La Verdad 2-05.indd

LIBERACIÓN EXIGE ORGANIZACIÓN
Unión del Barrio
Abril-Agosto 2005
“Con este sistema neoliberal
la vida gira sobre un eje de
injusticia. Hay que cambiarlo y es el momento de
recomenzar. Luchemos
porque el siglo XXI vea
nuevas revoluciones
triunfantes y que un
socialismo de mil colores sea conquistado
en muchos países de
la Tierra”
G L A DY S M A R I N M I L L I E
COMUNICADO SOBRE EL FALLECIMIENTO DE
GLADYS MARIN MILLIE
Nota del editor: Este comunicado es escrito y difundido
por el Partido Comunista de Chile. Lo publicamos en su
totalidad.
S
antiago de Chile, 6 marzo (MP) Con profundo dolor,
debemos comunicar que a la 1:00 de la madrugada
de hoy, 6 de marzo de 2005, pocas horas después
de entrar en estado de coma, ha fallecido nuestra muy
querida compañera Gladys Marín Millie, Presidenta de
nuestro partido. Durante casi un año y medio, ella libró
una dura batalla por superar el cáncer que la afectaba.
Con gran entereza, Gladys nos conmovió con su ejemplo
de lucha y nos hizo partícipes de su confianza, su
esperanza y convicción de que el ideal político y social
que alentó su vida, se hará realidad en un futuro no lejano
sostenido por los trabajadores, las mujeres y los jóvenes
de nuestra patria.
Gladys nació en Curepto, una localidad agraria de
la Región del Maule, hija de Adriana, profesora, y
Heraclio, campesino. Estudió en la Escuela Normal
No.2, egresando como profesora básica con mención en
Educación Diferencial. Casada con el Ingeniero Jorge
Muñoz, tuvo dos hijos Rodrigo y Alvaro.
Su natural rebeldía la llevó desde muy joven a tomar
partido por los más humildes, participando activamente
en campañas de alfabetización en sectores poblacionales
del Gran Santiago. Fue presidenta de la Federación de
Estudiantes Normalistas y, más tarde, dirigenta de la
Unión de Profesores de Chile.
A los 16 años de Edad, ingresó a las Juventudes
Comunistas de la que llegó a ser Secretaria General. En
esa condición, integró la Dirección del Comando Juvenil
de la Campaña Presidencial de Salvador Allende en
1964, campaña en que dio un significativo impulso a las
actividades culturales de los sectores populares, dándose
origen al movimiento muralista juvenil, la creación del
histórico movimiento de la Nueva Canción Chilena y a
las campañas de trabajos voluntarios a lo largo de todo el
país. Esas actividades alcanzarían su máxima expresión
durante el Gobierno Popular de Salvador Allende.
El año 1965, es elegida diputada por el Segundo Distrito
de Santiago. Fue reelecta al Parlamento los años 1969 y
1973.
Como Secretaria General de las Juventudes Comunistas,
desempeñó un destacado papel en la organización
de las grandes marchas, de Valparaíso a Santiago, en
solidaridad con Vietnam.
La contribución de Gladys fue de gran importancia en
el Comando Juvenil de la Campaña Presidencial de
1970, que culminó con la elección de Salvador Allende
a la Presidencia de Chile; y luego, durante los mil
días del Gobierno Popular, en las múltiples formas de
participación en la gestión de gobierno y en la creación
de un movimiento de Voluntarios por la Patria de
carácter cultural, amplio, plural, diverso y masivo, único
GLADYS MARIN pg.2 >
¡LA VERDAD!
Abril- Agosto 2005
GLADYS MARIN
en nuestra historia.
En agosto de 1973, Gladys asiste al Festival Mundial de
la Juventud y los Estudiantes, celebrado en Berlín, en el
que desarrolla una gran labor denunciando la intromisión
norteamericana en Chile, que creaba las condiciones para
el golpe militar que se hizo efectivo el 11 de septiembre
de 1973. Gladys regresó al país dos días antes de que se
iniciara esta tragedia para nuestro pueblo.
El Bando Militar número 10 pone a Gladys entre las 100
personas más buscadas por la Junta Militar, y la conmina
a entregarse antes de las 16:30 horas del mismo día 11 de
septiembre. Por instrucciones de la dirección del partido
debe asilarse en la Embajada de Holanda y en 1974 sale
al exilio, para dedicarse íntegramente a denunciar los
crímenes de la dictadura y a colaborar en la construcción
del vasto movimiento de solidaridad con nuestro pueblo
y sus luchas desplegado en todo el mundo. En ese marco,
se constituyó en un valioso precedente de lo que hoy es,
en nuevas condiciones, el Poder Democrático y Social
(PODEMOS) y la amplia unidad con otras organizaciones
políticas, alternativas al neoliberalismo.
El Comité Central, elegido por el XXII Congreso Nacional
del Partido Comunista, celebrado en noviembre de 2002,
la elige Presidenta del Partido.
Al cumplirse 30 años del golpe militar, el 11 de septiembre
de 2003, pronuncia Gladys un discurso de gran relevancia
en el multitudinario Acto de Homenaje a Salvador Allende,
realizado en la Plaza de la Constitución, frente a la Moneda,
por diversas fuerzas de la izquierda extraparlamentaria
chilena y delegaciones de diversos países. Recibió en esa
oportunidad el reconocimiento por su valor y consecuencia
como luchadora incansable por la democracia y la justicia
social, que siempre entregó su activa contribución a la
construcción de la nueva alternativa al sistema neoliberal
que a sangre y fuego impuso la dictadura en contra del
pueblo de Chile.
La vida de Gladys Marín transcurrió en medio de su pueblo.
La admiración hacia su figura encontró un fundamento en
su actitud de permanente identificación con las luchas,
aspiraciones, necesidades y dolores de los trabajadores, las
mujeres, los jóvenes, los pueblos originarios, la diversidad
sexual.
Su acendrado internacionalismo fue reconocido por pueblos
hermanos. El Consejo de Estado de Cuba le otorgó la
Condecoración José Martí, y el Movimiento Sandinista la
Medalla Augusto César Sandino, las más altas distinciones
que otorgan esa nación y ese movimiento político hermano,
destacan la consecuencia de su pensamiento y acción en el
campo de las relaciones entre las naciones y los pueblos
en lucha por su independencia y soberanía y por una vida
mejor.
La contribución de Gladys Marín a la unidad de la
izquierda, al papel principal de los trabajadores en la vida
social, así como a la conformación de la más amplia unidad
antineoliberal, conforman una herencia que los comunistas
photos de izq: El Comandante Fidel Castro entregando la condecoración José
Martí, a Gladys; Gladys en pleno ejercicio de su labor política; Gladys en su
juventud; Gladys con el Presidente Socialista de Chile, Salvador Allende.
testifica ante la Tercera Sesión de la Comisión Internacional
de Investigación de los Crímenes de la Junta Militar en
Chile, realizada en ciudad de México en febrero de 1975.
Encontrándose en el exilio, recibió la noticia de la
detención por la DINA, en mayo de 1976, de su esposo
Jorge Muñoz Poutays, que aún se encuentra desaparecido
junto a otros integrantes de la Dirección clandestina del
Partido Comunista, detenidos junto a él, en lo que se
conoce como “Caso Calle Conferencia”.
El año 1978, Gladys regresa clandestinamente al país,
donde le correspondió la difícil tarea de dirigir el Equipo
de Dirección Interior del Partido Comunista hasta que
comenzó a funcionar nuevamente en el país, el año
1984, su Comisión Política, en la que continuó jugando
un importante papel, manteniéndose en la mas estricta
clandestinidad.
En 1994 es elegida Secretaria General del Partido
Comunista. Un hito histórico en la lucha por la Verdad
y Justicia en la causa de los Derechos Humanos, es
protagonizado por nuestra compañera cuando, el 12 de
enero de 1998, presenta la primera querella contra Augusto
Pinochet, por ese entonces todavía Comandante en Jefe del
Ejército. Sería el comienzo de una larga serie de querellas
que aún hoy enfrenta el dictador.
A fines de 1998, Gladys es proclamada candidata a la
Presidencia de la República en representación de la
izquierda, con el objetivo principal de impulsar el proceso
de construcción de una alternativa antineoliberal, lo que
Ese mismo mes se le detecta un tumor cerebral maligno. Se
traslada a Suecia, donde es operada por el Dr. Inti Peredo,
y posteriormente a Cuba para continuar su tratamiento.
Allí es acogida fraternalmente por el gobierno y el Partido
Comunista cubanos, con una especial preocupación del
propio Presidente Fidel Castro, quedando su tratamiento a
cargo del Dr. Javier Figueredo.
La enfermedad de Gladys despertó una extraordinaria
cadena de solidaridad, que se extiende, más allá de nuestro
país, a muchos rincones del planeta. Con una gran emoción
agradecemos cada una de las muestras de esa solidaridad
manifestada por altos personeros de gobiernos, partidos
políticos, organizaciones sociales, sindicales y culturales,
y miles y miles de personas de la más diversa condición
social, especialmente los más humildes de nuestro
pueblo.
Fue un momento muy alto de esa solidaridad, el acto de
homenaje que, contando con su presencia durante uno de
sus viajes de regreso al país, se le ofreció en el recinto de
la Estación Mapocho, el 14 de Marzo del 2004, ocasión
natural para que se expresara también la solidaridad con los
pueblos de Irak y Palestina, agredidos por el imperialismo
norteamericano, la adhesión a Cuba y Venezuela y la
reafirmación del compromiso de luchar por la Paz, causa,
esta última, que Gladys abrazó con fervor a lo largo de su
vida y que motivó que fuera una de las tres mujeres chilenas
seleccionadas por diversas organizaciones sociales, entre
ellas la CUT, para ser nominada entre las mil mujeres para
las cuales se está solicitando, a nivel mundial, el Premio
Nobel de la Paz.
mantendremos sin desviarnos jamás del camino trazado
por su ejemplo, que en parte se encuentra plasmado en su
legado intelectual, del que debemos destacar la edición de
sus libros “Regreso a la Esperanza” (sobre la operación
cóndor), “Chiapas, vuela lejos tu pensamiento”, “El Poder
de desafiar el poder”, “La vida es hoy”.
Al entregarle, hace pocas semanas, la Medalla Luis Emilio
Recabarren, la más alta distinción del Partido que fundara
el Padre de la clase obrera chilena, y que fuera recibida por
uno de sus hijos, exaltamos el papel determinante que jugó
en la vida de nuestro Partido y de nuestro pueblo.
A sus ejemplares hijos, Rodrigo y Alvaro, a sus nietas, a
su madre, a sus hermanas, a su actual compañero, a toda
su familia, nuestra sincera solidaridad y afecto. Ellos han
sido el más valioso apoyo en esta dura etapa final de su
vida.
Al anunciar el doloroso desenlace de la enfermedad que
aquejó a nuestra inolvidable compañera Gladys Marín,
tenemos la certeza de que su figura ya no pertenece sólo
a quienes militamos en las filas de su Partido. Así lo
entendemos y así procedemos al convocar a los justos
homenajes y expresiones de admiración y cariño que se
inician desde hoy, a las 10 horas en el Salón de Honor del
ex Congreso Nacional.
Con Gladys, ¡Mil Veces Venceremos!
Comité Central del Partido Comunista de Chile
Raza Self-Determination and Mexicano Liberation
Unión del Barrio believes that Mexicanas and Mexicanos living both in
México and in
the “Southwest
United States”
suffer from political, economic
and social insecurity
because
the United States
Government
stole our land in
1848.
Since that year our people have been the victims of a
system which exploits our labor, keeps a dispro-
portionate number of our people in prisons, stereotypes us through the media, falsifies our history, denies us a relevant/productive education and
militarizes the imposed border in order to keep out
the very same people from which Aztlán (northern
México) was stolen.
We recognize California, Colorado, Arizona, Tejas, Utah, Nuevo México, and Nevada as constituting Mexico Ocupado. It is a geographical and
political territory belonging to the Mexicano people. These lands were taken by armed force by the
U.S. government, during the Mexican-U.S. war of
1848.
We believe that Mexicanos in Aztlán-México Ocupado must self-determine our own destiny. The
means to this end is the advancement of Mexicano
self-determination. Mexicano self-determination
2
is best defined as the power to:
1. Collectively interpret our history
2. Economically control our destiny
3. Advancing our social development by self directing our culture education and language
4. Independently develop the content, character
and direction of our political orientation
5. Controlling the political institutions that make
the laws that govern us
We recognize that the absolute and unequivocal
liberation of Mexicana women is a fundamental
component of our struggle for liberation as a people. Fundamental to any liberation organization
and pro-independence conscious movement is the
absolute political, social and economic equality
between men and women.
Abril- Agosto 2005
Unión del Barrio
¿ Q U I E N E S S O N L O S T E R RO R I S TA S ? : E L T E R RO R I S M O
I N T E R N AC I O N A L , L A C I A Y L U I S P O S A DA C A R R I L E S
E
l 17 de mayo del 2005 Luis Posada Carriles, cubano
de nacimiento- venezolano por naturalización- fue
detenido por agencia migratorias de Estados Unidos
al ingresar al país sin entrar por una Puerta de Entrada lo
que se clasifica como delito “criminal” por las autoridades
norteamericanas. Y es que este “delito” forma parte de la
estrategia de control de los flujos migratorios de los Estados
Unidos.
Nosotros, los Mexicanos conocemos esta estrategia
perfectamente bien; primero porque la franja fronteriza
señala el dominio colonial del imperio sobre nuestro
territorio y sobre nuestro pueblo (desde el año 1848) y
segundo porque la política de control de la “frontera” se
ha transformado en el frente doméstico de la “guerra
contra el terrorismo” y los trabajadores migrantes en los
“terroristas.”
Para el pueblo Mexicano, esta estrategia de “control de
fronteras” tiene como objetivo fundamental controlar la
mano de obra- sea documentada o indocumentada- para
el beneficio a la economía Norteamericana- es decir el
capitalismo e imperialismo. El mecanismo que procura
esta estrategia hoy en día- era del “terrorismo”/pos-11
de septiembre- se conoce como el Departamento de la
Seguridad de la Patria (DHS por sus siglas en ingles),
dependencia que proclama ser el frente “doméstico” en la
“guerra contra el terrorismo internacional.”
tocó suelo cubano, Posada Carriles se queda en el continente
Américano, específicamente en Venezuela, país del cual se
hace ciudadano.
La CIA recluta y entrena a Posada Carriles en táctica de
explosivos y guerra de guerrillas entre el año 1963 y 1964.
Por esos años la Fundación Nacional Cubano Américana
entrega una gran ayuda a Posada Carriles, y a tipos como
él, que hacían trabajos de desestabilización en contra
de Cuba en la forma de atentados con explosivos en La
Habana y otros centros urbanos de importancia dentro de
la isla. La FNCA estaba dirigida por Jorge Mas Canosa,
individuo que tenía una estrecha relación con el imperio
estadounidense. De echo este individuo fue recibido,
a través de los años, por tres presidentes de los EEUU:
Ronald Reagan en los ochentas, George Bush padre y Bill
Clinton en los noventas. Mas Canosa enviaba dinero a
Luis Posada. El mismo Posada Carriles en declaraciones
a diferentes medios de comunicación imperialistas decía
refiriendose a Mas Canosa: “Calculo que me mandó más
de $200,000 dólares…” “Nunca me dijo que era dinero de
la fundación”… “El dinero llegaba siempre con un mensaje
‘Esto es para la iglesia’ decía el mensaje escrito”. Otro
dato interesante es que en 1975, un año antes del atentado a
Cubana de Aviación, el director de la Central de Inteligencia
Estadounidense era George Bush padre.
Muerte en Washington
Como su entrenamiento era en tácticas de explosivos, Posada
Carriles, por intermedio de algunos miembros de su grupo
La Operación Cóndor en Suramérica
La participación de los hermanos Novo y de Orlando
Bosch no fue solamente allí, en Washington DC. También
participaron activamente en la nefasta Operación Condor.
Operativo que fue formado en el sur del continente
americano y que tenía como objetivo acabar con toda
la oposición política a los regímenes dictatoriales que en
esos años sembraban el terror en casi todos los países de
Sudamérica. En la Operación Cóndor participan Argentina,
Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay y Uruguay, siendo los
dictadores más entusiastas en participar en esta operación
Videla en Argentina, Pinochet en Chile y Stroessner en
Paraguay.
La Operación Cóndor siembra el terror en la población
de dichos países y es responsable por la tortura y muerte
de miles y miles de sudamericanos. Los hermanos Novo,
Orlando Bosch, Michael Townley y otros cubanos (seis o
siete de ellos) además de personal del ejército de los países
mencionados, participan en entrenamientos “antiterroristas”
en Francia, Portugal y, naturalmente, Estados Unidos. Por
cierto, la Operación Cóndor es un operativo “antiterrorista”
y en “favor” de la “libertad” de los países participantes.
La DISIP de la Venezuela de los 60-70
Luis Posada Carriles mientras es ciudadano de Venezuela
se hace miembro de la DISIP –Dirección de Inteligencia,
Seguridad y Prevención- de la venezuela de los setentas,
siendo jefe de esta y estando aun en la hoja de pagos de
la CIA. La DISIP es responsable por la tortura, muerte
y desaparición de cientos de
ciudadanos venezolanos que
luchaban por la libertad y el
bienestar de su pueblo. Posada
Carriles sigue siendo miembro
de la CIA hasta meses antes del
atentado terrorista al avión de
Cubana de Aviación en 1976.
Por este atentado terrorista es
encarcelado en Venezuela, pero
es absuelto de los cargos en dos
oportunidades.
¿Como es, entonces, que el nombre Luis Posadas Carriles no
se ha mencionado por los
medios de comunicación
señalando la captura
de uno de los más
peligrosos
terroristas
que
ha
conocido
América Latina? ¿Será
que la amnesia del
imperio norteamericana
no permite utilizar
su
propia
lógica;
porque esto implicaría
reconocer que Estado
Unidos es el país que
cria, entrena, asesora,
protege y deja suelto a Luis Posada Carriles: Asesino entrenado por la Agencia Central de Inteligencia (CIA); Clinton
los terroristas?
gan con Mas Canosa
De
todas
formas
haremos un recuento de la historia para asegurar que todos
conozcamos lo que es el terrorismo y hasta donde llegan
las manos de los aparatos de inteligencia de los Estados
Unidos.
¿QUIENES SON LOS TERRORISTAS?
Era el día 10 de junio de 1976. Un avion Mc Donnell
Douglas del tipo DC-8-63 con licencia CU-TI 201 de
Cubana de Aviación se estrella contra el mar a poca distancia
de las costas de Barbados. Los 25 tripulantes de este vuelo
comercial y sus 48 pasajeros mueren en la tragedia. Entre
los pasajeros se encontraba el equipo Nacional Juvenil de
Esgrima de Cuba. Nunca llegaron a La Habana. Más tarde
se encontró la causal de tan terrible tragedia áerea: Habían
explotados dos bombas al interior del avión Mc Donnell
Douglas.
Luis Posada Carriles, resultó ser el autor intelectual y de
hecho del ataque terrorista a Cubana de Aviación. Después
de este ataque, vendrian una serie de ataques a Cuba, su
presidente Fidel Castro, personal y sedes diplomáticas
en diferentes países. Todos estos ataques terroristas
tenían un denominador comun: Luis Posada Carriles y la
Fundación Nacional CubanoAmericana (FNCA) con uno
de sus dirigentes, el ya fallecido Jorge Mas Canosa y la
Coordinación de Organizaciones Revolucionarias (CORU)
dirigida por Orlando Bosch . Las conecciones de estos
sujetos con la Central de Inteligencia de los EEUU es clara
y por todos conocida. Hasta los mismos imperialistas lo
saben (ver Nacional Security Archive George Washington
University,
http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/
NSAEBB153/#cia).
