Cayetano Carpio Interview

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(October 1982—excerpts)

Our experience has shown us that the broadest unity is necessary to firmly advance toward the revolution. But this broad unity must be based on something. It cannot be an abstract, amorphous, or classless unity, but must be based on the workers-peasant alliance. Because if it is not based on the workers-peasant alliance, the unity will simply be led by a class with much greater ability and experience in wielding power. Without such an alliance, this other class will be allowed to take the reins of the broad unity and direct it toward its own interest....

It is not because ours is a struggle of national liberation that the working class must step aside, defaulting in its obligation to lead the struggle. The working class must lead because the revolutionary process must accomplish the task of national liberation and deepen its revolutionary conquests in such a way as to create the economic, political, social conditions-as well as to increase the class consciousness of the people—-in order to move on to socialism....

In war, there is a sharpening of the class struggle between the national and international bourgeoisie, on the one hand, and the working class and peasantry, on the other. So if the ideological struggle is not carried out, this paves the way for the development of conditions which are unfavorable for the working class, the peasantry and their most consistent revolutionary organizations within the alliances. Naturally, the ideological struggle must be waged with good methods since this is not a fight against the enemy. Against the enemy-imperialism and its puppets—one must use bullets and mortars. But within the organizations of the people, one must use persuasion and the ideological struggle with its proper methods, but this must be done without relinquishing one's revolutionary principles.