ISAAC CAMACHO
(The following letter from a prominent Bolivian Trotskyist and “mine workers leader, has been translated by World Outlook from the April issue of Masas, the La Paz newspaper of the Partido Obrero > Revolucionario Unificado (United Revolutionary Workers party).]-.
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273 To the compafiéros © miners and students of Potosi:
My wife, who is stoically bearing the consequences of my ; political and trade-union activities, has written me that the companeros of Siglo XX have turned over some money to her by way of material help and that it came from voluntary contributions from the workers. Included in it was a part -- certainly small -- of the contribution sent by the. Student Federation of Potosi to the Miners Union for the benefit. of the victims: of the latest massacres Ufay and September , 1965]. —
I wish to publicly express my appreciation for such an action and consider it my duty to call attention to the fine spirit of class solidarity which you have demonstrated. It is my duty as a member of the’ POR [Partido Obrero’ Revolucionario -- Revolutionary. Workers party] to fight: disinterestedly, shoulder’ to shoulder with “the workers, without any hope of reward, without stopping to consider my personal welfare. Therefore, I-felt touched by the fact that my co-workers considered it necessary to display solidarity with a person who is, for the moment , imprisoned.
- I take the opportunity to: ‘recommend: maintaining your. class unity and putting all your enthusiasm into making the union a | genuine instrument for the defense and advancement of the struggle of the exploited. The rank and file must remain vigilant in everything concerning the leading cadres to keep them from prostituting themselves or selling themselvés to the government as has. happened so many times. United and fraternal struggle will enable you to repel all the excesses of the génerals, all of the antilabor measures inspired by the higher-ups of Comibol [Corporacion Minera de _Bolivial. .
We miners have been put in a difficult situation by the native reaction and American imperialism. Not only have the unions been. destroyed by armed force, not only have we been crushed by the military boot, not only have we been forced underground , but the evil - ‘government is trying to denationalize the mines and hand them over to the big trusts and strangle the revolutionary process once
and for all. The peasants are being driven from-the plots they make fertile by their labor and the Corporacién:..Boliviana de Fomento. [Bolivian Development Corporation] has proceeded to hand over the enterprises under its direction to private owners. It is against this tremendous danger that we must fight.
In the mines, fascism has reduced the wages and the number of workers. A father has no recourse but to wear himself out working to even get half rations for his desperate family. The well-paid military call this’ monstrous state of affairs rehabilitation of the mining industry. Our slogan continues to-be to fight for the restoration of salary cuts, social benefits, bonuses and working conditions that were in force up. to: May 1965. Yet this conquest will only be . the first step toward gaining a general wage increase.
Companero workers and students, I send revolutionary and fraternal greetings. Do not forget that tomorrow will be the day of our victory over the fascist murderers.