La CIA y Sus Reclutas
Despúes de quedarse fuera del intento de invación a Cuba
de Bahia Cochinos, pues el barco que lo transportaba núnca
de cubanos, ayudan al Brigadier del ejército chileno Pedro
Espinoza Bravo y al miembro de la CIA estadounidense y
residente por largo tiempo en Chile Michael Townley en
la confección de una bomba la cual tenía como propósito
asesinar a Orlando Letelier, último Ministro de Defensa del
gobierno de Salvador Allende.
Letelier también había servido al gobierno socialista de
Allende como embajador de Chile frente a los EEUU en
1972. Despúes de ser liberado y expulsado del país por la
dictadura de Pinochet, Letelier, después de vivir un tiempo
en Venezuela termina residiendo en Whashington DC.
Letelier es asesinado en las calles de Washington DC, en La
Avenida de las Embajadas, por un bombaso que lo cercena
por la mitad. Corria el mes de septiembre del año 1976,
pocos meses despúes del estallido de las bombas al interior
de Cubana de Aviación. Dos camaradas de Luis Posada
Carriles participan activamente en este acto terrorista en
conjunto con el brigadier chileno y el miembro de la CIA
Townley: Los hermanos Guillermo e Ignacio Novo Sampol
–cubanos anticastristas- que trabajaban en la CORU de
Orlando Bosch y lideres del Movimiento Nacionalista
Cubano.
Según las declaraciones en el juicio que se lleva a cabo en
los Tribunales de los Estados Unidos, Distrito de Columbia,
los cubanos tenían la responsabilidad de hacer detonar la
bomba el día lunes 20 de septiembre, pues Townley había
tomado la responsabilidad de instalar la bomba bajo el
coche de Letelier, misión que cumplio el día sábado 18 de
septiembre (día de la Independencia de Chile de la corona
española). Al parecer la bomba no funcionó el día lunes
20, así que los cubanos tuvieron que sacar la bomba del
coche de Letelier la noche del lunes, repararla y reinstalarla
la misma noche, para hacerla detonar la mañana del martes
21 de septiembre de 1976.
3
Dicho sea de paso, el actual
presidente
de
Venezuela
Hugo
Chavez
ordeno
la
y Reareestructuración de la DISIP.
Después de llamar a retiro a su
jefe Miguel Rodriguez y dejar
a cargo al Coronel del Ejercito Venezolano Henry Rangel
Silva, se dio comienzo en junio del 2005, a la revisión
y cambio de conducta de la DISIP. Esto ocurre después
de terminar un profundo estudio que se le hace a esta
institución, estudio que se comenzó a hacer a comienzos del
año 2001. Lo que se pretende hacer con la DISIP es hacer
de esta institución una que sirva a los intereses del pueblo
venezolano preocupándose exclusivamente de la seguridad
del estado y en protector de éste.
La Contra de Nicaragua y el Coronel North
En 1985 Posada Carriles se escapa de la prisión en la cual
se encontraba recluido en Venezuela, sobornando a los
guardias de la prisión. Su nombre desaparece por un tiempo
de las páginas rojas del terrorismo imperial. Pero esto no
es por largo tiempo. Reaparece en el accionar terrorista
junto al Coronel del Ejercito estadounidense Oliver North.
No sólo la historia es testigo de la participación de North
en el caso Contras-Medio Oriente y el suministro de
armas. Todos tuvimos la oportunidad de, inclusive, verlo
en televisión y a todo color. Participa activamente con la
Contra nicaragüence.
No sólo Posada es el que participa activamente y con júbilo
en los ataques terroristas al pueblo de Nicaragua, Ronald
Reagan también lo hace y quizás con más pasión y júbilo
que Posada Carriles. Es por esto que no es motivo de
extrañeza ver al dirigente de la Federación Nacional Cubana
Americana Mas Canosa caminar por las banquetas de la casa
signada con el número 1600 de la calle Pennsylvania en la
capital del imperialismo-Washington DC- Y no caminaba
por esas banquetas en calidad de turista, sino que de invitado
de honor por el presidente de la federación norteaméricana
–Ronald Reagan.
Tenemos que recordar los miles y miles de muertos, lisiados
los terroristas>
¡LA VERDAD!
los terroristas cont.
y huérfanos que causaron a Nicaragua los terroristas de
la Contra, llamados por R. Reagan los “luchadores de
la libertad”. Usando el apodo de Ramon Medina, Luis
Posada Carriles y otro cubano de nombre Felix Rodriguez,
coordinan las operaciones de reabastecimiento de parqué y
apoyo logístico a la Contra desde la base áerea de Illopango
en San Salvador (algunas décadas despúes también le
llamaron crusada de la libertad a la invación a Irak…irónico
¿no?)
Ataques a Centros Turísticos en Cuba
Algunos años más tarde, Luis Posada Carriles reaparece
nuevamente sembrando el terror en nombre de la “libertad”
imperial. Vuelve a sus ataques a Cuba. Vuelve a utilizar
los conocimientos entregados por las escuelas imperiales:
Tácticas de explosivos y guerrilla. La Habana sufre en
los noventas una serie de atentados terroristas a hoteles
y complejos turísticos. Hoteles completos tienen que ser
evacuados por la amenaza o los estallidos de bombas. Un
joven turista italiano pierde la vida y otros siete turistas
salen gravemente heridos producto de estos ataques. Corria
el año 1997, y Posada Carriles estaba detrás de cada una de
las explosiones que aterrorizaron a los turistas y al pueblo
cubano.
En 1997 y al New York Time, Posada Carriles declara
que él fue responsable no sólo de los atentados en los
complejos turísticos de La Habana, sino que del atentado
de 1976 a la Cubana de Aviación. Naturalmente que luego
se retracta de estas declaraciones. Al imperio no se le hace
muy bueno estar abiertamente apoyando a los terroristas
internacionales, y las declaraciones de Posada Carriles
“enlodaban” la imagen de los Estados Unidos.
La Cumbre de los países Iberoaméricanos en Panamá
Tres años más tarde Posada Carriles es detenido en Ciudad
de Panama. Esta vez su intención era la de asesinar al
presidente de Cuba Fidel Castro. El grupo de conspiradores
cubanos se aprovecharian de la Cumbre Iberoamericana
del 2000. Públicamente se sabía que el Presidente Fidel
Castro intervendría en esa cumbre. Por este motivo Posada
Carriles se traslada a Panamá para poner en marcha un plan
para asesinar al presidente cubano. Gracias a los servicios
de seguridad del estado cubano, el grupo es apresado horas
antes de la llegada de Fidel Castro a Ciudad de Panamá.
Tanto el gobierno cubano, como el gobierno venezolano
Abril- Agosto 2005
solicitan la extradición de Posada Carriles al gobierno de
Panamá. Pero la “suerte” de Posada Carriles y compañia no
se termina con esta detención y posterior encarcelamiento.
No sólo el gobierno panameño no concede la extradición
a los dos países que la solicitan, sino que en el año 2004,
y a pocos días antes de dejar el poder de la presidencia de
Panama, Mireya Moscoso lo indulta a él y a unos cuantos
cubanos más. Luis Posada, salio de la cárcel panameña y
desaparecio por varios meses. Reaparece en Miami junto a
reconocidos terroristas anticubanos pidiendo asilo político.
El Regreso del Terrorista
La entrada a Estados Unidos es una cuestion que quedará
por un largo tiempo fuera del alcance del conocimiento de
nuestros pueblos. Tendremos que esperar unos treinta o
cuarenta años, cuando la CIA y el gobierno estadounidense
decidan desclasificar algunos documentos tachados como
confidenciales por la “seguridad del estado”. En ese
momento los pueblos podremos atar cabos y reconstruir
el puzzle el cual a construido el imperialismo para que
naveguemos al lado de la historia en vez de hacerlo con
ella.
Para el imperio estadounidense fue imposible darle
el solicitado asilo político a Posada Carriles de forma
inmediata. Esto a pesar de que el abogado del terrorista,
Eduardo Soto, dice en la petición de asilo político que
“su cliente a servido a los intereses de los Estados Unidos
durante las últimas tres décadas” Posada Carriles termina
en una cárcel en El Paso, Texas. Las peticiones de
extradición no se hicieron esperar. Familiares de las 73
victimas del avión Mc Donnell Douglas DC-8-63 -que cae
al mar despúes de las explociones ocurridas en su interior
cuando volaba cerca de las costa de Barbados- solicitan al
gobierno de los Estados Unidos que lo extradite para que
sea juzgado por este crimen. El gobierno de Hugo Chavez
de Venezuela también solicitan la extradición. El gobierno
de W. Bush en los últimos días de abril de 2005 niega esta
extradición. Wayne Smith ex-jefe de la Oficina de Intereses
Estadounidense en La Habana, durante el periodo de 19791982 declara que “Despúes del 11 de septiembre de 2001,
cuando supuestamente estamos librando una batalla brutal
contra el terrorismo ¿Como podemos amparar a Posada
Carriles y mantener siquiera una pisca de credibilidad?” Recordó- “la familia Bush tiene antecedentes de proteger
a estos señores” -Refiriendose a Orlando Bosch y Luis
Posada Carriles- y continua “La única opción para Estados
Unidos es que expulse a Luis Posada Carriles. No podemos
brindar amparo a un terrorista”.
De hecho ante la petición de exilio al gobierno W. Bush
el pasado 25 de julio del 2005- un día antes del Día de la
Rebeldía Nacional en Cuba (26 de Julio)- el juez William
Abbott de la corte Federal de El Paso, Texas nega la libertad
bajo fianza a Luis Posada Carriles. Solo queda ver de que
forma el gobierno de W. Bush maneja este caso ya que de
cualquier forma revela la hipócrita política de los Estados
Unidos en su mal llamada guerra contra el terrorismo.
¿Que más se requiere para ser tachado de terrorista
internacional?
La gran tarea de todos nosotros es rescatar la historia y
contarla una y otra vez para que sirva de testimonio en los
ambitos juridicos. Es importante atar cabos y contar la
verdad. El fascismo cuando se estrella, se estrella contra
la verdad y no contra otra cosa. Por lo que tenemos que
hacer la gran tarea de contar la verdad y ,con esto, cumplir
con la tarea de denuncia. Denunciar al imperialismo
estadounidense y su regimen de terror a través del mundo.
Denunciar a la dinastía Bush, Principe padre, principe hijo
y principe hermano, como muy bien los llama el presidente
cubano Fidel Castro, y sus intervenciones terroristas y
denunciar al principe hijo que no sólo a dejado entrar a un
terrorista por las fronteras de Estados Unidos, sino que esta
dispuesto a proteger y amparar a este terrorista hasta las
últimas consecuencias.
¡EXTRADICION DE LUIS POSADA CARRILES A
VENEZUELA!
INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM, THE CIA AND LUIS POSADA CARRILES
O
n May 17, 2005 Luis Posada Carriles, a Cuban by
birth-Venezuelan by naturalization -was detained
by U.S. Immigration authorities while entering the
country without going through a port of entry; which
is classified as a criminal offense by U.S. authorities.
This “crime” forms part of the strategy to control
migration to the U.S, primarily aimed at migrant
workers.
We, Mexicanos, know this strategy
very well; first because the border
symbolizes the colonial domination
of the empire over our people and
territory (since 1848), and second
because the politics of “border
control” has been transformed into
the domestic front on the “war against
terrorism” and migrant workers the
new “terrorists” threat.
Regardless we will recount history so that we all
know what terrorism really is, and just how far the
intelligence agencies of the U.S. are engaged in
terrorist activity.
WHO ARE THE TERRORISTS?
It was June 10, 1976. A McDonnell Douglas plane,
model DC-8-63, with license number CU-TI 201
the Cuban president Fidel Castro, personnel and
diplomatic headquarters in different countries. All
these terrorist attacks had a common denominator:
Luis Posada Carriles and the National Cuban-American
Foundation (Fundación Nacional CubanoAmericanaFNCA), with one of its leaders, the late Jorge Mas
Canosa and the Coordination of Revolutionary
Organizations (Coordinación de Organizaciones
Revolucionarias-CORU) led by Orlando Bosch. The
connections of these individuals
with the CIA are clear and known
by all. The imperialists even admit
this (see National Security Archieve
George Washington Univrsity, http://
www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/
NSAEBB153#cia).
THE CIA AND ITS RECRUITS
After the failed invasion at the Bay
of Pigs, seeing as how the boat that
was to transport Posada Carriles never
touched Cuban soil, Carriles stayed on
the American continent- Venezuela to
be precise- country which granted him
citizenship.
For the Mexican people this “border
control” strategy’s fundamental
objective is to control labor -whether
it’s documented or undocumentedfor the benefit of U.S. corporations- Orland Letelier- former Minister of Defense of Socialist President Salvador
that is to say capitalism and
The CIA recruits and trains Posada
Imperialism. The agency who’s task Allende (left); Car after the bomb placed by CIA operatives that claimed
Carriles in explosives tactics and
it is to enforce this strategy of “border Leteliers life
guerrilla warfare from 1963-1964.
control” is known as the Department
of Homeland Security (DHS). The Department belonging to Cubana de Aviación crashed into the During these years the National Cuban-American
of Homeland Security is the largest bureaucratic ocean, a short distance from the coast of Barbados. Foundation helps finance Posada Carriles, and
government re-organization since the creation of the The 25 member crew of this commercial flight and the individuals like him who worked to attack the Cuban
Department of Defense.
48 passengers aboard died in this tragedy. Amongst Revolution. The FNCA was directed by Jorge Mas
the passengers was the National Youth Fencing team Canosa, individual who had an extensive relationship
How is it then that the name Luis Posada Carriles has of Cuba. They never made it to La Habana. It was with the U.S. Empire. In fact, this individual was
not been mentioned by any media, announcing the later discovered that two bombs had exploded in the received, throughout the years, by three presidents of
the U.S.: Ronald Reagan in the 80s, George Bush Sr.
capture of one of the most dangerous terrorists ever interior of the McDonnell Douglas plane.
and Bill Clinton in the 90s. Mas Canosa sent money
known to Latin America? Can it be that the U.S.
Empire does not permit it to use its own logic; because Luis Posada Carriles turned out to be the intellectual to Luis Posada. Posada Carriles himself in different
that would imply recognizing that the U.S. is the mastermind and individual who carried out this declarations he made to the U.S. imperialist media
country that utilizes, trains, helps, protects, and sets terrorist attack against Cubana de Aviación. After said, referring to Mas Canosa: “(he) calculated that he
loose terrorists?
this attack came a series of attacks against Cuba,
Who are the terrorists? >
4
Abril- Agosto 2005
Who are the terrorists?
sent more than $200,000 US dollars…” “He never told
me that the money belonged to the foundation”…”The
money always arrived with a message ‘This is for the
church’ read the message.” Another interesting fact
is that in 1975, one year before the attack on Cubana
de Aviación, the Director of the CIA at the time was
George Bush Sr.
DEATH IN WASHINGTON
Because his training was in explosives, Posada Carriles,
with the help of some members of his group of exiled
Cubans, helped a member of the Chilean army by the
name of Pedro Espinoza Bravo and a member of the CIA
–a long-time resident of Chile, Michael Townley - in
the making of a bomb for the purpose of assassinating
Orlando Letelier, the last Minister of Defense of the
socialist government of Salvador Allende.
Letelier, who had served under Allende, was Chilean
ambassador to the U.S. in 1972. After having been
imprisoned and later exiled from the country by the
Pinochet dictatorship, Letelier, lived some time in
Venezuela and ends up residing in Washington, D.C.
Letelier is assassinated on the streets of Washington
D.C., on the Avenue of the embassies by an explosion
that splits him in half. It was September of 1976, a
couple of months after bombs had exploded aboard
Cubana de Aviación. Two comrades of Luis Posada
Carriles, brothers Guillermo and Ignacio Novo
Sampol-anticastro Cubanswho worked for the CORU
under Orlando Bosch, and
leaders of the National Cuban
Movement
(Movimiento
Nacionalista
Cubano)
actively
participated
in
this terrorist act, as well
as Chilean brigadier and
member of the CIA Michael
Townley.
Unión del Barrio
time was Hugo Rafael Chavez Frías- current President
of Venezuela- who has since ordered the restructuring
of the DISIP. After firing its leader Miguel Rodriguez,
and leaving in charge the Colonel of the Venezuelan
Army Henry Rangel Silva in June of 2005, Hugo
Chavez ordered a complete revision and change of
conduct of the DISIP. This occurs after the end of an
extensive study on this institution, study that began in
2001. The plans for the future of DISIP are to make it
an institution that serves the interest of the Venezuelan
people, and paying attention to matters exclusively to
the security of the state and defense of its people.
THE NICARAGUAN CONTRAS AND COLONEL
NORTH
In 1985 Posada Carriles escapes from the prison in
which he was being held in Venezuela, where he was
bribing prison guards. His name appears for some time
on the Terrorist Empire’s red pages. But this is not for
long. He reappears along with U.S. Colonel Oliver
North. We were able to witness the Congressional
Investigation were North was implicated in the sale
of arms to death squads in Nicaragua, we all had the
opportunity to watch it in full-color on television.
Carriles was actively involved in the Nicaraguan
Contras.
Posada is not the only one that joyfully participates in
the terrorist attacks against Nicaragua, Ronald Reagan
also participates, and with even more passion and joy
than Posada Carriles. It is for this reason that the
President Fidel Castro would be present at this summit.
It was for this reason that Posada Carriles goes to
Panama to put into action his plan to assassinate the
Cuban president. Thanks to the Cuban security forces,
the group is detained hours before Castro enters the
city of Panama.
The Cuban government, as well as the Venezuelan
government requests the extradition of Posada Carriles
from the government of Panama. Posada Carriles
and company’s luck does not end with his detention
and subsequent imprisonment. Not only does the
Panamanian government not concede the extradition
that the two countries request, but in 2004 a couple
of days before the change in Presidential powers in
Panama, Mireya Moscoso pardons Carriles and four
other Cubans. Luis Posada, leaves the Panamanian
prison and disappears for many months. He reappears
in Miami along with known anti-Castro terrorists
asking for political asylum.
THE RETURN OF THE TERRORIST
The way in which Posada Carriles entered the U.S. is
not entirely clear. What has now been circulating on
the internet is information that Carriles and three other
terrorists Pedro Crispín Remón Hernández, Gaspar
Jiménez Escobedo and Guillermo Novo Sampoll were
absolved and released from Panamanian jails through
negotiations brokered at 4 million dollars. The release
was negotiated by none other than Rosa Moscoso,
sister of then president Mireya Moscoso. Mireya
Moscoso signed Presidential Pardon
317, on August 25, 2004 and facilitated
false U.S. documents through the U.S.
embassy that allowed Posada Carriles
and the other Cuban exiles to leave
Panama all under the supervision of
U.S. intelligence officials.
For the U.S. Empire it has been difficult
to grant Posada Carriles immediate
political asylum. Carriles lawyer,
Eduardo Soto, states on the asylum
petition that “his client served U.S.
According to the declarations
made in U.S. tribunals, in Pedro Espinoza Bravo- Chilean Army Brigadier under Pinochet, responsible interest’s throughout three decades.”
