tina, rights" The the Duarte. THE MALVINAS crisis and the outcome of the election in El Salvador are between them causing a major crisis for the United States in its strategy for Latin America.
Two elements strategy since the Reagan administration have been to secure a first anti-communist alliance in the 'southern cone' (Chile. ArgenUruguay and including and to give their backing to a 'harder" solution in El Salvador - in effect to back the army.
When Carter was president demagogy against •LELC caused intense problems with dealing with these two areas, The appalling human rights record in both Central America and Argentina and Chile forced Carter into some marginal public distancing from these after the murder of the American nuns in Salvador American arms sales were suspended 1979 coup in El Salvador, engincered by the United States who gave the young officers who carrica 1 out Workers movement to imposite on te movement imposing moderale including democrats and the Christian Democrats as well as the armed forces- in the first Duarte junla.
Reagan and Haig have no such qualms; they give shivador while support minam a Salvador "democratic" facade, Before the 1979 coup army was racked with corruption: when the tnen-president, General Romero, was overinrown, some thirty or so senior army officers tral figure in the post-coup junta has defence minister Jose Guillermo Garcia. Garcia always had more real power than the president, But the elections dealt a blow to any modcrate lacade for the new regime, with the tian Democra of that advent of the bourgeoisie Brazill addition any the FDR-FMLN his human Soviet Unton for example El green light to the have come at a maintain a Argentina tight. ed feelings been startling successes of the fascist ARENA party and its leader, death-squad godfather Roberto D' Aubuisson. Garcia with the backing of the United States heavied D' Aubuisson government which incudes one ChrisThey threatened D'Aubuisson with a military coup if he tried to make himself president So the outcome is one where the faction ridden political leadership of the Salvadorean mas created pontical chaos with contending leaderships struggling for power. In pretence at a democratic facade This can only strengthen the hand of the left wing opposition Salvadorean soldiers train in US Given this general disarray of US policy in Central America, the Malvinas crisis could not worse time for the States. Argentina is crucial for maintaining the anti-communist alliance in the southern United States apene outbreak fithe con the period of fence sitting by reflected its desire to keep the alliance with Already the State Department has had mixabout the political struggle which has been going on inside the Argentinian armed forces, itself reflecting the economic difficulties which Argentina has been facing As the world recession deepens, Argentinian industry has been particularly hi flood of American imports and with US capital making deeper inroads. Thus while the landed also temptation among some for a hope ol partial economic they have played directl those who Malvinas conflict.
draw from the Malvinas.
very immediate and direct effect America United by the United States, cone therefore clear.
Latin Americanisation Salvador, troops is very real with a oligarchy have been doig very nicely from the Doom in cereal exports, the urban masses and industry have been facing a hard time Confronted with industrial economic crisi: and mass popular opposition, there is a real the generals to go solution, This would involve a partial political break with the United States, crecting tariff walls to protect industry with the neither in the economic nor political interests of the United States, but unfortunately for them into the hands of "populist" strategy. A partial political break already exists with the United States backing Britain in the The joint interests of world imperialism have triumphed over the United • special interests in Latin America. States, Alexander Haig was received with stony silence when he called on Argentina to withrelations with most of the Latin American regimes have been damaged — not primarily because of moral inor ato-n with the US government, but because governments, US backing for Britain makes life much more diffieult in the face Te crisis of US-Argentinian relations has Ine whole project, held in readiness using a joint Latin American force against the guerrillas Salvador is now a dead duck. In particular, the idea that Argentinian troops could he used is The overall cffect of the Malvinas crisis is Anti-US sentiments throughout the continent will be strengthened. Latin Americanisation the pe war in li me us we nave to send its own British imperialism has done the United States a very bad turn by sending the task force But the overheads of imperialist solidarity were Socialist Challenge 13 May 1982