20.06.1996

Coup d’état defeated in Paraguay

Paraguay is one of the centres of mass resistance in Latin America. A few days before the 48-hour general strike convened by the three national unions for May 2 and 3, the chief of the army, general Lino Oviedo, launched a coup d’état.

Juan Carlos Wasmosy, the first civic president of Paraguay in decades, decided to ask for the resignation of his army chief. In response Oviedo carried out a putsch. Thousands occupied the streets to fight against the coup. But, Wasmosy sealed an incredible deal, appointing general Oviedo as his defence minister. The new army chief, general Oscar Diaz Dalmas, declared himself a follower of Oviedo and accepted the agreement.

This provoked a crisis in the cabinet and demonstrations of anger in the population. Except for the chancellor, Luis Maria Ramirez Boettner, the cabinet was not consulted in the appointment of Oviedo. As a result of the demonstrations Oviedo and Ramirez had to resign.

Workers must now fight for class independence. They have to create a class pole of attraction for the peasants and poor people. Demanding not only the resignation of Oviedo, but the abolition of the officer corps, the cancellation of the external debt and the expropriation of the capitalists.

Wasmosy and Oviedo are members of the same official party (the Colorados - Coloured) that has ruled Paraguay since the time of the terrible Nazi-protector dictator, Stroessner. The main opponent of Wasmosy, Luis Maria Arga, maintained complete silence during the coup. General Oviedo is now launching an electoral campaign for the presidential elections of 1998 and he is being supported by the ‘democratic’ faction of the Coloured Party. Vice-president Roberto Seifart criticised the Wasmosy-Oviedo deal and is trying to capitalise on the anti-militarist sentiments. The toilers should not place their trust in any wing of the ruling party. They have to create their own - revolutionary - party.

Ramon Aguilera
Poder Obrero and the Liaison Committee of dissident members of the LRCI