Posada Carriles ends up in a prison in El
the District of Columbia, the
for Letelier bombing; Orlando Bosch- co-conspirator of 1976 Cuban Airline Paso, TX. The petitions for extradition
Cubans had the responsibility
to detonate the bomb on bombing; George W. Bush and Rosa Moscoso before Panamanian Presidential came right away. Family members
of the 73 victims of the McDonnell
Monday September 20th, Pardon of Carriles in 2004
Douglas DC-8-63 plane that fell in the
as Townley had taken the
responsibility to install the bomb under Letelier’s car, director of the National Cuban-American Foundation, ocean after explosives detonated in its interior while
mission that was accomplished on Saturday, September Mas Canosa, is no stranger to strolling the banquets of in flight close to the coast of Barbados-request that the
18 th, (anniversary date of Chile’s independence from the house located on 1600 Pennsylvania in the capital U.S. government extradites Posada Carriles so that he
the Spanish crown). It seems that the bomb failed to of Imperialism-Washington DC. And he was by no can be taken to trial for this crime. The government of
detonate on Monday the 20th, so the Cubans had to means a tourist at these banquets and dinners; he was Hugo Rafael Chavez Frías of Venezuela also requests
extradition. The government of W. Bush in the last
remove the bomb from Letelier’s car Monday night, in fact a guest of honor of Ronald Reagan’s.
days of April, 2005 does not approve the requests for
repair it, and reinstall it that same night so it could
We must remember the thousands and thousands of extradition. Wayne Smith, ex-director of the office
detonate Tuesday morning, September 21, 1976.
deaths, disabled persons and orphans that were left as of U.S. interests in La Habana, from 1979-1982
a direct result of the Contra terrorists in Nicaragua, declares that, “After September 11, 2001, when we’re
OPERATION CONDOR IN SOUTH AMERICA
The participation of the brothers Novo and Orlando labeled by Reagan as “freedom fighters.” Using supposedly waging a battle against terrorism, how can
Bosch did not stop in Washington DC. They also the alias of “Ramon Medina,” Luis Posada Carriles we pardon Posada Carriles and maintain any shred of
actively participated in the atrocious Operation Condor. and another Cuban by the name of Felix Rodriguez, credibility?” He remembered- “The bush family has a
This operation was executed in South America, and coordinate the task of replenishing support and logistics history of protecting these men” – referring to Orlando
had as its objective to abolish all political opposition to the Contra from the naval base of Illopango in San Bosch and Luis Posada Carriles-and continues; “The
against the dictatorial, right wing regimes in Argentina, Salvador. A few years later they labeled the invasion only option the U.S. has is to expel Luis Posada
Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay. All of Iraq as “the cross over to freedom…ironic, isn’t it? Carriles. We cannot pardon a terrorist.”
these countries had intelligence agencies, which
coordinated with the CIA and who participated in ATTACKS ON TOURIST ATTRACTIONS IN CUBA As the petition of exile was submitted to the government
Operation Condor. The most enthusiastic dictators to A few years later, Luis Posada Carriles appears of W. Bush last July 25, 2005-one day before the
participate in this operation were Videla in Argentina, once again planting the seed of terror in the name National Day of Rebellion in Cuba, (July 26)-Judge
of Imperial “liberty.” He continues his attacks on William Abbot of the Federal court of El Paso, TX
Pinochet in Chile, and Stroessner in Paraguay.
Cuba. He continues to use the tools and knowledge denies bail to Luis Posada Carriles. It remains to be
Operation Condor planted the seeds of terror and that the Empire’s schools have taught him: Guerrilla seen in what ways the government of W. Bush will
torture amongst the people in these countries, and and Explosives tactics. In the 90s La Habana suffered handle this case. Regardless of the result the hypocrisy
was responsible for the murder and disappearance of terrorist attacks in hotels and tourist attractions. of the U.S. has already be revealed in its so-called
tens of thousands of South Americans. The brothers Entire hotels have to be evacuated by bomb threats “war on terrorism.”
Novo, Orlando Bosch, Michael Townley, and other and detonating bombs. A young Italian tourist loses
Cubans (six of seven of them), and the armies of said his life and seven other tourists are seriously injured, WHAT MORE IS REQUIRED TO BE LABELED AN
countries, participate in “antiterrorist” trainings in as a result of these attacks. It was 1997 and Posada INTERNATIONAL TERRORIST?
France, Portugal, and of course the U.S. Operation Carriles was behind each one of the explosions that The great task that is given to all of us is to rescue
history and to retell history over and over again so it
Condor was said to be an “antiterrorist” operative “in terrorized tourists, and the Cuban people.
serves as testimony of the crimes by imperialism. It
favor” of the “liberty” of the participating countries.
In a declaration made by Posada Carriles to the New is important to always tell the truth. When fascism
York Times in 1997, he claims that not only was he crashes, it crashes against truth, and nothing else.
The DISIP of Venezuela of the 60s and 70s
Luis Posada Carriles, now a citizen of Venezuela and responsible for all the terrorist attacks on Cuba’s Here we have the great task to tell the truth, and with
on the CIA payroll, leads and becomes a member tourist industry, but that he was also behind the attack that, to complete the task of denouncing the crimes
of Venezuela’s DISIP-Dirección de Inteligencia, on the plane from Cubana de Aviación in 1976. And of imperialism. To denounce U.S. imperialism and its
Seguridad y Prevención (Direction of Intelligence, of course, he later retracted these comments. After all, regime of terror against the world. To denounce the
Security, and Prevention). The DISIP is responsible for it is not good for the Empire to be openly supporting Bush Dynasty, the prince father, the prince son and
the torture, murder, and disappearance of thousands of international terrorists, and the declarations made by prince brother, how Castro rightly calls them. To
denounce their terrorist interventions, and to denounce
Venezuelan citizens who struggled for the liberation Posada Carriles were not good for the U.S.’s image.
the prince son that has not only let a terrorist cross the
and welfare of its people. Posada Carriles continued
so-called border of the United States, but is also willing
being a member of the CIA up until months before the THE IBEROAMERICAN SUMMIT IN PANAMA
terrorist attack against the Cubana de Aviación plane Three years later Posada Carriles is detained in to protect and pardon this terrorist with whatever lies
in 1976. For this terrorist attack he is incarcerated in the city of Panama. This time his intention was to it takes.
assassinate Cuban President Fidel Castro. The group
Venezuela, but is acquitted of charges.
of Cuban conspirators takes advantage of the 2000 EXTRADITE LUIS POSADA CARRILES TO
In transit of the Venezuelan National Guard during the Iberoamerican summit. It was publicly known that VENEZUELA NOW!!!!
5
¡LA VERDAD!
Abril- Agosto 2005
Antonio Villaraigosa: Raza Victory or More of the Same?
W
hat does the recent election of Antonio Villaraigosa
for mayor of Los Angeles represent to the Raza
community and our movement for Self-determination?
The May 17th election of Democratic Party candidate
Antonio Villaraigosa to Mayor of Los Angeles has
generated a wave of high hopes and expectations within
the Raza community of Los Angeles and throughout the
occupied territories (U.S. southwest).
The reason, many emphasize, is the fact that since 1872
only two other Mexicans since the theft of our land in
1848, have been mayor of Los Angeles. Los Angeles, with
the 2nd largest Mexican population after Mexico City, has
not had a Mexican Mayor for over 130 years. Without a
doubt, in an era of heightened hostility and open aggression
against Mexicans, Africans and other poor and oppressed
nationalities within the political borders of the United
States, this, on the surface, might seem like a positive
thing.
However, we, as Unión del Barrio, an organization that
attempts to build a vanguard organization that struggles
to build a Liberation movement that will free our people
from poverty, ignorance and exploitation (U.S. settler
colonialism), has the responsibility and obligation to look
beyond the shallow nationalism of those that proclaim a
“victory” for our people when they point to the mayoral
ship of Antonio Villaraigosa of Los Angeles, and focus on
1) who is Antonio Villaraigosa accountable to, 2) what is
his political platform and 3) how does this advance selfdetermination of poor and oppressed communities?
program or COINTELPRO - with its “special”
investigation units in police departments in every major
city in Occupied America (United States)… The bourgeois
print and electronic media contributed tremendously to
the undermining of the Chicano Movement through its
consistent falsification of information and [of] the objectives
of movement forces. At this time we also witnessed the
emergence of the Chicano petty bourgeoisie/vendido
individuals and “tamed” agencies who quickly became
the “legitimate” and “mainstream” representatives of the
Chicano Movement community. These opportunist, on the
leash of the neocolonial white power structure, contributed
in no small way to the suppression and neutralization of
the liberation forces, by their siding with the colonial
bourgeoisie in their attacks against the Chicano Nationalist
movement. (read La Verdad Publication ‘The Last Period
of Struggle’).
What we saw was Raza who, because of the movement,
were able to access higher education and thus receive better
paid jobs. Many Chicano organizations became non-profit
organizations, community leaders into their directors;
their good paying jobs tied to the laws of our oppressors.
These “leaders” turned their backs on the movement, many
denied their participation in the movement and learned to
play lip service to the community stating that our power
lies in our assimilation into America and the only solution
to our problems can be found in our vote, thus the slogan
“tu voz es tu voto”.
The Young Antonio Villaraigosa
Born Antonio Villar in 1952, and raised in one of the
poorest- historically Mexicano- neighborhoods in Los
Angeles (Boyle Heights, East Los Angeles), and comes
from a working class family. As a youth Antonio Villar
becomes influenced by the Chicano Movement of the
60’s-70’s and participates with CASA Carnalismo, a social
service organization at the time, graduates from East Los
Angeles College and joins the Movimiento Estrudiantil
Chicano de Aztlán at UCLA.
As Chair of MEChA, Antonio Villar leads a struggle to
free Los Tres- a group of activists from CASA Carnalismo
who were arrested for shooting an undercover pig who was
pushing drugs into the Mexicano barrios as part of the efforts
of the U.S. government’s Counter Inteligence Program
(COINTELPRO) to de-stabalize- and later destroy- the
struggles of organizations like the Brown Berets, MEChA,
CASA, La Raza Unida Party, etc.
It was during this period that Antonio Villar learned how
to struggle politically and participates in the Chicano
Movement. In addition to the defense of Los Tres, Antonio
Villar struggled for relavant education (Chicano Studies)
at UCLA.
As most Raza youth at the time, Antonio Villar participated
in a collective struggle for Chicano self-affirmation. It
was the thing to do because it empowered our community
to break from the historical colonial relationship that
discriminated and humiliated Raza. It was a movement
that expressed rejection of European-Settler American
identity. As we explained in the past issues of ¡La Vardad!,
the Chicano Movement “was a manifestation of 130 years
of imperial domination,… the Mexicano Indio descendants
of the anglo-american conquest and colonization of Aztlán,
who remain a sub-class within the borders of white america,
look inward, embraced themselves as a legitimate people,
and openly declare their own aspirations and intentions….
it gave birth to modern Chicano Nationalism.” (read La
Verdad Publication ‘The Last Period of Struggle’).
The Defeat of the Chicano Movement and the Rise of the
Hispanic
As we have described in the past, the Chicano Movement,
as a movement, was defeated politically and militarily by
the state (police agencies, courts, legislators/laws, etc.). We
summed this up in the following way:
Any analysis of the history of the Chicano Mexicano
struggle for liberation must include… the overt and covert
role of the colonial state. The relationship of [the state] to
the movimiento during the last period was their successful
destruction of the militant Chicano Power Movement. Thus,
it is of critical importance that today’s activists thoroughly
understand the tactics and strategies, overt and covert, of
the CIA, FBI, etc. in order to counter the type of attacks
that destroyed the movement in the last period of struggle.
Key here is the basic understanding of the various forms
of colonial military repression, e.g. frame ups, killings,
beatings, intimidations, dis-information, and slander.
…Particularly effective was the counter intelligence
Antonio Villar as MEChA Chair at UCLA,
defending Chicano Studies in the 1960’s
The absence of a strong organization, capable of advancing
the just aspirations/demands of the Chicano power
movement, led many Raza participants of the Chicano
Movement to join the ranks of the Democratic Party.
Many of these “Chicanos” have turned their backs or
have downplayed their past activism so as not to seem
too “radical” or “alienate” the status quo. A clear example
is Antonio Villar (who changed his name in 1987 to
Villaraigosa after his marriage to Corina Raigosa), has
sidestepped his activism in MEChA; as did Cruz Bustamante
during his failed bid in 2003 for Governor of California.
(see What came fist, MEChA or Cruz Bustamante?, ¡La
Verdad! March-December 2003).
Villaraigosa and the Democratic Party
As a movement organization, Unión del Barrio has always
maintained that the Democratic Party is the second head
of the same beast (U.S. Imperialism/Colonialism). We
have maintained this position because we are clear that our
struggle is to build independent political power capable of
interpreting our political orientation and defining our own
future- we refer to this as Raza Self-Determination. The
Democratic Party, on the other hand, is tied to the capitalist
colonialist state. The same state that invaded our lands,
unleashed a war of aggression, committed genocide against
the Mexicano Indio people, has written and passed some
of the most vicious and repressive laws and policies that
criminalize our working class community up to the present
date. There is nothing redeemable about the Democratic
Party, the Republican Party and the capitalist system.
Villaraigosa’s successful bid for Mayor was done on the
heels of a defeated bid for Mayor in 2001. So what was
the difference between the 2001 election and the 2005
campaign for mayor? The fact is that in 2001 Villaraigosa
did not have the complete support of the Democratic
Party machinery. The Black vote in Los Angeles was split
6
and the political machinery of the Democratic Party was
not mobilized to support Villaraigosa, the same way this
machinery was not mobilized when Cruz Bustamante ran
for Governor of California in 2003.
So why now? Why did the Democratic Party change its
tune in 2005. First the Democratic Party believed that they
could win the Presidency in 2004 and counter balance
their defeat of 2002, when in the mid-term elections they
lost the majority in Congress to the Republicans. John
Kerry’s Presidential campaign of 2004 was their last
white hope- where they wanted to prove to the general
white population that they were just as Imperialist, just as
racist and just as repressive as the Republicans. If Antonio
Villaraigosa wanted the support of the Democratic Party he
must “prove” himself to his white masters. Hence, Kerry’s
campaign manager? Non other than Antonio Villaraigosa.
Once the Democrats were defeated in November of
2004 and the Republican Party secured the Presidency; a
majority in the House and Senate; the Democratic Party
revealed itself as a defeated party, a politically bankrupt
party. A party that marches to the beat of American fascism
with the Republican party as its vanguard. All we need to
do is look at the last 7 months to expose this fact.
• December 2004: the Senate and House passed the
Inteligence Reform and Counter Terrorism Bill of 2004
which doubled the Migra/Border Patrol & ICE agents
from 15,000 agents to 28,000 by 2009. The focus of this
bill is to “control and contain” the more than 12 million
undocumented people, the majority (9 million) Raza.
• April 2005: The passing of REAL ID, a law that will
not recognize licenses to undocumented people; further
Militarize the Border and give unprecedented powers to a
Presidential cabinet member- Secretary of the Department
of Homeland Security- to waive all laws to “protect”
America. This bill was passed by consensus (100-0) in the
U.S. Senate and 216-161 in favor in the House and sign
into law before it was even presented into Congress by
emperor W. Bush; “If it reaches my desk, I will sign it.”
• July 2005- Congress authorizes to re-new the Patriot Act,
to spy on anyone who thinks differently and come down
on any group, persons or individuals who opposes U.S.
hegemony.
As a Democrat and so-called “progressive” Villaraigosa
has not opposed any of these laws and has done nothing
to challenge the increased assaults on the basic rightsboth civil and democratic rights – won by the last
period of struggle: Chicano Power movement, Black
power movement, Civil Rights movement. Instead he
reinforces/supports this system of exclusion by stating
in his inauguration address that his “victory proves that
democracy does exist and the American Dream is possible”.
What he promotes and represents, with this statement, is
class peace in a time of growing attacks against the poorest,
most marginalized sector of the working class. By allowing
Antonio Villaraigosa to assume power in Los Angeles, the
Democratic Party neutralized the class antagonisms that
had been growing not only in Los Angeles, but throughout
occupied America.
The disenfranchisement of thousands of African/Black
voters in Ohio during the 2004 presidential election, the
growing gap between the poor and “middle class,” the
thousands of deaths along the border with armed vigilante
groups hunting Mexicans, the war in Iraq and Afghanistan,
the growing prison population, the growing “drop out”/
push out rate and the unsustainable capitalist system that
forces more and more people to leave their countries of
origin; what democracy is Villaraigosa referring to? The
only democracy we can point to is the democracy of and
for the rich!
2004 Pesidential race serving his white
masters in the Democratic Party
more of the same>
Abril- Agosto 2005
Unión del Barrio
¿Antonio Villaraigosa: Victoria Para nuestra Raza o Más de lo Mismo?
¿
Qué representa la reciente elección de Antonio
Villaraigosa como alcalde de Los Angeles para la
ciudad de Los Angeles, La comunidad Mexicana, y
nuestro movimiento por la auto-determinación del pueblo
Mexicano?
La elección del 17 de mayo del candidato demócrata
Antonio Villaraigosa a la posición de alcalde de la ciudad de
Los Angeles ha generado una ola de mayores expectativas
dentro de la comunidad Mexicana en Los Angeles y entre
los otros territorios de México ocupado (el suroeste de los
E.E.U.U.).
Muchos enfatizan que la razón es porque desde el año 1872
y el robo de nuestras tierras, solo dos otros Mexicanos han
sido alcaldes de Los Angeles. La ciudad de Los Angeles, la
ciudad con la segunda población más grande de Mexicanos
despues de la Ciudad de México, no ha tenido un alcalde
Mexicano en más de 130 años. Sin duda, en esta época de
hostilidad y agresión abierta en contra de los Mexicanos,
Africanos, y otras nacionalidades pobres y oprimidas
dentro de las fronteras políticas de los Estados Unidos, a
primera vista aparenta como un hecho positivo.
Sin embargo, nosotros, como Unión del Barrio, una
organización que intenta construír una organización de
vanguardia, la cual lucha para crear un movimiento de
Liberación Nacional que libre a nuestro pueblo de la
colonización estadounidense, tiene la responsabilidad y la
obligación de mirar a traves del nacionalismo superficial
de aquellos quienes proclaman una “victoria” para nuestra
gente cuando señalan la alcaldía de Antonio Villaraigosa
de Los Angeles. Enfocamos en 1)¿a quién rinde cuentas
Antonio Villaraigosa, 2) cuál es su plataforma política,
y, 3) de que manera avanza la auto-determinación de las
comunidades pobres y oprimidas?
El Joven Antonio Villaraigosa
Nace Antonio Villar en 1952, y criado en uno de los barrios
más pobres-e históricamente Mexicano- en Los Angeles
conocido como Boyle Heights, Este de Los Angeles, y
quien proviene de una familia de clase trabajadora. De
joven, Antonio Villar fue influenciado por el movimiento
Chicano de los años 60’s y 70’s y fue participante de
CASA Carnalismo, una organización de servicio social,
graduó de el Colegio del Este de Los Angeles y se unió
al Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán en la
Universidad de California en Los Angeles.
Como presidente de MEChA, Antonio Villar encabezó la
lucha para liberar a Los Tres- un grupo de activistas de
CASA Carnalismo quienes fueron arrestados por tirotear
a un policia encubierto que empujaba drogas dentro
de los barrios Mexicanos como parte del esfuerzo del
programa de ContraInteligencia del gobierno Américano
(COINTELPRO) para desintegrar y despues destruir las
luchas de organizaciones como las Boinas Cafés, MEChA,
CASA, El Partido de la Raza Unida, etc.
Fue durante este periodo que Antonio Villar aprendió
como luchar políticamente y participó en el Movimiento
Chicano. Además de defender a Los Tres, Antonio Villar
lucho por una educación relevante (Estudios Chicanos) en
UCLA.
more of the same cont.
What then does Villaraigosa and the Democratic Party
offer Los Angeles?
One only has to look at the political platform to see that
Villaraigosa and the Democratic Party represents more of
the same. According to his website www.antonio2005.com
we see that his vision for Los Angeles has clear plans to
implement repression while making a vague commitment
to Healthcare , Housing and Education.
If we compare the issues; the most costly policies are the
following.
