have already this month repulspiece battle of the war, an 10 dislodge them their stronghold of around Volcano, not fifteen miles the Guazapa for TrOn guerrillas San do Salvador. expect rapid military victory. But today dual power exists in E! Salvador the growing power of the FMLN guerrillas and the declining power of the regime.
By Dave Smith But the par- Usulatan. Below, the The Above, FMLN guerrillas stop buses on the road to Jose Duarte campaigns before
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THE ELECTIONS in El Salvador were marked with widespread guerrilla attacks. On Wednes-
posts in working class areas of the town. despite rumours to the contrary, the guerrilla attacks did not signify the build up to an all-out