• “Public Safety”- 300 more police immediately on the
streets to “fight crime and gangs” with a long-term goal of
5,000 police county wide and 1,500 citywide.
The LAPD, with one of the worst records of police
brutality, continue to operate with impunity. Even after
the “Warren Commission” the “Christopher Commission,”
and the more recent Rampart scandal, no reform effort yet
has made the police department accountable for its actions
or to the people. A clear example of the level of brutality
and the efforts to cover up such brutality is represented by
July 10th assassination of José Raúl Peña Lemus and his 18
month daughter, Susie López, shot in the head by snipers
in the traditional shoot first and ask questions later policy
of the LAPD when dealing with Raza and other colonized
people. (see Testigo refuta al LAPD, La Opinion 21 de
Julio, 2005)
• Homeland Security Plan- The goal of Villaraigosas plan
is to receive grants for the city so police can develop
Como la mayoría de la Raza de esta época, Villaraigosa
participó en una lucha colectiva para la auto-afirmación
de los Chicanos. Era la cosa que hacer porque apoderaba
a la comunidad para romper la relación histórica que
descriminaba en contra la Raza. Era un movimiento
que expresaba el rechazo de la identidad colonizadoraEuropea Américana. Como hemos explicado en pasadas
ediciones de ¡La Verdad!, el Movimiento Chicano “era una
manifestación de 130 años de dominación imperialista...
Los descendientes Indio-Mexicanos de la conquista
anglo-américana y la colonización de Aztlán, quienes
permanecen como una sub-clase dentro de las fronteras
de américa blanca, miraron hacia dentro de si mismos,
y se aceptaron como una gente legítima, y abiertamente
declararon sus propias aspiraciones e intenciones...dió a luz
al Nacionalismo moderno Chicano” (Leer la publicación
La Verdad ‘El Último Periodo de Lucha’).
El Descenso del Movimiento Chicano y el Ascenso del
Hispano
Como hemos descrito en el pasado el Movimiento Chicano,
como movimiento, fue vencido política y militarmente por
el estado (agencias policiacas, cortes, leyes/legisladores,
etc.) Hemos resumido todo esto de la siguiente manera:
Cualquier análisis de la historia de la lucha ChicanaMexicana para liberación debe incluír..el papel abierto y
encubierto del estado colonial. La relación de [el estado]
al movimiento durante el último periodo fue la exitosa
destrucción del Movimiento de Poder Chicano. Es
decir, es de importancia crítica que los activistas de hoy
comprendan a fondo las tácticas y estrategias, abiertas y
encubiertas, de la CIA, el FBI, etc. para prevenir estos
tipos de ataques que destruyeron el movimiento en el
último periodo de lucha. La clave aquí es una comprensión
básica de las varias formas de represión colonial militar,
e.g. chantaje, matanzas, golpizas, imformaciones falsas, y
defamación. …Particularmente eficaz fue el programa de
contra-inteligencia o COINTELPRO – con sus unidades
de investigación “especial” en deparmentos policiacos
en todas las ciudades principales en América Ocupada
(Estados Unidos)... Los medios burgueses y electronicos
contribuyeron de manera enorme a la destrucción del
Movimiento Chicano por medio de su falsificación
consistente de información y [de] los objetivos de las fuerzas
del movimiento. En ese tiempo también fuimos testigos del
ascenso de los individuos Chicanos pequeños burgueses/
vendidos y agencias “domadas” quienes rápidamente
se convirtieron en los representantes “legitimos” de la
comunidad del Movimiento Chicano. Estos oportunistas,
atados al cordón de la estructura neocolonial del poder
blanco, contribuyeron de gran manera o la opresión
y neutralización de las fuerzas liberadoras, con haber
tomado el lado del burgues colonial en sus ataques contra
el movimiento Chicano Nacionalista. (Leer la Publicación
La Verdad ‘El Ultimo Periodo de Lucha’).
Lo que vimos fue aquello quienes, gracias al movimiento,
habían podido lograr acceso a educación universitaria y
como resultado recibieron trabajos con mejores sueldos.
Muchas organizaciones Chicanas se convirtieron en
organizaciones no lucrativas, líderes comunitarios se
convirtieron en sus directores, sus sueldos altos atados a
“intelligence units.” Currently the role of Homeland
Security has doubled their efforts to enforce immigration
laws. The target has become the millions of working
class Raza and very specifically the Los Angeles based
Mara Salvatruchas. We see more and more Raza being
labeled “terrorist” and what we can expect is that these
“Intelligence Units” will be working with the Migra to go
to people’s homes and work to arrest, detain and deport
more of our people.
At best, what we could expect from Villaraigosa is a
rhetoric of good intentions with a plan of open repression.
His liberal past- having belonged to MEChA at UCLA,
having studied at the People’s College of Law- may lend
itself to engage the Mayor in debate with the objective
of holding public officials accountable for their policies.
However, in the final analysis Villaraigosa represents the
capitalist-colonialist system, the interests of the ruling
class and a tool to maintain our people subjected to colonial
domination; all fueled by his aspirations to maintain his
privalege in middleclass America. For all intents and
purposes, he is a lackey of the Democratic Party; a token
power broker between the suffering masses of poor people
and the capitalist ruling class that makes super profits off
the backs of the poor.
Organization and Self-Determination: The Road Towards
Raza Liberation
For the past 24 years Unión del Barrio has struggled against
the Hispanic petty-bourgoise. We have continuously
opposed and exposed the role these “Hispanics” play in
7
las leyes de nuestros opresores. Estos “líderes” dieron la
espalda al movimiento, varios negaron su participación
dentro del movimiento y aprendieron a dar verbo a la
comunidad diciendo que nuestro poder depende de nuestra
integración dentro de América y que la única solución a
nuestros problemas se encuentra en nuestro voto, creando
la consigna “tu voz es tu voto”.
La ausencia de una organización fuerte, capaz de avanzar las
aspiraciones justas y demandas del movimiento del Poder
Chicano, guió a muchos participantes en el Movimiento
Chicano a unirse a los rangos del Partido Demócrata.
Muchos de estos “Chicanos” han dado la espalda o han
disminuido su activismo del pasado para no aparentar
demasiados “radicales” o para no “omitir” al status quo. Un
claro ejemplo es Antonio Villar (quien cambió su nombre
en 1987 a Villaraigosa despues de su matrimonio a Corina
Raigosa), ha evitado su activismo dentro de MEChA tal
como lo hizo Cruz Bustamante durante su fallado intento
en 2003 para gobernador de California. (ver ¿Que fue
primero, MEChA o Cruz Bustamante?, ¡LA VERDAD!
Marzo-Diciembre 2003).
Villaraigosa y el Partido Demócrata
Como organización del movimiento, Unión del Barrio
siempre ha mantenido que el Partido Demócrata es la
cabeza secundaria de la misma bestia (Imperialismo/
Colonialismo estadounidense). Hemos mantenido esta
posición porque estamos claros en que nuestra lucha es
la de construir poder político independiente, capaz de
interpretar nuestra orientación política y de definir nuestro
futuro-nos referimos a esto como la Auto-determinación
para la Raza. El Partido Demócrata está atado al estado
colonista capitalista que invadió nuestras tierras, desenlazó
una guerra de agresión, cometió genocidio en contra del
pueblo Indio-Mexicano, ha escrito y pasado algunas de las
leyes y políticas más represivas las cuales criminalizan a
nuestras comunidades obreras hasta el presente. No hay
nada que pueda redimir al Partido Demócrata.
La campaña exitosa de Villaraigosa para la alcaldía se
dió al cabo de una campaña perdida para la alcaldía en la
elección del 2001. Entonces ¿cuál fue la diferencia entre
la elección del 2001 y la del 2005 para la alcaldía? El
hecho es que en el 2001 Villaraigosa no contaba con el
apoyo completo de la maquinaria del Partido Demócrata.
El voto Africano estaba dividido y la maquinaria política
del Partido Demócrata no se había movilizado para apoyar
a Villaraigosa, de la misma manera que sucedió cuando
Cruz Bustamante se postuló para Gobernador de California
en 2003.
¿Entonces porqué hoy? ¿Porqué cambio su posición el
Partido Demócrata en el 2005? Primeramente, el Partido
Democrático creyo que podía ganar la presidencia en el
2004 y contraponer su vencimiento del 2002 cuando dentro
de elecciones de medio-término perdieron la mayoría en el
Congreso a los Republicanos. La campaña presidencial
de John Kerry del 2004 era en donde querían comprobar a
la población blanca que eran igual de imperialistas, igual
de racistas, e igual de represivos, como los Republicanos;
y el conductor de la campaña de Kerry era nadie mas que
más de lo mismo pg. 10>
keeping our people colonized and confused. Our people’s
inability to organize our communities has been in part
due to the false sense of hope and “progress” that elected
officials espouse. It neutralizes the urgency we need to
move our people into action to wage an unrelenting struggle
for freedom.
Our proposal for concrete social change, based on justice,
equality and dignity continues to be independent community
organization. The struggle for our basic needs (education,
housing, healthcare, jobs, nutrition) and our right to live
with peace is tied to our obligation to organize our people
into class struggle. We have the obligation to defend our
class interests against those that exploit our labor and deny
us our basic human needs.
Raza Liberation and Independence will not be found by
supporting Antonio Villaraigosa, it will not come from
supporting this or that law, it will not come from voting our
way out of this economic system; it will come when we
raise the political consciousness of our community, in order
to collectively interpret our history- through organizationand change it. We will see victory only when the working
class has organized itself to contend with the capitalist
system and it’s repressive state.
CONCIENTZACION
ORGANIZACION
ACCION
LIBERACION
¡LA VERDAD!
Abril- Agosto 2005
San Diego, Like Every Other Place In the Capitalist
World, Is Rampant With Political Corruption
Editor’s note: In recent months San Diego has witnessed
some of the most scandalous political corruption in recent
history. This article it meant to sum up the relationship of
politicians within bourgeois democracy (democracy for the
rich). It is meant to lend clarity on the role politicians have
historically played in keeping our communities powerless
and in a state of colonial subjugation. The objective is to
relate our experience as an organization in elections and
the importance of building organization and community
based power (power of the people).
I
n May of 2003 when FBI agents entered San Diego City
Hall with search warrants of 3 San Diego councilmen,
Unión del Barrio knew that what we were witnessing
was first an internal struggle between the ruling class
and second a classic example of corruption inherent in
capitalist society. In July 2005, after a Federal Grand Jury
Investigation and trial, two of the three politicians being
indicted were found guilty of bribery, extortion and fraud.
These convictions come on the heels of a court ruling that
overturned a victory of write in candidate Donna Frye and
the subsequent resignation of Mayor “elect” Dick Murphy
on allegations of misuse and mismanagement of public
funds in the billions of dollars making TIME Magazine’s
worst mayor list (see April 18, 2005 TIME Magazine).
This unprecedented level of “scandal” has shaken the
political foundation of San Diego’s local government.
However, for those of us in political struggle who have
an historical memory of San Diego, in fact can
demonstrate how replete this city hall has been
entrenched in political corruption. The following is
only the tip of an iceberg of political corruption where
the ruling class attacks each other for political gain.
because these public officials and or candidates accepted
bribes from Las Vegas Strip Club owner Michael Galardi
to repeal a city ordinance that prohibited bar customers
from touching nude dancers at strip clubs.
• 2004- Roger Talamantez, head of the city-owned San
Diego Data Processing Corp. pleaded guilty to using
his influence as a public official to sign a contract with
a software company in which he owned shares, pleaded
guilty of underreporting the amount of stock he owned.
Talamantez spent lavishly ($35,000) on beverages, parties,
retreats, travel and meals on his friends and business
partners all paid by taxpayers, all during his last five years
as the head of the San Diego Data Processing Corp.
• 2004 -Donna Frye, was denied the mayor ship of San
Diego, even though she had received more votes than Dick
Murphy and Ron Roberts. For six months, San Diego
was without a mayor. Just like the presidential
race of George W. Bush, a conservative court
ruled that the voting ballots for Frye were
inappropriately filled out (she was a
write in candidate) and secured
a Republican mayor- position
which the Republican Party has
maintained since San Diego
(California) was stolen from
Mexico and occupied by the
United States in 1848.
• April 25, 2005, Republican
Mayor elect and former Judge
Dick Murphy quits in response
in our newspaper (see Vendido Politicos Center of Scandal
in San Diego, March-December 2003 ¡La Verdad!). We
were particularly interested in this case because two of the
three councilmen were neo-colonialist (a Mexican and an
African), while the third one was a “white liberal.” At that
time we explained the indictments as a struggle between
the conservative and liberal wing of the ruling class.
Inzunza in particular, began to believe that the
“establishment” -white ruling class had accepted him.
His campaign to win the 8th District City Council seat was
brokered by San Diego’s elite on a $250,000 dollar budget
in comparison to the 13 other candidates who did not reach
this amount combined. In public statements and press
releases we exposed the connection between Inzunza and
the fact that he was nothing but a puppet of the ruling elite.
At the time so-called “progressives,” poverty pimps, small
business owners, even labor unions and environmental
groups opposed our candidacy twice for the 8th
District.- Christian Ramirez and Yolanda
Escamilla both under the banner
of the Raza Rights Coalition.
Instead they choose to support
Inzunza (read Vendido
Politicos
Center
of Scandal In San
Diego, La Verdad,
March-December 2003).
As the scandals continued
to grow, we felt that our last analysis
was incomplete, and hence, a
deeper investigation into
the roots of political
corruption
was
needed.
This is
why we find it
necessary
to define, from a
broader perspective,
the relationship of the
oppression and colonization of Mexicans (and other
nationalities) by the ruling class and it’s invested
power to continuously buy off individuals who aspire
to “public office.”
• 1978 - San Diego City Councilman Jess Haro
(Hispanic vendido) pleaded guilty to a charge that
he lied to federal customs agents about the value
of furnishings his company imported to the United
States. Haro lost his council seat while in jail.
• 1985 - San Diego Mayor Roger Hedgecock resigned
after he was convicted of conspiracy and perjury. Mayor Dick Murphy (left) responsible for billions in
Terrified of going to jail, even for a few months,
Hedgecock, made a deal with the District Attorney to debt; fascist war hawk Randy “Duke” Cunningham San Diego Politics Is A Microcosm Of The
escape jail time. He now makes money as a radio (center) recieved a house for voting in favor of gov- Corruptive Nature Of Global Capitalism
talk show host attacking and blaming Mexicans for ernment contracts to his military friends; white power As we stated in the beginning of this article, the current
everything that is wrong in white America.
nationalist Hedgecock resigns as San Diego Mayor political drama being played out in San Diego should
• 1986 -San Diego Councilman Uvaldo Martinez
be of no surprise to anybody, especially to those who
resigned after pleading guilty to felony counts of after pleading guilty of fraud and perjury.
are familiar with the nature of the Capitalist Political
misusing a city credit card to entertain friends. The
Economy.
media used this sellout to attack the whole Mexican to accusations of mismanagement of hundreds of millions
community as he was stereotyped in a San Diego Union- of dollars of city pension funds he tried to keep secret- For those of us involved in a struggle for the National
Tribune political cartoon as the “Freeload Bandido.” creating a multi-billion deficit of 1.7 billion (see Pension Liberation of the Mexicano People and her territory; we
Martinez, a vendido Republican, was appointed to the trustees vote to release documents to investigators, San understand the relationship of the corruptive nature of
city council by the very same people who later voted to Diego Union-Tribune August 30, 2005)
Capitalism to the continuing colonial and neo-colonial
get rid of him. A true servant to his Anglo-Right Wing • June of 2005, Republican Congressman Randy “Duke” subjection of the Mexican people as being directly tied to
masters, Martinez used his position to attack everything Cunningham- an 8th term right wing fascist and war hawk- the ability of corporations and private businesses to buy
is being investigated for illegally accepting hundreds of off politicians for their personal gain.
from Chicano Studies to poor women on welfare.
• 1989 - Mayor Susan Golding’s husband, Richard thousands of dollars from one of his supporters. This case
Silberman was busted by FBI for laundering $300,000 in is now known as “Mansion Gate”, because Cunningham History informs us that all capitalist societies are born as
drug money. He was convicted a year later and sentenced to received a gift of real estate valued at 700,000 dollars kleptocracies (government by thieves). The capitalists,
46 months in prison. While her husband was working with instead of actual cash. (see June 17, 2005 Union Tribune/ generally speaking, are kleptomaniacs (individuals with
drug pushers, Mayor Golding was telling young people to North County Times).
persistent need to steal). All capitalists demonstrate a high
“Just Say No To Drugs” and calling on the Migra to arrest • July 2005- councilmen, Ralph Inzunza and Michael level of arrogance, where even the pretense of honesty
and deport Mexicans living in San Diego’s North County. Zucchet are found guilty of conspiracy, extortion, and is absent. Moreover, a principle characteristic of the
• 2001 - San Diego Councilwoman Valerie Stallings fraud. The third city councilman- Charles Lewis- died capitalist is greed. This greed leads to lying, stealing,
resigned after pleading guilty to two misdemeanors. She under suspicious conditions months prior to trial.
murder, and corruption. (For more on the arrogance of the
admitted to accepting a series of gifts from Padres base
ruling class, read “White Liberal Rulers Attack Straight
ball team owner John Moores, (a friend of Bill Clinton) Political Corruption Is Nothing New
Talk, Voice of the African Working Class”, The Burning
while voting for the city to pay with public funds for the Political corruption is defined as the abuse of power, for Spear, April 2005)
construction of a downtown ballpark project to be used personal gain or for the benefit of a group to which one
exclusively by the Padres- today this ballpark is known as owes belonging. It is motivated by greed, by the desire The very emergence of capitalism 500 years ago was based
Petco Park and serves as the anchor to the “redevelopment to retain or increase one’s power and/or wealth. It is a on a history of the theft of land and resources (both human
projects” (gentrification) taking place in downtown San practice that has always been used by those individuals and material). The United States as we know it, was built
Diego which are driving up the cost of living (rent, housing interested in appropriating a good or a service, which does on the back of stolen African labor (slavery) the theft of
prices, taxes etc.) of San Diego’s surrounding community. not belong to them.
indigenous lands and exploitation of Asians.
Very few Mexicans can even afford tickets to the base ball
games and the only jobs created for Mexicans and Africans The political corruption that has come down in San Diego Moreover, political economy teaches us that corruption
who live in the surrounding community are as vendors and is nothing new or exceptional to San Diego or the United is a natural feature of what we know as “capitalism” (a
States. This level of corruption could have and has occurred social, political, and economic system where the means
as clean up crews.
• 2003 -David Malcolm resigned as a San Diego Unified in other city across Occupied America; San Antonio, El of productions -factories, stores, banks, mines, and so
Port District commissioner. He pleaded guilty to one felony Paso, Albuquerque, Denver, Phoenix, Oakland, and Los forth- are controlled by private individuals known as
count of conflict of interest related to his “consulting work” Angeles. The question before us must be: why does it take capitalists). The capitalists ensure- through any means
for Port District-tenant Duke Energy- a former partner to place; what lessons can we draw from these experiences possible, including murder and corruption- that all of the
ENRON. He got work-furlough program, paid restitution and what can we do to challenge it?
wealth and power of a nation, from its natural resources
fines and probation costs. While Raza go to prison,
and labor, to government offices and the military, are in
Unión del Barrio Attempts to Expose Corruption In their hands. Capitalism on a global scale has maintained
Malcolm and the ruling class get a slap on the hand.
• 2003 - Stripper Gate: Councilmen Ralph Inzunza, Charles San Diego City Politics
itself and continues to exist through violence (war in
Lewis and Michael Zucchet are indicted by a Federal Grand When the three city councilmen were first indicted in 2003, Iraq, Afghanistan, Occupied America) and corruption
Jury on bribery and corruption charges. The case against many people were concerned and a few even shocked; yet,
corruption >
these three councilmen became known as “Stripper Gate” Unión del Barrio provided a brief analysis of the situation
8
Abril- Agosto 2005
corruption cont.
(Economic “Free Trade” agreements).
Capitalist Society Is Inherently Corrupt
The truth is that every capitalist society is inherently
corrupt. In fact, it can’t exist without corruption. Some
fundamental aspects of capitalism are factors that can only
lead to political corruption. Here are a few features of
corruption that are a part of the “Democratic” Landscape
of the United States:
• Concentration of power in decision makers are not directly
accountable to the people. This is known as “democracy
for the rich” or bourgeois democracy.
• Lack of government transparency in decision-making.
Back room deals among the ruling elite are the norm in a
capitalist society.
• Costly political campaigns, with expenses exceeding
normal sources of political funding. Capitalism creates a
situation where in order to even “run” for office you have
to be rich or be supported by the rich.
• Large amounts of public capital involved in private
projects. In order to ensure that city governments pay for
or approve large development (ball parks, housing tracts,
bay/sea shore development, etc.) the rich will “buy” local
government officials.
• Self-interested closed cliques and “old-boy” networks.
Every city has its ruling clique; if you are not part of this
circle, winning an election is almost impossible.
• Minimal freedom of speech or freedom of the press.
The media, like the local government officials, are in
the pockets of the ruling class. Without an independent
and investigative press, the rich literally get away with
murder.
• Apathetic, uninterested, or gullible populace that fails to
give adequate attention to political processes. Confused
and kept asleep or ignorant by the media, most people have
no idea who really makes decisions or makes the profits in
society or where the money we pay in taxes go.
•Absence of adequate controls to prevent bribery or socalled “campaign donations.” In a capitalist society
laws favor the rich over the working class. All one has
to do is to see how the great majority of those in prison
are workers and the poor; you rarely see rich people get
locked up and when they are convicted they usually get
probation or are sentenced to “minimum security” prisons
and get out within months of being convicted (i.e. Martha
Stewart, Ken Lay, etc.)
White Settlers, The Petty Bourgeois and the Working
Class:
There is a tremendous amount of apathy when it comes
to actually struggling to change things within capitalist
societies. Working class people feel as if there is nothing
they can do to change society. This is why most people
don’t vote. Elections are decided by less than 30% of
those eligible to vote; while Raza some 35 million of us
are ineligible to vote because we are non-citizens. This
means that the great majority of the people have no interest
or feel that their voice is not important within the capitalist
political system.
The majority of the people have simply been brainwashed
to pay attention to things other than politics. The ruling
class has developed the most sophisticated weapon of social
control: the bourgeois media. As with all news companies
they are privately owned in the capitalist world and their
interest is to generate more money from advertising; so
you wont see any relevant information about politics
unless you have cable television- a resource reserved for
only those that can afford to pay for it.
The poor are usually uninformed or misinformed by the
mass media about what is happening around them. There
exist virtually no class or national consciousness; in other
words, they are unaware of their own class interest and
thus don’t struggle to defend their class interest.
While others who aspire to be part of the ruling class are
content as long as they have their 50” flat plasma screen
TV’s, their SUV’s with 20” rims. As long as they have a nice
home, a new car, a good job, and are able to take a couple
of vacations a year, have the time to take their children
to sporting events, and plenty of food in the refrigerator;
they will support U.S. imperialist wars; capitalist imposed
poverty (lack of healthcare, food, housing, education, etc.)
on the majority of the people on earth. They don’t care
about the physical destruction of our planet; the racist
attacks on Raza and other nationalities; the daily police
killings of Mexican youth; the thousands dying on the
politically imposed border and will turn a blind eye when
it comes to government corruption.
These people, particularly the white settlers and petty
bourgeois Mexicans and Africans, are satisfied and indeed,
happy with the status quo. Dignity and self-respect, human
Unión del Barrio
rights, democracy, and so forth, matter little to them.
Capitalism has effectively used its ideological and military
institutions (the State) to ensure that the masses of the
people are either kept ignorant, brainwashed, or physically
managed in a way that they will not rebel. The institutions
that we are talking about are the media, the schools,
churches, police agencies, the courts and prison system.
(for more detail information, read Chicano Journalism,
Its History, and Its Use As A Weapon For Liberation, by
Bustillos, 1992)
The ideological institutions of capitalism have created a
situation were most people can’t relate politics to their
daily lives. The problems created by a capitalist society,
such as drug abuse, racism, police killing of people,
irrelevant education, unemployment, destruction of our
environment, etc. are presented in a metaphysical way
(complex, mysterious, or as a natural phenomenon) to
which the masses feel that there is no solution or something
that only “god” can resolve.
What is the relationship of political corruption to the
Colonial Oppression of Mexicans?
Political Corruption serves the capitalists to continue
the colonial oppression of Mexicans and other nations.
We understand that while “exposing” and “indicting”
some of those who are involved in political corruption
are oftentimes struggles among the ruling class, these
public expositions are also used to neutralize those neocolonialists (Hispanic vendidos) who have been elected
or reach positions of power in government as a way of
confusing and demoralizing the masses of the Mexican
people and other oppressed sectors of society.
This must be explained in clear and precise terms, so
once armed with the knowledge of their class and social
interests, the masses of poor and exploited people will
become our own liberators.
It is here, in this struggle to destroy the foundations of
political corruption, where we must use the case of Ralph
Inzunza (Jess Haro, Uvaldo Martinez, etc.) as a way of
exposing the capitalist nature of individual self interest
and build collective decision making and accountability
if we’re serious about democracy. We say this because we
believe that only collectivism and accountability must be
the basis of a democratic society.
We must make sure that the criminal conviction of Ralph
Inzunza does not turn into a defeat for the Mexican poor
and working class masses, but rather a defeat for this
vendido, his clique and the system of capitalism itself.
We know that the ruling class and the vendidos will do
everything in their power to blame everyone except
themselves for their corruption, they are a dishonest and
thieving lot. They will invent millions of excuses and
lies for their actions or to explain why they landed in
the situation in which they find themselves (disposed of
their positions, fired, on probation, or in jail). Without
exception, they try to save their skin and their money,
while demoralizing the masses that supported or voted for
them.
Therefore it is the responsibility of the progressive
politically consciousness Raza and those who claim to
be revolutionaries, to turn these political scandals against
the enemy of the masses and make them victories in the
struggle for peace, justice, and self-determination of the
masses. This calls for placing the blame squarely where
it belongs: capitalism and colonialism, and their Hispanic
and Uncle Tom puppets.
This struggle to expose the nature of capitalism will take
many forms. Through political actions (protests, marches,
etc.), word of mouth or in print, we must do this in the
street corners, parks, schools, work place, and indeed, in
the prison yard. We must counter the capitalist propaganda,
which upholds the Hispanic vendidos as role models for
our communities.
Charles Lewis, Michael Zuchett and Ralph
Inzunza- Democrats- were bought off by
strip club owners; while community centers,
libraries and parks close their doors, they
give favors to strip club owners to sexually
exploit women
By exposing corruption among the neo-colonialists, the
ruling class achieves the following:
• Reinforces the stereotype that the colonized people are
prone to crime, unable to govern themselves.
• Keeps politicians in line and as effective pawns of the
rich by threatening them with the use of the state (police,
courts and prisons).
• Demoralizes the masses of the people and instills in them
a defeatist mentality; attitudes and emotions which create
a lack of trust in themselves as their own liberators, which
leads to a resignation from all political struggle and social
activism.
What Must We Do? The truth is that we cannot
eliminate corruption, without eliminating capitalism
First and foremost, as we are doing in this article, we must
explain to the masses that corruption affects them more
than any other group in this society. That the money the
capitalist/politicians rip-off are resources that can be used
for the healthcare of our children and parents, for quality
and relevant education, for the creation of jobs, the building
of efficient public transportation systems and the cleaning
of our environment. These funds, if used properly, would
not only raise the standard of living of all of us, but would
work towards the elimination of racism, cut crime, combat
drug abuse, and end the mass imprisonment of our youth
- all issues/problems which exist in epidemic proportions
in most of our communities.
We must also be clear that we cannot eliminate corruption
without eliminating capitalism; that corruption is to
capitalism as alcohol is to alcoholism. We can’t separate
the two. This means that the fight to end corruption must
be a struggle against capitalism and all of its forms of
oppression (racism, sexism, elitism, etc.).
9
We need an organization dedicated to the destruction of all
forms of oppression and for the liberation of the Mexican
people. We must understand that the ability to engage and
sustain this struggle calls for organization, discipline and
commitment. We can’t do things alone as individuals. All
of our efforts must be done through an organization if we
are serious about eliminating corruption.
And we don’t mean just any type of organization. We are
talking about a grassroots, community based organization.
An organization with a political view and mission. With
structure and leadership. An organization of disciplined
members who are accountable to the democratic will of
the organization and it’s political principles. And most
importantly, an organization dedicated to the destruction
of all forms of oppression and for the emancipation of
people from oppression.
Finally, we need an organization that is not afraid of
building alternatives to the corruption inherent in capitalist
society and willing to build a Socialist society where there
is no rich or poor, and everyone equally shares the wealth
of the nation.
Unión del Barrio, since it’s founding in 1981, has
attempted to create this type of organization. In our
struggle against capitalism-colonialism, we have provided
political alternatives. Examples include: the city council
campaigns of Christian Ramírez, Yolanda Escamilla, and
Judy de los Santos, as well as supporting the San Diego
school board candidacy of Pilar Arballo, all under the
control of a collective that is responsible to the people, not
the capitalist who currently control our society.
We have also built mass-based groups where poor people
can discuss, debate and struggle in defense of their class
interests. These include: Raza Rights Coalition, Committee
on Raza Rights, Somos Raza, Chicano Mexicano Prison
Project, Comité de Mujeres Patricia Marín and various
neighborhood Human Rights Committees; In addition
we work with other sectors of our community such as the
Association of Raza Educators, Raza Press Association,
MEChA’s whose strategic objective is creating power and
fighting for the interests of the Mexicano working class;
all with the final objective of building a truly democratic
and just society.
Build a Movement For Raza Self-Determination!
Join Unión del Barrio!
¡LA VERDAD!
más de lo mismo de la página 7
Antonio Villaraigosa- tuvo que comprobar su lealtad al
Partido. Ya que fueron vencidos en Noviembre del 2004 y
el Partido Republicano aseguró la presidencia, la mayoría
en la Casa de Representantes y en el Senado; el Partido
Demócrata se señala como un partido vencido, un partido
políticamente caduco. Un partido que marcha al son del
facismo Americano en conjunto con el partido Republicano
como su vanguardia. Lo único que tenemos que hacer es
repasar los últimos siete meses para exponer este hecho:
• Diciembre 2004: el Senado y la Casa de Representantes
pasa la Ley de Reforma de Inteligencia y Contraterrorismo del 2004, la cual doblego el número de agentes
de la Patrullas Fronteriza e imigración de 15,000 agentes
a 28,000 para el año 2009. El blanco de estas leyes son
las más de 12 millones de personas indocumentadas, la
mayoría (9 millones) son mexicanos.
• Abril 2005: Se aprueba la ley REAL ID, una ley que no
reconocerá licencias de estados que otorgan licencias de
conducir a personas “indocumentada”, que dará seguimiento
a la militarización de la frontera y dará poderes jamas vistos
a un miembro del Gabinete Presidencial (Departamento de
Seguridad de la Patria-DHS por sus siglas en inglés) para
ceder todas las leyes con fin de proteger a América. Esta
ley paso por consenso (100-0) en el Senado y 216-161 en
favor en la Casa de Representates y aprobada antes que
tan siquiera se presentara al Congreso por el emperador W.
Bush; “Si alcanza mi escritorio, lo firmaré”.
• Julio 2005- Congreso autoriza renovar el “Acta Patriota”,
que suspende libertades civiles con el proposito de espiar
a cualquier persona que piensa de manera diferente y
castigar cualquier grupo, personas, o individuos los cuales
se oponen a la hegemonía de los Estados Unidos.
Como Demócrata y llamado “progresista” Villaraigosa
jamas se ha postulado en contra de estas leyes y ha hecho
nada para desafiar los numerosos asaltos en contra de
los derechos básicos, tanto civiles como democráticoslogrados por el último periodo de lucha (Movimiento
de Poder Chicano, Movimiento de Poder Africano,
Movimiento por los Derechos Civiles). Al contrario,
respalda y apoya este sistema de exclusividad con decir
en su oratoría de inauguración que su “victoria comprueba
que la democracia sí existe y que el sueño Américano es
posible”. Lo que él promueve y representa es paz entre
las clases sociales durante una epoca en que los ataques
en contra de los más pobres, y los sectores de la clase
obrera mas marginadas van incrementando. Al haber
permitido que Antonio Villaraigosa asumiera el poder en
Los Angeles, el Partido Demócrata ha neutralizado los
antagonismos de clases que habían estado creciendo no
solo en Los Angeles, pero atravez de los Estados Unidos.
Abril- Agosto 2005
El desenfranquesimiento de miles de votantes Africanos
en el estado de Ohio durante la elección presidencial del
2004, la distancia creciente entre las clases pobres y la
clase “media,” las miles de muertes a lo largo de la frontera
con vigilantes armados cazando a Mexicanos, las guerras
en Iraq y Afghanistan, la exploción de población dentro
de las prisiones, el incremento del número de jovenes que
abandonan los estudios y un sistema capitalista insostenible
que sigue forzando a mas gente abandonar sus países
de origen queda solo preguntar: ¿de cual democracia se
refiere Villaraigosa?
¿Qué ofrece Villaraigosa y el Partido Demócrata a Los
Angeles?
Uno solo debe analizar la plataforma política para ver
que Villaraigosa y el Partido Demócrata representa mas
de lo mismo. Según su website www.antonio2005.com
podemos ver que su visión para Los Angeles consiste en
un plan de represión.
Si comparamos su plataforma política vemos lo siguiente:
• “Seguridad Pública”- 300 más unidades de policía
inmediatamente en las calles para “luchar en contra del
crimen y las pandillas” con una meta de largo plazo de
5.000 policía en todo el condado y 1.500 en la ciudad.
El Departamento de Policía de Los Angeles (LAPD), con
una de las peores historias de brutalidad policiaca, continúa
a operar con impunidad. Todavía despues de la “Comisión
Warren,” y la “Comisión Christopher,” y el mas reciente
“Escandalo Rampart,” ningun esfuerzo por la reforma ha
creado un sistema de responsabilizar al departamento de
policía por sus acciones del departamento o a la gente.
Un ejemplo claro de la brutalidad y de los esfuerzos de
encubrir tal brutalidad es representado por el asesinato el
10 de julio del 2005 de José Raúl Peña Lemus y su hijita
de 18 meses, Susie López, muerta de un tiro a la cabeza
por francotiradores ejercitando su tradicional política de
tirar ante investigar del LAPD cuando se trata de Raza y
otras pueblos colonizadas (de color). (ver Testigo refuta al
LAPD, La Opinion 21 de Julio, 2005)
• Plan de “Seguridad Nacional” – La meta del plan de
Villaraigosa es de recibir becas para la ciudad para que
la policía pueda desarrollar “unidades de intelgencia.”
En el presente el papel del Departamento de Seguridad
de la Patria (DHS-agencias de imigración) ha sido la de
doblegar sus esfuerzos y procurar leyes de immigración.
El blanco en este caso serán los millones de Mexicanos de
clase obradora y especificamente las Mara Salvatruchas.
Vemos que nuestra Raza son los nuevos “terroristas”
(amenaza a gringolandia) y lo que podemos esperar es que
estas “Unidades de Inteligencia” trabajarán con la Migra
para invadir los hogares de la gente y trabajar por detener,
arrestar y deportar a nuestro pueblo.
Lo mínimo que podemos esperar de Villaraigosa es una
retórica de buenas intenciones con un plan de represión
abierta. Su pasado liberal-haber sido miembro de MEChA
en UCLA, haber estudiado en El Colegio de Ley del
Pueblo-quiza se preste para debatir los temas. Sin embargo
en el último análisis Villaraigosa representa el sistema
capitalista-colonialista; representa los intereses de la clase
dominante y trabaja como un instrumento para mantener a
nuestro pueblo sujeto a la dominación colonial; todo esto
con la motivación de mantener su posición privilegiada
en un país anglosajón. Al fin es un títere del Partido
Demócrata; un mediador simbólico del poder entre
las masas que siguen doblegadas y la clase capitalista
dominante que sigue sacando beneficio económico inflado
por medio del sudor de los pobres.
Organización and Auto-Determinación: El camino hacia la
Liberación Nacional y el Poder Popular
Por los últimos 24 años Unión del Barrio ha luchado en
contra del pequeño burgues Hispano. Nos hemos opuesto
continuamente y expuesto el papel que estos “Hispanos”
juegan al mantener nuestra gente colonizada y confundida.
La inhabilidad de nuestra gente de organizar a nuestras
comunidades a sido en parte debido a un sentimiento falso
de esperanza y “progreso” que estos oficiales elegidos
representan. Neutraliza la urgencia que se requiere para
movilizar a nuestro pueblo con el fin de la organización y
la lucha por la Auto-determinación.
Nuestra propuesta para el cambio social, se basa en la
justicia social e igualidad de participar; se basa en la
organización independiente de la comunidad. Se basa
en la lucha por nuestras necesidades básicas (educación,
vivienda, salud, trabajo, nutrición) y nuestro derecho de
vivir sin persecución; está atada a nuestra obligación de
organizar a nuestro pueblo en una lucha de clase. Tenemos
la obligación de defender nuestros intereses en oposición a
aquellos que explotan nuestro trabajo y nos niegan nuestras
necesidades básicas humanas.
Luchamos por liberarnos del sistema capitalista y construir
una sociedad socialista. Nuestra liberación y la victoria
no se encontrará en la alcaldía de Antonio Villaraigosa,
ni resultará de apoyar esta ley o la otra, ni salir de este
sistema económico por medio del voto; vendrá cuando
concientizemos a nuestra comunidad, con el fin de
interpretar nuestra historia -por medio de organizacióny cambiar nuestra sociedad. Solo veremos la victoria
cuando la clase obrera-trabjadora se ha organizado en la
clase en el poder.
CONCIENTZACION!
ORGANIZACIÓN!
ACCION!
LIBERACION!
Katrina no encontro explotadores, sólo explotados
K
atrina, ocupa el primer lugar en la mente de todos
nosotros, habitantes de este planeta. No sólo porque
es, segun dicen por acá, la peor catástrofe nacional, sino
que también porque esta catástrofe ocurre en el país más
rico del mundo. La furia de la naturaleza se da cita en
varias ciudades ubicadas en el Golfo de México y deja
todo bajo las aguas. Nueva Orleans, la ciudad bohemia,
es parte de las victimas de Katrina. La ciudad completa
queda inundada e, incluso, por algunas horas se produce
un vacio de poder. Nadie esta a cargo de nadie e impera
la ley del más fuerte. Parecía que los dioses del medio
oriente fueron más fuertes que los dioses de occidente,
y dejaron a Nueva Orleans convertida en un Bagdad
cualquiera.
Todo esto ocurrió mientras el primer lider de la nación
tomaba unas vacaciones en su rancho en Crawford, estado
de Texas. El lideraje no se hizo esperar, y de alli mismo
(y casi interrumpiendo sus vacaciones) y antes de que
la furia de la naturaleza tocara tierras estadounidenses,
manda un mensaje a los posibles afectados: Que recen
mucho y que salgan de las zonas por sus propios medios
antes de que sea demasiado tarde. Lo malo es que no
todo el mundo tiene sus propios medios. Es más, la gran
mayoría del pueblo en las ciudades afectadas no tenía
estos medios (además de los rezos) para poder salir de las
zonas afectadas por Katrina. Gente pobre y, naturalmente,
de color (ya sea morenos de América Latina, o negros
de Africa), porque en las sociedades capitalistas va de
la mano el ser miembro de una raza “minoritaria” con
la pobreza si eres suertudo, o con la llamada extrema
pobreza, si no te va bien con la suerte.
Ya es dificil acusar a los “lideres” de EEUU de racistas.
Entre ellos mismos ya se acusan de racistas, y esa es la
excusa más loable para poder explicarse dentro de sus
circulos el por que el gobierno no se preocupó de sus
conciudadanos, y no fue al rescate como correspondia a
cualquier gobierno elegido por el “pueblo”. Solamente
es de caracter racista, sino que tiene un caracter netamente
clasista. El defiende a su clase: La clase explotadora.
Nosotros entonces tenemos que defendernos sólos,
porque no hay duda de que pertenecemos a la clase de
explotados. Katrina ataco sin rayar la cancha, pero no
encontro explotadores, sólo explotados.
El pueblo Africano de Nuevo Orleans son vigilados por las fuerzas militares en momentos
de crisis
los más previligiados económicamente pudieron salir
de las ciudades y buscar refugio en otros lugares más
seguros. Uno que otro negro o moreno “previligiado”
tiene que haber llegado a Dallas o algun otro lugar de
Texas buscando refugio con su parentela o amigos. Esto
lo pudieron hacer por que contaban con sus “propios
medios”. Eran entonces “dueños” de esos medios. Con
esto ya vamos pasando la raya del racismo y nos vamos
tornando más en los que “poseen” y los que “no poseen”.
Esta claro que los ciudadanos que no pudieron salir de
Nueva Orleans, no lo pudieron hacer porque no “poseian”
sus “propios medios”. Por lo tanto pertenecian a las clases
explotadas. Los que salieron por sus propios medios
entonces, pertenecen a la clase de explotadores.
Es claro que el mensaje de W. Bush iva dirigido a una sola
de estas clases -“que salgan de la zona por sus propios
medios” -no se le puede decir a la gente que no tiene “sus
propios medios” - Por conclusión el mensaje de Bush no
10
De más esta decir que el capitalismo no va a aceptar
“ayuda” de otros países que no cuenten con estas dos
capas sociales. Cuba ofrecio 1,200 médicos en cuyos
hombros colocaría una mochila con 24 Km de medicina
(en total 28,800 kilos de medicina) para que vinieran a las
zonas desbastadas. Tanto la medicina como los galenos
eran para servir, en forma especial y con experiencia,
zonas desbastadas por huracanes. En forma silenciosa, la
oferta es rechazada. Hugo Chavez, por otro lado, ofrece
petroleo refinado para ser vendido en los barrios pobres
a un precio más bajo. El fín era de evitar que los pobres
y desposeidos se quedaran sin este energetico, por las
alzas de los precios de la gasolina. Esta oferta es también
rechazada en forma silenciosa.
Katrina cobró un número de muertos perfectamente
calculables. Nunca sabremos ese número en forma exacta
producto del clasismo-neofascista del primer mandatario
W. Bush y su camarilla. Se alcanzó a resbalar la cifra
de que los número llegarían a los 20,000 muertos. Más
tarde, y cuando las criticas empezaban a surgir en contra
del gobierno de Bush y su respuesta a esta desgracia
natural, el número empieza a bajar –Que la estimación
de 20,000 muertos fue “exajerada”, que los muertos no
sobrepasarían los 10,000.
Perfectamente nos tenemos que dar cuenta –Y nos damos
cuenta- que aunque hubieran sido 6 muertos los que
provocó Katrina, hubieran sido demasiado. Unas de las
primeras obligaciones de los gobiernos es la de proteger
a sus ciudadanos de peligros. Katrina fue un peligro
anunciado con días de antelación. El país atacado por
Abril- Agosto 2005
Unión del Barrio
A statement by the African Peopleʼs Socialist Party on the responsibility of the U.S.
government for the conditions confronting African victims of Hurricane Katrina
Editor’s note: The following is a statment by the African
People’s Socialist Party- organization that has contributed
greatly to our political and ideological development.
We print this statement in whole as an expression of
solidarity and struggle with our African comrades for
justice, dignity and socialism.
of African people.
The U.S. government’s emergency oil reserves must be
immediately opened up to help alleviate the problems
and to remove the ability of the parasites to use the
impact of the hurricane as a ploy to gouge the workers
and poor in this country for gas and other necessities. We
demand that the U.S. government adjust gas prices to
correspond with the basic incomes of the communities
being affected.
September 2, 2005
St. Petersburg, FL USA
T
he African People’s Socialist Party condemns the
abandonment by the U.S. government of hundreds
of thousands of African people in New Orleans, in
Mississippi, Alabama and the whole Gulf Coast area
where they are facing deadly conditions without
food, water, shelter and hygiene following the recent
hurricane.
We demand that the U.S. government accept the
generous offer by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez
to provide gas that can be sold more cheaply in the poor
communities.
The African community of New Orleans were left to die The Bush family and other oil barrens must be prevented
from ripping off our already desperate people from
The fact that the U.S. government attributes the by the colonial state
further exploitation and extraction.
horrors of the hurricane to nature is condemnable. The
consequences of this very predictable disaster cannot be blamed
on nature when emergency plans and contingencies were never
put in place and the government watched for days as the storm
approached and did nothing.
In the majority African city of New Orleans the government
stood by and refused to strengthen the levees to stop the
flooding knowing that the only people left in the city were tens
of thousands of powerless, colonized African people living in
the low-lying areas. These impoverished African people have
no resources to escape this disaster. They are stranded and
desperate while most white and wealthy people left the city
prior to the storm and have the resources to live elsewhere.
We reject the notion that the presence of a primarily African
administration in New Orleans absolves the U.S. government
from its responsibility in this crisis. The presence of black
administrations in New Orleans and other similar U.S. cities
represents indirect rule, white power in black faces, known the
world over as neo-colonialism. Neo-colonialism allows imperial
white power to hide its control over the
wealth and economy and thereby the
government of a particular city, territory
or country. Neo-colonialism is the means
by which imperial white power is able to
use black faces to carry out oppressive
policies necessary to maintain the
existing relations of power between the
government, the white ruling class and
the masses of African people.
This is a crisis of the nature of the parasitic system that
currently has billions of dollars of resources tied up in the
brutal war against the Iraqi people. The Iraqis have also
been transformed into refugees and have been plunged into
comparable destitution by U.S. actions for the purpose of
extracting oil and resources.
This crisis has been exacerbated by parasitic corporations whose
lust for money has created the global warming that intensifies
the storms and ravages of nature. This reality is being denied
by the current regime.
The statements from U.S. President George W. Bush and others
of his administration indicate that New Orleans and other cities
will be rebuilt. However, this is not a statement of the future of
the African workers and poor who have survived this disaster.
Clearly their talk of rebuilding simply means that Halliburton
and other corporations close to the Bush regime are waiting in
the wings for the multi-billion dollar contracts that come from
U.S. induced disasters such as this one, September 11, and
stemming from the U.S. aggression against the people of Iraq.
Massive resources equal to those being spent by the U.S. in
Iraq must be poured into the distressed African communities to
uplift the whole African people. This infusion of capital must
not only respond to the current crisis facing the African people
in this region, but must also be used to overturn the colonial
conditions that African people suffer from historically.
We demand an immediate massive air drop of food and water
to our starving African people. Decent temporary shelters
must be built. The affected African population must be given
immediate employment as part of the process of rebuilding our
communities. Our communities must be reconstructed into
places that are finally worthy of human habitation as opposed
to the traditional colonial dwellings that we have been subjected
to for the past 400 years.
Government resources must be provided to create community
owned enterprises and business to provide food, clothing and
shelter. This will give African people the ability to build a
community that can fend for itself and not be reduced to beggars
by a government for whom African people
are nothing but an expendable commodity.
“WE CAN’T RELY ON THE SYSTEM WHICH BROUGHT
US INTO SLAVERY TO SOLVE THE PROBLEMS WE
FACE! AFRICANS OURSELVES ARE THE ONLY ONES
WHO WILL TAKE CARE OF OUR AFRICAN BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN NEW ORLEANS.”
Subsequent to the storm destitute, homeless African people in
much of the Gulf Coast region have been turned into refugees
on a scale the magnitude of which has not been seen since the
exodus of African people from the South after the Civil War.
In New Orleans nearly 100,000 mostly African working class
and poor people are virtual prisoners surrounded by National
Guard. Africans have been crushed into living quarters in the
New Orleans dome that are comparable to the slave ships that
brought us here from Africa. From these subhuman conditions
African people are being transported to a similar situation in
Texas which holds nothing but an uncertain future without
permanent housing, jobs, family or community.
Unlike the attacks of September 11 four years ago, there can
be no pretense by government officials that the devastating
hurricane was a surprise, as they passively watched its approach
and predicted its deadly consequences days prior to its arrival.
Clearly, this is not a crisis of nature but a crisis of the nature
of this parasitic capitalism system whose wealth and power
were built off the enslavement and oppression of African and
other oppressed people. This is a crisis of the nature of a system
that maintains African people today as a colonized population
inside the U.S. where we are impoverished and without political
power to control and decide the fate of our own people and
communities.
Katrina es el país más rico de todo el mundo. Es el país
que tiene las Fuerzas Armadas más grandes del planeta.
El país que tiene el presupuesto militar más gordo de
todos los países del mundo. Aun asi, el primer lider del
país ofrece sus rezos a su pueblo y un “salvese quien
pueda…o tenga”
Katrina nos deja unas cuantas enseñanzas, entre ellas
que un gobierno de corte capitalista y neofascista no se
preocupará nunca de su pueblo trabajador. Sólo en Nueva
Orleans habian unos 100,000 obreros, los cuales fueron
abandonados con todo y familia. 100,000 hombres y
mujeres (en su gran mayoría negros africanos) explotados
durante quien sabe cuantos años, para luego ser
abandonados a su suerte por los explotadores. W. Bush,
siguiendo la guianza de las grandes corporaciones, no
The African People’s Socialist Party condemns the fact that
impoverished African people in New Orleans who have
been driven to a desperate life-and-death situation are being
portrayed by the media and the government as lawless looters
and criminals. We denounce the presence of thousands of
military and National Guard forces whose purpose is to impose
martial law and containment policies on a suffering and enraged
population of colonized African people.
The African People’s Socialist Party demands that criminal
charges be brought against U.S. government and other
officials and the various agencies standing by passively and
doing nothing to protect the people from these devastating
conditions.
We demand a cessation of the military attacks against African
people under the guise of calling them looters and lawless
gangs. Talk of law and order, the shooting of looters and the
treatment of Africans as an enemy population is a diversion
from the crimes of the real offenders who are responsible for
this situation and who stand to make millions of dollars once
again at our expense.
We demand that charges be brought against all those parasitic
corporations, businesses and individuals who are price gouging
for housing, food and gas at the expense the terrible suffering
duda un instante en suspender sus vacaciones y continuar
descansando en Washington. Naturalmente que deja su
rancho de Cawford, Texas, no sin antes recoger a uno
que otro perro faldero para que la prensa lo vea como un
ser sensible. Después de la pasada de Katrina, y como
Nerón lo hace con Roma, le da una sobrevolada a las
zonas afectadas para ver con sus propios ojos hasta donde
había llegado la fuerza de la naturaleza. No hay nuevas
instrucciones del primer mandatario. No hay nuevas
preocupaciones para el presidente de los EEUU, además
de que sus vacaciones fueron inoportunamente terminadas
por la llegada del no menos inoportuno huracán Katrina.
Los desposeidos de Nueva Orleans no eran la primera
preocupación de W. Bush ni de nadie de los dirigentes de
la nación más poderosa del planeta.
11
We call on African people all over this
country and the world to mobilize in their
communities for demonstrations, rallies and
meetings to force the U.S. government to
meet these demands.
The brutal and subhuman treatment of
African people in this most recent crisis of this parasitic system
proves once again that the only solution for us is to unite under
the banner of African Internationalism. As the philosophical
foundation of the African People’s Socialist Party, African
Internationalism recognizes that the current conditions affecting
African people everywhere are due to the attack on Africa and
the enslavement and dispersal of African people.
Our conditions are due to the creation of the artificial borders
that separate African people from each other and from our
resources not only in Africa but around the world. African
Internationalism recognizes that the conditions of African
people facilitate a parasitic social system built at our expense
for the benefit of white power and white society as a whole.
Build the African People’s Socialist Party to liberate Africa
and all our African people under the leadership of the African
working class.
Uhuru!
African People’s Socialist Party • P.O. Box 11281
St. Petersburg, FL 33733-1281
For more information on the African Hurricane Relief Fund or to make a
contribution or volunteer, contact 727-502-0575. To make a direct contribution, make checks out to “African Hurricane Relief Fund,” account
1883849029. Send them to Washington Mutual, 355 8th Avenue South,
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
Que los verdaderos terroristas y genocidas sean llevados
ante la ley para que paguen sus crimenes de lesa
humanidad. Que los verdaderos asesinos sean presentados
ante el pueblo trabajador para que éste los jusge y puedan
de una vez y para siempre pagar sus criminales acciones
en contra del pueblo trabajador y de la humanidad
entera. Katrina no es el huracán asesino, los asesinos
son las corporaciones, que con su loca carrera productiva
desbalanzan ecológicamente a nuestro planeta y hacen que
los fenómenos naturales, como Katrina, se transformen
en mounstruos jamás antes visto. Los asesinos son los
individuos que se dejan manejar como viles titeres por
estas grandes coorporaciones, y actuan en contra de las
grandes masas de trabajadores sin importarles la suerte
que estos corran. Esos son los verdaderos asesinos y
contra ellos tenemos que actuar y exigir justicia hoy!
¡LA VERDAD!
I
Abril- Agosto 2005
Gang Injunctions: Strategy of Increased Criminalization
of Raza in Oxnard and throughout Occupied America
n March of 2004 the Oxnard Police Department, headed
by then Police Chief Art Lopez, together with the
Ventura County District Attorney Greg Totten proposed
the first Civil Gang Injunction (CGI) in Ventura County.
CGI’s are the fiercest, most repressive measures, used by
police departments in barrios across California as a “tool”
to contain the poor and colonized masses of Mexican and
African people’s from organizing. CGI’s have served as a
mechanism by the state to give law enforcement arrest and
search powers above the U.S. Constitution to apply any
means necessary to incarcerate young adults and minors
who they consider “gang members” or a “threat” to white
America.
Gang Injunctions, as they are referred to, are lawsuits
against “unincorporated associations” (groups of
individuals identified by police) who are served with a
“gang injunction” (legal paperwork), which prohibits
these individuals from associating with others within a
specifically targeted geographical area. (see http://www.
streetgangs.com/injunctions) The target zone are usually
a square mile or several square-miles in scope, targeting
the poorest African or Mexican neighborhoods in any
given city. In addition these injunctions are a growing
trend in and around new “economic development areas”
where housing and business projects have been proposed
or initiated.
kid who has not yet even been conceived, is already in line
to get “served” with gang injunction papers.
The Committee on Raza Rights(CRR) Takes a Stand Against
the Gang Injunction in Oxnard
The Committee on Raza Rights (CRR), an Oxnard
community-based organization under the leadership of
Unión del Barrio for the past 10 years immediately took
a firm and direct position against the gang injunction. The
following day after the Oxnard Police Department announced
they had sought a gang injunction for the city of Oxnard,
the Committee on Raza Rights (CRR) released a page long
position statement summing up the gang injunction as an
attack on the basic rights of the people. The following is an
The Committee on Raza Rights statement sparked a series
of debates and discussion across the city of Oxnard and
into the chambers of the Ventura County Superior court.
The statement would serve as a reference point for both
proponents and opponents of the injunction, striking deep
into the emotional, social and political views and approaches
to the issue of barrio violence in our community.
In response to the surprise announcement of the gang
injunction, the CRR called for a community-wide debate at
the city council meeting. On April 6, 2004, the city council
meeting was packed in a standing room only audience in
which residents both for and against the gang injunction
presented their arguments and concerns. The Chief of Police
Art Lopez vigorously and emphatically defended the
need for this type of measure. Chief Lopez’s presentation
was directly in response to the Committee on Raza Rights
statement in which he lividly and in the most dishonest
fashion stated that the injunction would not target Raza
youth. He proclaimed that this injunction would target
adults, the “terrorists”, the “packs of wolves”, and “not
Raza youth”. The straight out deception of the community
would resurface a year later exposing Art Lopez, and the
administration of the Police Department as hypocrites.
Barrio Resistance, Neocolonialist-Sell Outs and the
Continued Criminalization of our Youth
City officials, including the mayor, Manuel Lopez and
Gang injunctions form part of a strategy of economic
three out of four council members, John Zaragoza,
gentrification, “the process of renewal and rebuilding
Andres Herrera and Dean Mauldhart as well as the city
accompanying the influx of middle-class or affluent
manager Ed Sotelo unconditionally endorsed the gang
people into deteriorating areas that often displaces
injunction. It was clear that in order to please their
earlier, usually poorer, residents”. The target zone for
masters and corporate interests, officials had decided to
the gang injunction in Oxnard, for example, is 6.6 square
sell out or community on the backs of Raza youth. The
miles in size, encompassing close to 75% of the city’s
community, however, responded in the most heroic of
residential areas consisting of the poorest working-class
efforts to defend themselves.
barrios in Oxnard. The targeted barrio, La Colonia, is
An organic and spontaneous struggle led by Raza youth
literally boxed in with new housing tracts on its north
being directly targeted by police with the gang injunction
side, industrial and business facilities on its east and
began a campaign to expose the unjust attack on the civil
south sides, and along its west side border you will find Oxnard “Gang Injunction” covers the entire Barrio rights of those being served. Dozens of young Raza
the central business district/downtown redevelopment
began to organize car washes to fundraise money to pay
of La Colonia
with Starbucks and corporate Cineplex movie theatres.
for legal representation to challenge the gang injunction
(see map)
in court. CRR met with the vibrant young leaders and
excerpt of the statement:
which then formed the Colonia Civil Rights Coalition to
Carefully and strategically interwoven within several already
gain broad-based support to defend the civil rights of the
illegal activities, such as carrying guns and possession of “The CRR clearly understands that the deep-rooted social youth targeted by the injunction. It was at this time in the
drugs and/or drug sales, city or district attorneys prohibit the issues such as barrio-warfare, the importation of drugs into struggle for the injunction that skilled organizers, activists,
right of association with other “known” gang members and our communities, and crime are a result of the colonization and community members began to mobilize candle-light
associates, as well as curfew restrictions limiting the freedom and oppression of Mexicano-indigenous people. The CRR vigils, educational forums and demonstrations to educate
of movement for those under the gang injunction terms. Law proposes that the solution to the social issues Mexicano- the community that punitive measures such as the gang
enforcement understand clearly that with gang injunctions, indigenous communities face lies within the community, injunction were ineffective and only served to incarcerate
the police circumvent people’s right to representation by a not from a paramilitary organization (police). The solution more Raza without addressing the root causes of violence. It
public defender, the right to a jury trial, and the right to proof is for Mexicano-indigenous people to commit ourselves was at this time that initial contacts were made with lawyers
of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt which makes is easier to to a positive, educational, cultural and political movement who were willing to take on the defense and challenge the
detain, question and arrest young Raza. The stripping away to uplift our community, our youth in particular, to a gang injunction. Two independent lawyers and the Public
of the right to association is such an important component revolutionary level of consciousness. By revolutionary, the Defenders office decided to team up and challenge the
that the Deputy District Attorney Karen Wold stated in court CRR means that a serious change in the manner in which injunction in court.
“without the association prohibition, the gang injunction is we address and listen to our youth, how we construct
useless!” Gang injunctions make it a crime to walk down and maintain our economic development, how and what In the months following, an even broader coalition was
the street and shake hands, appear in public with a childhood we present as relevant education, and to how we create formed under the name Chiques Civil Rights Coalition
compañero or even your own family members that police and establish our political future must be rooted in an Organizing for Rights, Equity, Education and Employment
claim to be associated with a “gang”.
independent, community-initiated, proactive and solution- (CORE). Support by local organizations such as the
based effort (see committeeonrazarights.org)
Citizens for Peaceful Resolutions, the South Oxnard
Within the last five years, there has been an increasing
League of United Latin American Citizens, the American
proliferation of gang injunctions up and down the state of Police Chief Art Lopez and the District Attorney openly Civil Liberties Union of Ventura County, the Green Party
Califas. There are close to 40 gang injunctions in California, utilized the tactic of dehumanization in order to justify their of Ventura County, the Central Coast Alliance United for
with at least 30 in the Los Angeles area, three in San Diego, oppressive measure against our barrio. In response the CRR a Sustainable Economy, the Peace and Dignity Journey,
two in Fresno, one in Ventura County (Oxnard) and recently wrote:
the Mexican American Bar Association along with others.
one was implemented against a barrio in the state capital
(http://chiques-coalition.tripod.com).
city of Sacramento. Just a few months ago, in hopes of “Our community has lived in terror for centuries, our
appealing to the “get tough on crime” audience, ex-Mayor community has witnessed and suffered political and A campaign was initiated to expose the viscous nature of the
James Hahn, a life-long proponent of gang injunctions, economic repression. Our community has lived in a state gang injunction as a ploy to criminalize young Raza in the
attempted to propose the idea of implementing a county- of siege by occupiers, imperialists and thieves. Our natural barrio. Thousands of leaflets were handed out door to door
wide injunction for Los Angeles which would stretch over and human resources have been stripped away, and we by community activists and supporters, signatures of support
450 square miles. There is now also an effort to export this have become second-class citizens on our land. This is were gathered and submitted to defense lawyers for the trial
repressive strategy into other states, for example, one gang historical fact and our reality has been shaped by the same against the injunction. Close to 300 community members
injunction has been approved in El Paso, Texas.
colonizer that seeks to throw our kids into cages. We have signed legal statements opposing the gang injunction and
been reduced to “criminals,” “gangsters,” “illegals” and declaring that the police had falsely described the conditions
A very important fact regarding gang injunctions, is the even “domestic terrorists.” The continued dehumanization in the community. The police declared, as all injunctions
that police departments and district attorneys are literally of our people continues with comments such as those made across the state claim, that “Residents live in constant fear of
“carbon-copying”, nearly word for word the legal text and by Oxnard Police Chief Art Lopez, labeling Raza youth “a random violence breaking out at any moment on the streets,
descriptions of barrios in effort to have judges approve pack of wolves” as a tactic to take the human face away sidewalks and local parks in their neighborhood” and the
language that has been used in other cities. This “new breed” from the kids in our community living in the oppressed community residents were “prisoners of their own homes
of gang injunctions in which the entire “unincorporated reality we find ourselves.
afraid to walk their pets and wash their cars…”
associations” in which individuals are not specifically named
until after-the-fact, that is, after the judge approves either The systematic racism found within the economic and These deliberate lies were used as justification for a court
a temporary or permanent injunction. The gang injunction political system that feeds itself off the backs of the order declared by Judge Fredrick Bysshe that there exists an
strategy of suppression and containment, has served to Mexican worker is the same system that petitions and “urban war zone” and approved a preliminary injunction,
more easily incarcerate, harass, and criminalize an entire calls for injunctions in the poorest sectors of our barrios, which would later become a permanent injunction. A key
generation of Raza in our barrio, some as young as 16 years the incarceration and criminalization of our youth and the element of the failure of the police department, city officials
old and others who are in their 50’s. The gang injunction efforts against the righteous struggle for self-determination and the district attorney was that not one single community
in Oxnard can affect “People who are not even born can be and community empowerment.”
member declared support on the record in favor for the
served with this order 20 years from now”, meaning, that a
Gang Injunctions >
12
Abril- Agosto 2005
Unión del Barrio
community.
As Unión del Barrio, we believe in short term alliances as
a means to educate and raise the political consciousness
of our community; however, in the final analysis the only
way to do away with the poverty and violence found in
our community is to struggle against the capitalist-colonial
system which supports the repression of the poor to keep
the rich wealthy and in power. That is why the CRR has
struggled to expose this vicious attack against poor people,
because the ruling class of Oxnard is making every effort
to control and eliminate what they view as an expendable
population.
Raza youth take a stand against police
repression
Gang Injunctions cont.
injunction. The police and city officials never consulted with
the community as to what strategies would best serve in the
interests of our barrio to address the question of “violence”
on our streets. The police unilaterally declared a local “war
on gangs” and deliberately undermined the community
residents in their decision to seek a gang injunction, and in
response CORE declared a statement on why the community
of Oxnard opposed the gang injunction and proposed an
alternative. Below is a summary of the proposal:
What is our Alternative Solution?
1. We MUST provide effective alternatives to gang life
through: employment, job-skills training, education and
substance abuse rehabilitation.
2. We MUST provide effective social services to families,
youth and young adults involved or affected by gang
violence through mentoring, drug and alcohol abuse
counseling, mental health service, prenatal care, early
childhood intervention, etc.
3. We MUST launch a city-wide, community-based
movement to end violence in our streets. Residents, city and
county agencies and officials, schools, churches, businesses
and others must become ACTIVE AGENTS OF SOCIAL
CHANGE in our community to make a long-term impact
on violence.
4. We MUST learn from other communities that have
successfully addressed the problem by viewing violence as
a public health crisis.
5. We MUST defend the civil rights of all members of our
Oxnard Police Chief Art Lopez serving his
white masters
Victory! A Year of Struggle, Activism and the Makings
of a Community-Based Movement for Social Justice and
Political Power
In June of 2005, after a year of campaigning against the
gang injunction, Judge Bysshe ordered the gang injunction
permanent. To many this decision signaled a defeat. This
was however, the CRR had anticipated this decision from the
start, especially with a subservient city council, particularly
councilmen Zaragoza and Herrera (both are funded by the
Peace Officer Association/Police Union), who testified
in court in favor of the gang injunction sealing the fate of
hundreds possibly thousands of Raza. Throughout the trial
against the gang injunction, the District Attorney attempted
to isolate the work of CORE and the Committee on Raza
Rights by attacking several of our members labeling us
“activists” and “anti-police” in an effort to discredit the
righteous and honorable struggle of our people.
The work organizing around the injunction marks the
beginning of the next period of struggle for the Committee
on Raza Rights, and our work within a broader-based
community alliance.
consider non-punitive measures to address youth violence
and that they would seek consultation with the community
on these types of decisions. City officials have been forced
to make youth programs, jobs and education a priority and
part of their agendas and political platforms.
We say victory, because we will initiate a grass-roots
campaign to run or support a candidate that aligns with
the social, economic and political aspirations of the great
majority of poor working-class Raza. Our community is
tired of the ‘business as usual politics’, in which council
members are controlled by special interests and do not
diligently work in the best interests of our barrios.
We say victory! Even though the gang injunction is
permanent, as this edition of ¡La Verdad! Newspaper goes
to print, lawyers are filing an appeal against the decision by
Judge Bysshe because he failed and “politically side-stepped’
the community’s concerns about the gang injunction.
We say victory, because through this struggle we have been
able to met hundreds of community people who truly respect
and support our work and our ideas. We have worked with
the best and brightest young leaders in our barrios, who are
labeled “gang members” and took and continue to take a
stand against the injunction despite the fierce and retaliatory
repression by the police. We have met, befriended and worked
with the families, the mothers, parents and grandparents of
youth who are constantly harassed by police. We say ¡Ya
Basta!
We say victory, because police practice has exposed the lies
of Police Chief Art Lopez. While making promises that the
injunction would only target adults, several minors have
now been served with the gang injunction. The community
will see that the injunction ploy is full of deceit, and history
has proven us right.
We say victory, because the lessons learned from this last
year’s struggle are immense. Our community organizing
skills have been enhanced and we will utilize these for
future campaigns, whether it is organizing for police
accountability and a community-based police review board,
electoral campaigns, or other community work we say:
We say victory, because the struggle led by the community
has influenced other Ventura County cities to re-think and
¡Ni Un Paso Atrás!
¡Hasta La Victoria-Siempre!
Unión del Barrio promueve el desarrollo de colectivos comunitarios que abogan por la
defensa de la comunidad Mexicana. Nuestra membresía participa activamente en estos
colectivos para promover el poder independiente y avanzar la lucha por la auto-determinación de nuestro pueblo. Este trabajo se desempeña bajo el liderazgo de Unión del Barrio o como proyectos directos de Unión del Barrio. Entre los colectivos existe La Coalición
Pro-Derechos de la Raza en San Diego y el Comité Pro-Derechos de la Raza en Oxnard.
Así Pensamos:
Mucho más temprano que tarde, los millones de mexicanos que somos
explotados económicamente, que somos victimas de la represión y la opresión,
optaremos por la autodefensa, por la organización, seremos libres, y no habrá
ley, fuerza o gobierno que pueda detener nuestro proceso libertario.
La existencia de la Coalición Pro-Derechos de La Raza se basa en los derechos
fundamentales de nuestro pueblo por alcanzar la justicia, la igualdad y una
existencia libre del racismo, de la explotación, del sexismo y de la ignorancia.
Buscamos una vida digna donde la represión, la inseguridad y la brutalidad
de la policía y de la migra sean cosas del pasado. Este es el futuro que hoy
empezamos a construir.
Creemos en la construcción de una organización independiente y democrática,
libre de instituciones gubernamentales, que promueva nuestra cultura y el
derecho innegable a la libre determinación de nuestro pueblo.
POR ESTO LUCHAMOS:
1. Empleo total con trabajos sindicalizados y salarios dignos
2. Educación culturalmente relevante y de calidad, publica y accesible en todos
los niveles, para nuestra juventud- incluyendo educación bilingüe y Estudios
Chicanos/La Raza
3. Servicios de salud gratuitos y de calidad para todo el pueblo
4. Vivienda decente y económicamente alcanzable
5. Control comunitario de la policía y los Sheriffs
6. Abolición de la Patrulla Fronteriza y la desmilitarización inmediata de la
Frontera
7. Alto a la importación de drogas a nuestros barrios
8. Alto al intervencionismo de Estados Unidos en México, América Latina y el
mundo
9. Suspensión inmediato al Tratado de Libre Comercio de Norteamérica
y alto al Área de Libre Comercio de América (ALCA)
10. Exigimos un medio ambiente limpio y saludable.
11. Justicia social y verdadera democracia en México.
Unión del Barrio promotes mass based community collectives to advance Raza SelfDetermination to build independent power. Our communities have identified the following statement of purpose and list of demands that unite these collectives. This work
is carried out either under the leadership of Unión del Barrio or as direct projects of
Unión del Barrio. The San Diego based Raza Rights Coalition and the Oxnard based
Committee on Raza Rights function as these mass based community groups.
This Is What We Believe:
Sooner or later, the millions of Mexicanos that are economically exploited,
politically repressed and oppressed, will choose to defend ourselves, we will
organize ourselves, and we will liberate ourselves and there will be no law,
physical force, or governmental institution that will be able to hold back our
liberation.
The existence of the Raza Rights Coalition is based on the basic right of our
people to pursue justice, equality, and a life free of racism, exploitation, sexism,
ignorance, physical and cultural repression, insecurity, racist laws, and police/
migra brutality. This is the future we are building.
We believe in building independent community based organization and power,
free from all government institutions and corruption, promoting political,
economic, and socio-cultural self-determination.
THIS IS WHAT WE STRUGGLE FOR:
1. Full employment with union jobs and decent wages.
2. Quality education for all our children including Chicano/Raza Studies and
Bilingual Education at all levels.
3. Free health care for all people
4. Decent affordable housing
5. Community control of the police and sheriffs
6. Abolishment of the racist Border Patrol and the demilitarization of the
Mexico/U.S. border
7. End to the importation and promotion of drugs in our communities and
barrios
8. An end to U.S. intervention in Mexico, Latin America and all over the globe
9. An immediate halt to the North American Free Trade Agreement
(NAFTA) and no to the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA)
10. A Clean and Healthy Environment
11. Social justice and true democracy in México
¡POR LA DIGNIDAD
LUCHAMOS!
¡POR LA LIBERTAD
VENCEREMOS!
13
¡LA VERDAD!
Abril- Agosto 2005
COMPAÑERO MARCO ANGUIANO: UN
HOMBRE DE PRINCIPIOS Y DE COMPROMISO
REVOLUCIONARIO
COMPAÑERO MARCO ANGUIANO: A MAN OF
PRINCIPLE AND REVOLUTIONARY COMMITMENT
E
Rights Coalition. It was in 1991 that he
joined Unión del Barrio. Recognized for
his skill at organizing and strategizing he
was elected in 1993 to the Mesa Directiva
of Unión del Barrio (today known as the
Central Committee).
l 24 de agosto a las 5:30 a.m. el Movimiento
por la Liberación de la Raza perdió uno de
sus más activos, comprometidos y talentosos
activistas: Marco Anguiano. Un organizador
talentoso, escritor, estratega político y artista,
el Compañero Marco pierde su lucha contra el
cáncer. Tenía 52 años de edad.
In 1995, due to his opposition to decisions
made by the leadership of Unión del
Barrio, he left the organization, although
his departure was not a negative one. In
a truly principled fashion, he continued
to be part of the leadership of the Raza
Rights Coalition (a project of Unión del
Barrio) and always demonstrated respect
and camaraderie towards the work and
membership of the organization.
A través de más de 30 años de activismo, el
compañero Marco se hizo respetar por ser un
apasionado enemigo de la opresión –un luchador
de la libertad que se convirtió en símbolo de la
lucha del pueblo mexicano por la justicia, la paz y
la libertad. Marco fue un hombre de principios y
un revolucionario comprometido que nunca tranzó
sus ideales de lucha.
Los padres de Marco fueron trabajadores del
campo y de hoteles. Creció en ambos lados
de la frontera impuesta militarmente –frontera
a la cual Marco dedica toda su vida para poder
derrumbarlaDurante su niñez y juventud, el compañero Marco
asiste a escuelas tanto en la ciudad de Tijuana
como en el sur de San Diego. Mientras era alumno
de la escuela preparatoria Marian, la oposición
de Marco a la guerra del Viet Nam, lo pone en
problemas con la dirección de la Preparatoria –fue
descubierto mientras trabajaba en la publicación
de un periódico clandestino el cual publicaba
artículos en contra de la guerra. Más tarde y
durante los años setentas, el compañero Marco
acudió al colegio Southwestern de la ciudad de
Chula Vista, en donde se convierte en un miembro
líder de MEChA (Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano
de Aztlán)
Durante los últimos años de la década de los
ochentas, Marco trabajó en el Medio Oriente como
artista gráfico. Durante esos años viajó por Egipto,
Arabia Saudita y otros países aledaños. Estos
viajes lo politizan aun más y lo ayudan a entender
el papel que jugaba, y juega, el imperialismo en
toda esa región del mundo. Inmediatamente
después que regresa del Medio Oriente en 1990
viaja a Cuba para participar en un festival de
arte. Esta visita a Cuba convierte a Marco en un
ferviente defensor de la Revolución Cubana.
En los primeros años de la década de los noventas,
el compañero Marco fue un eje central en el
trabajo del Centro Cultural de la Raza, el Comité
del Parque Chicano, así cómo también juega un
papel de liderazgo en La Coalición Pro-Derechos
de la Raza. Fue en el año 1991 cuando hace su
ingreso a Unión del Barrio. En 1993 y gracias a
sus grandes dotes organizativos y estratégicos,
es elegido como miembro de la Mesa Directiva de
Unión del Barrio (en la actualidad conocida como
Comité Central)
En 1995, producto de su oposición a una decisión
hecha por el cuerpo directivo de Unión del Barrio,
Marco deja la organización en una forma que
no fue negativa. Por sus principios verdaderos
él continua formando parte del liderazgo de la
Coalición Pro-Derechos de la Raza (un proyecto
de Unión del Barrio) y siempre mostró respeto
y camaradería al trabajo y a los miembros de la
organización.
A través de los noventas y hasta el momento de
su muerte, el compañero Marco fue uno de los
individuos más activos en el Movimiento Chicano.
Participa en la organización de incontables
conferencias, festivales, marchas y protestas.
Todo esto con el sólo objetivo de avanzar la
lucha por la liberación del pueblo mexicano y
latinoamericano. Sumado a ser un organizador
excepcional, Marco fue un gran escritor. Publicó
numerosos artículos en Voz Fronteriza y ¡La
Verdad!, además de un sinfín de programas y
documentos para el Centro Cultural de la Raza y
el Comité del Parque Chicano.
MARCO ANGUIANO 1952-2005
O
En muchas ocasiones, y esto producto de sus
principios políticos, tuvo conflictos serios con
liberales y “Hispanic” oportunistas.
El compañero Marco Anguiano vivió convencido
de que solamente una revolución y la construcción
de una sociedad socialista (donde no existen los
pobres o los ricos y las riquezas de la sociedad
son repartidas en forma equitativa) puede traer
la paz y la justicia a los seres humanos. Marco
basó sus acciones en esta creencia, incluyendo
las últimas semanas que compartimos con él.
n August 24, 2005 at 5:30 a.m. the
movement for Raza liberation lost
one of its most committed and talented
activists, Marco Anguiano. A talented
organizer, writer, political strategist and
artist, Compañero Marco lost his struggle
against cancer. He was 52 years old.
Throughout his more than 30 years of
activism Compañero Marco came to
be respected as a passionate enemy
of oppression - a freedom fighter who
symbolized the struggle of the Mexicano
people for justice, peace and liberation.
Marco was a man of principle and a
Su gran compromiso con la lucha y la importancia committed revolutionary who never
que le daba a la organización del pueblo fueron compromised his ideals of struggle.
ejemplizadas en la petición que él hizo a Unión del
Barrio a comienzos de julio de 2005. Marco nos Marco’s parents were agricultural and
dijo en esa ocasión que, sin importar el curso que hotel workers, and he was raised on
iva a tomar su enfermedad, él deseaba de nuevo both sides of the militarily imposed
border - a border to which he dedicated
ser un miembro de Unión del Barrio.
his life to tearing down. During his child
and teenage years Compañero Marco
El 10 de julio de 2005, desde su cama en el attended schools in Tijuana as well as in
hospital y en presencia de su compañera Annie South San Diego.
Ross y líderes de Unión del Barrio. El compañero
Marco Anguiano puso su mano en la bandera While a student at Marian High School
mexicana y recitó la promesa de la organización: Marco’s opposition to the war in Viet
Nam got him into trouble with the school
“Ante la memoria de los luchadores por la administration - he was caught working
liberación y mártires de México, las Américas y de on an underground newspaper that
la humanidad, ante la historia, pongo mi mano en printed articles opposing the war. Later
el verde, el blanco y el rojo que significa “Patria in the 1970s Compañero Marco attended
o Muerte” y prometo defender el honor nacional Southwestern College in Chula Vista,
where he became a leading member of
y luchar por la redención de los oprimidos y
MEChA (Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano
explotados de México y del mundo.
de Aztlán).
Si cumplo esta promesa, la liberación de México During the late 1980s Marco worked
y de todos los pueblos será mi recompensa. Si in the Middle East as a graphic artist.
fallo, la desgracia y el deshonor será mi castigo”. During that time he traveled through
Egypt, Saudi Arabia and other countries.
Cuarenta y seis días después, no sólo perdimos This experience further politicized him
un hijo revolucionario de México, sino que también and opened his eyes to the role of U.S.
un amigo de todos los oprimidos del mundo. imperialism in the region. Soon after
Los hombres y mujeres que han dedicado su returning from the Middle East, Marco
vida a luchar por la justicia, la paz y la libertad traveled to Cuba in 1991 as part of a
delegation participating in the Bienal
permanecen por siempre vivos en la memoria y
Art Festival. He immediately became
el espíritu de nuestra gente. En las palabras del a committed supporter of the Cuban
General Emiliano Zapata...”Es mejor morir de pie Revolution.
que vivir de rodillas”
In the early 1990s, Compañero Marco
¡Compañero Marco Anguiano!
was central to the work of the Centro
Cultural de La Raza, the Chicano Park
Steering Committee, as well as taking
¡Presente!
on a leadership position within the Raza
14
Throughout the 1990s, and until the time
of his death Compañero Marco was one of
the most active individuals in the Chicano
Mexicano Movement. He participated in
the organizing of countless conferences,
festivals, marchas and protests, all with
the objective of advancing the struggle
for Raza Liberation. In addition to being
an excellent organizer, Compañero Marco
was an exceptional writer, and published
numerous articles in Voz Fronteriza, ¡La
Verdad!, and within many programs and
documents of the Chicano Park Steering
Committee and the Centro Cultural de la
Raza.
At times his principled approach to
political struggle led him into conflicts
with liberals and hispanic opportunists.
Compañero Marco lived his life convinced
that only a revolution and the construction
of a socialist society (where there are no
rich or poor, and the wealth of society
is shared equally) could bring peace and
justice to humankind. Marco based his
actions on this belief, even during the
last weeks we shared with him.
His commitments to struggle and to
the importance of organization were
exemplified by a request he made of
Unión del Barrio in early July of 2005.
Marco explained to us that regardless
of what direction his health would take
he wished to once again become a full
member of Unión del Barrio.
On July 10 th , from his hospital bed
and in the presence of his Compañera
Annie Ross and leading members of the
organization, Compañero Marco Anguiano
placed his hand on the Mexican flag,
and recited the organizational pledge of
Unión del Barrio:
“Before the memory of freedom
fighters and martyrs of México, the
Américas and humanity as a whole,
before history, l place my hand on
the green, white and red flag that
signifies “Patria O Muerte,” and I
swear to defend the national honor
and to fight for the redemption of the
oppressed and exploited in México
and the world.
If I fulfill this oath, the freedom
of México and all people will be
the reward. If I fail, disgrace and
dishonor will be my punishment.”
46 days later we lost not only a
revolutionary son of the Mexican nation,
but also a friend of all oppressed people
throughout the world. Men and women
who dedicate their lives to the struggle for
justice, peace and liberation will always
be cherished in the memory and spirit
of our people. In the words of General
Emiliano Zapata… “It is better to die on
my feet, than to live life on my knees!”
¡Compañero Marco Anguiano, Presente!
Abril- Agosto 2005
Unión del Barrio
Report From The Committee on Raza Rights
Unión del Barrio Oxnard/Los Angeles/Riverside
• April 9: Committee on Raza Rights (CRR) hosted
the Community Caucus of the National Association of
Chicana/o Studies community forum: “Chicano StudiesThe Struggle to Once Again Make it Work for the
Community”. With panelists and participants from as far
as Albuquerque, New Mexico.
by ANSWER LA, ANSWER VC, Coastal Alliance United
for a Sustainable Economy, NION Ventura, The Atomic
Mirror, and the Topanga Peace Alliance.
• July 2: Committee on Raza Rights hosted an organizing
meeting for the United Front to Shut Down The Security
Housing Units (SHU) followed by a Ciné Revolución Film
Screening of “System Failure: Violence, Abuse and Neglect
in the California Youth Authority” and “Juvies”. Over a
dozen community members attended and participated in
CRR members speak out agains Imperialism on Int’l Workers Day-May 1st
CRR hosts discussion on The Role of Chicano Studies to the Community
• May 1, 2005
The Committee on Raza Rights endorsed and organized
with La Placita Anti-War Committee a May Day Speak
Out to Defend Workers’ Rights Day with a community
forum in the park, with panelists: Emily from Women’s
Economic Justice Project and Brian from ANSWER LA,
with MC Francisco Romero of the Committee on Raza
Rights. Dozens of community gente participated in the
forum and the community potluck. The forum was endorsed
• May 26: Ciné Revolución community film night screening
“Miltary Myths” video that exposes the military promise
and serves as an educational tool for people considering
the military.
• June 23: Ciné Revolución community film night
screening “Taking Back the Schools-Chicano Series” film
discussing the 1968 East LA “Blowouts” were young Raza
walked out of school to protest the injustice of colonial
education.
• June 25: Committee on Raza Rights hosted the Chicano
Mexicano Prison Project- 9th Annual Raza Prisoners
Conference. Participants of the Prison Conference
included: African People’s Socialist Party, Frente Popular
Revolucionario-Tijuana, Barrio Defense Committee, Irish
Republican Socialist Movement.
9th Annual Conference on Prisoners and Colonialism- Chicano Mexicano Prison Project
this forum.
• July 10: Committee on Raza Rights assisted Raza
families struggling for justice against the systematic abuse
of dozens of families who had to pay extra fees for local
swap meet vending spaces. These courageous families
are challenging swap meet administrators to take steps
in ensuring protection for vendors against nepotism and
extortion from the management .(see Ventura County Star
July 11, 2005)
Reporte de la Coalición Pro-Derechos de la Raza/Raza Rights Coalition
Unión del Barrio-San Diego
Abril
9 de abril- Somos Raza y MEChA de San Diego State
marchan por la educación y en honor a Emiliano Zapata.
21 de abril- Comité de Derechos Humanos Digna Ochoa
organiza foro de Conocer tus Derechos en la Primaria
Logan
23 de abril- Somos Raza participa en la ceremonia de alzar
la bandera en la Celebración del Día del Parque Chicano.
28 de abril- Comité de Derechos Humano 2 de Octubre
organiza foro de Conocer tus Derechos en San Ysidro
30 de abril- Comité de Mujeres Patricia Marín organiza
un foro y actividades para niños conmemorando el Día del
Niño
16 de junio- Comité de Derechos
Humanos 2 de Octubre organiza una
Esquina de Resistencia en frente de la
Plaza de las Américas (centro comercial
neo-liberal) contra los Cazamigrantes, la
Migra y la Policía
18 de junio- Comité de Derechos
Humanos Benito Juárez organiza
una Esquina de Resistencia en la 25 e
Imperial contra los Cazamigrantes, la
Foro Comunitario: El Pueblo Exije Justicia y Dignidad
Migra y la Policía
talleres de Derechos Humanos en la Comunidad de Linda
21 de junio- La Coalición Pro-Derechos
de la Raza se suma a la manifestación del Sindicato SEIU Vista
local 1877 en solidaridad con los trabajadores conserjes 12 de julio- Comité de Derechos Humano Digna Ochoa
inicia talleres de Derechos Humanos.
Mayo
en huelga
1 de mayo- La Coalición Pro-Derechos de la Raza organiza 25 y 26 de junio- la Coalición Pro-Derechos de la Raza
un Mitin por el Día Internacional del Trabajador en el organiza un Encuentro de Comunidades Fronterizos en Agosto
San Diego. Se forma una Alianza 2 de agosto- Somos Raza organiza foro de jóvenes En
entre organizaciones Fronterizas Defensa de la Comunidad contra los Cazamigrantes. Se
entre ellas La Red de Acción forma una alianza de jóvenes en la región de San Diego.
Fronteriza de Tucson Arizona y la 3 de agosto- Coalición Pro-Derechos de la Raza participa
Red Fronterizo por los Derechos en foro sobre el asesinato de 3 mexicanos por el alguacil
Humanos de Sur de Nuevo México de San Diego en la ciudad de Vista (Condado Norte de
San Diego).
y El Paso Texas.
28 de junio- Comité de Derechos 6 de agosto- Equipo de la Coalición Pro-Derechos de la
Humanos Benito Juárez inicia Raza monitorea las actividades de los Cazamigrantes en
Campo
talleres de Derechos Humanos.
20 de agosto- Unión del Barrio participa en reunión
Jóvenes marchan por educación; Somos Raza hace honor a Julio
comunitaria para denunciar la práctica del departamento
la bandera el Día del Parque Chicano
2 de julio- Comité 2 de Octubre del alguacil del Condado de San Diego. Esta reunión lo
participa en Marcha contra los organiza Mexicano Unidos en Defensa del Pueblo, el
Parque Chicano
Cazamigrantes convocado por Gente Unida de San Frente Indígena de Organizaciones Binacionales y el
Comité de Derechos Humanos de Escondido.
19 de mayo- El Comité 2 de Octubre protestan contra la Diego.
Migra por una golpiza que le dieron a un Mexicano en 9 de Julio- la Comisión de Finanzas de Unión del Barrio 13 de agosto- Equipo de la Coalición Pro-Derechos de la
Raza monitorea las actividades de los Cazamigrantes en
lo Apartamentos de Park Haven en la comunidad de San realiza una exhibición de Arte en Chicano Perk.
Ysidro
9 de Julio- Coalición Pro-Derechos de la Raza inicia Campo
25 de agosto- La Coalición Pro-Derechos de la
28 de mayo- Unión del Barrio participa en
Raza organiza foro para presentar las demandas
Conferencia: La Tierra es de Todos en la
de la Alianza Fronterizo a funcionarios
Universidad de California Riverside
públicos. El foro se lleva a cabo en el Centro
Comunitario Sherman.
Junio
29 de agosto- Somos Raza participa en difusión
7 de junio- el Comité de Derechos
de información para prevenir el reclutamiento
Humanos Digna Ochoa organiza Foro
de nuestra juventud en las fuerzas armadas
Sobre los Cazamigrantes
del Imperialismo. La difusión de información
10 de junio- La Coalición Pro-Derechos
lo organiza el Proyecto Guerrero Azteca y el
de la Raza se suma en manifestación de
Proyecto YANO. Esta difusión se realiza en
SEIU en solidaridad con los trabajadores
Esquinas en Resistencia Contra los Cazamigrantes: Dialogo la comunidad de Logan en el 35 Aniversario
conserjes en huelga
11 de junio- Comité de Derechos Humanos sobre la educación, acesso a los servicios de salud y como poner de la Moratoria Chicana (un llamado por el
Digna Ochoa organiza una Esquina de alto al plan de reclutamiento de nuestros hijos por las fuerzas Movimiento Chicano para no participar en la
Guerra de Vietnam).
Resistencia en la 30 y Oceanview contra los
armadas del imperialismo
Cazamigrantes, la Migra y la Policía
15
¡LA VERDAD!
A PROGRAM FOR POLITICAL DIRECTION, NATIONAL
CONSCIOUSNESS RAISING, AND MEXICANO LIBERATION
Organizational Overview of Unión del Barrio
Almost since our founding in August, 1981, Unión del Barrio has defined its ideology as Chicano Mexicano
Revolutionary Nationalism. Through this ideological base Unión del Barrio has been able to analyze and acknowledge
the class question within our gente throughout the hemisphere. We recognize gringo colonialism as the main
contradiction and enemy confronting Raza in Aztlán/Occupied México.
The long struggle of Unión del Barrio-24 years- and other nationalist organizations was instrumental in the
resurgence of Chicano Mexicano self-determination politics in the 1990’s. However, we must put this growth into
proper perspective so that we may avoid the errors of the last period of struggle (1965-1975). One of the principle
errors of that period was political practice without theory or a clear analysis of the realities of liberation struggle.
We recognize that imperialism is the highest level of capitalism. We recognize that as colonized people we make
up over 90% of the working class and impoverished population of this land. Revolutionary Nationalism is based on
the struggle against imperialism and colonialism and is an integral part of liberation movements in Latin America,
Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Freedom and self-determination are the goals of Revolutionary Nationalism, and
therefore demand an end to gringo imperialism.
Unión del Barrio Eleven Point Program
Unión del Barrio is a pro-independence Revolutionary Nationalist organization based in Califas. We have identified
the following eleven points as central to our internal development and political direction; essential for to the formulation
of an independent Mexicano political line, and as a necessary source of practical clarity for organizations involved in
the Movimiento for Mexicano Liberation.
I. SOMOS MEXICANAS/MEXICANOS
II. AZTLÁN/MÉXICO OCUPADO AND MÉXICO IS THE HOMELAND OF MEXICANOS
III. MEXICANOS IN AZTLÁN/MÉXICO OCUPADO ARE A COLONY OF THE U.S. ILLEGAL SETTLER
NATION
IV. MEXICANOS IN AZTLÁN/MÉXICO OCUPADO MUST SELF-DETERMINE OUR OWN DESTINY
V. THE MEXICANO LIBERATION MOVEMENT MUST BE BASED ON REVOLUTIONARY NATIONALISM
VI. RAZA INTERNATIONALISM IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF OUR MOVEMENT AND UNITES WITH ALL
STRUGGLES OF OPPRESSED PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE WORLD
VII. CONCIENTIZACIÓN OF OUR GENTE IS CRITICAL TO OUR LIBERATION
VIII. COLLECTIVISM, ORGANIZATION BUILDING, AND ACCOUNTABILITY ARE FUNDAMENTAL TO OUR
STRUGGLE
IX. A UNITED FRONT IS STRATEGICALLY IMPORTANT IN OUR STRUGGLE FOR NATIONAL
LIBERATION
X. THE ABSOLUTE AND UNEQUIVOCAL LIBERATION OF RAZA WOMEN IS A FUNDAMENTAL COMPONENT
OF OUR STRUGGLE FOR LIBERATION AS A PEOPLE
Un Programa Para Proveer Dirección Política, Con El Fin de Avanzar
Nuestra Conciencia Nacional Y Para Lograr la Liberación del Pueblo
Mexicano
Resumen Organizacional de Unión del Barrio
Casi desde su fundación en agosto del 1981, Unión del Barrio se ha definido, ideológicamente, como una organización que se basa en el Nacionalismo Revolucionario Mexicano. Por medio de esta ideología, Unión del Barrio
ha sido capaz de reconocer la lucha de clase social que se ha dado a través del hemisferio. Reconocemos que la
contradicción y enemigo fundamental que enfrenta a nuestro pueblo en los territorios Ocupados Mexicanos (Aztlán)
es el colonialismo norteamericano.
La larga lucha de Unión del Barrio a través de sus 24 años de existencia, – y de otras organizaciones nacionalistas- ha sido de reconstruir una movimiento por la auto-determinación del pueblo Mexicano. Sin embargo es
importante enmarcar este resurgimiento en una perspectiva histórica para evitar errores que se cometieron durante
el último periodo de lucha (1965-1975). Uno de los errores principales fue de practicar la política sin teoría que la
guiara y sin un análisis que claramente hablaba de la realidad de una lucha por la Liberación Nacional.
Reconocemos que el imperialismo es la fase más desarrollada del capitalismo. Reconocemos que somos un
pueblo colonizado que compone más del 90% de la clase trabajadora y que vive en la pobreza. El Nacionalismo
Revolucionario se basa en la lucha contra el imperialismo y el colonialismo y es parte integral de los movimientos de
Liberación Nacional en América Latina, África, Asia y el Medio Oriente. Libertad y la auto-determinación es la meta
del Nacionalismo Revolucionario y por lo tanto, requiere el fin al imperialismo norteamericano.
El Programa Político de Unión del Barrio
Unión del Barrio es una organización independista, basado en California. Hemos identificado los siguientes once
puntos como ideas centrales para el desarrollo político-ideológico de nuestra organización; los consideramos esencial para la formación de una línea política Mexicana, totalmente independiente y una fuente de claridad practica
para organizaciones envuelto en el Movimiento por la Liberación Nacional de Pueblo Mexicano.
I. SOMOS MEXICANOS
II. AZTLÁN/MÉXICO OCUPADO Y MÉXICO FORMAN LA PATRIA DE LOS MEXICANOS
III. LOS MEXICANOS QUE RESIDIMOS EN MÉXICO OCUPADO/AZTLÁN SOMOS UN PUEBLO COLONIZADO POR EL ASENTAMIENTO ILEGAL DE LA NACIÓN ESTADOUNIDENSE
IV. LOS MEXICANOS DE MÉXICO OCUPADO/AZTLÁN DEBEMOS DE AUTO-DETERMINAR NUESTRO
DESTINO
V. EL MOVIMIENTO DE LIBERACIÓN MEXICANO TIENE QUE ESTAR BASADO EN EL NACIONALISMO
REVOLUCIONARIO
VI. EL INTERNACIONALISMO DE LA RAZA ES UNA PARTE INTEGRAL PARA NUESTRO MOVIMIENTO Y
NOS UNE CON TODAS LAS LUCHAS DE LOS PUEBLOS OPRIMIDOS DE TODO EL MUNDO
VII. LA CONCIENTIZACIÓN DE NUESTRA GENTE ES INDISPENSABLE PARA NUESTRA LIBERACIÓN
VIII. EL COLECTIVISMO, LA FORMACIÓN ORGANIZATIVA, Y EL COMPROMISO SON FUNDAMENTALES
PARA NUESTRA LUCHA
IX. UN FRENTE UNIDO ES IMPORTANTE ESTRATÉGICAMENTE EN NUESTRA LUCHA POR LA LIBERACIÓN NACIONAL
X. LA INEQUIVOCA Y ABSOLUTA LIBERACIÓN DE LA MUJER MEXICANA ES UN COMPONENTE FUNDAMENTAL DE NUESTRA LUCHA POR LA LIBERACIÓN DE NUESTRO PUEBLO
XI. EL MATERIALISMO DIALÉCTICO/HISTÓRICO ES LA LLAVE PARA CREAR LAS TÁCTICAS Y ESTRATEGIAS PARA NUESTRA LIBERACIÓN
Unión del Barrio contact information:
Contactos para Unión del Barrio:
San Diego
P.O. Box 620095
San Diego, CA 92162
(619) 696-9224
[email protected]
Ventura/Los Angeles
P.O. Box 20411
Oxnard, CA 93034-0411
(323) 860-9870
[email protected]
LIBERACIÓN EXIGE ORGANIZACIÓN
¡La Verdad! is published by Unión del Barrio as a means to
provide political education and information to its membership,
supporters, and other movement forces. ¡La Verdad! is
currently the most widely read completely Independent
Chicano Mexicano liberation publication and circulates
throughout occupied Mexico/Aztlán; from San Diego to San
Antonio, Texas. ¡La Verdad! is the political organ of Unión del
Barrio, therefore the writings herein represent the collective
voice of Unión del Barrio and its projects.
Any questions, comments or responses directed at Unión del
Barrio or its publications must be addressed to:
Unión del Barrio
c/o La Verdad Publications
P.O. Box 620095
San Diego, Califas 92162
¡LA VERDAD! se publica por Unión del Barrio con el propósito
de proveer educación e información para su membresía,
simpatizantes y otras fuerzas dentro del movimiento.
Actualmente ¡La Verdad! es un periódico que circula
extensamente por todos los territorios ocupados mexicanos
(Aztlán); desde San Diego, Califas hasta San Antonio Tejas;
¡La Verdad! es el periódico más leído con orientación de lucha
por la Liberación Nacional Mexicana. Es el órgano político de
Unión del Barrio; por lo tanto, representa la voz colectiva de
Unión del Barrio y sus proyectos.
Cualquier pregunta, comentario o respuesta dirigida a Unión
del Barrio o sus publicaciones deberán ser dirigidas a:
Unión del Barrio
c/o La Verdad Publications
P.O. Box 620095
San Diego, Califas 92162