[Marxism] THE RISE AND FALL OF THE FSLN

[Walter Lippmann]

Thanks for sharing this most interesting analysis of
the Nicaraguan FSLN. I remember Bendaña from his
days with the Nicaraguan foreign ministry. His essay
isn't prefaced with any indication of his political stand
at the present time within Nicaraguan politics.

We've all seen the mess into which Nicaragua has fallen 
since the FSLN's electoral defeat in 1990, and its inability 
since then to rebuild its standing at the head of the masses
of Nicaragua's oppressed population. It would be helpful to
know what Alejandro  Bendaña is doing WITHIN Nicaragua 
to try to turn the situation around.  Does he belong to a
political organization? What does stand does he take on
Nicaraguan domestic issues, and so forth. Does he vote
for the FSLN, making whatever criticisms he might feel
appropriate, does he support another tendency, or does
he stand above the fray just issuing analyses?

It's very easy to criticize others, as I know having done
so myself frequently. It's less easy to create a positive
alternative and to build or rebuild one from scratch and
so I hope that Fred Fuentes will provide some context
to help us understand Alejandro  Bendaña's comments. 


Walter Lippmann

From: Fred Fuentes <fuentf01 at tartarus.uwa.edu.au>
Sent: Jun 30, 2004 8:57 PM
To: marxism at lists.econ.utah.edu
Subject: [Marxism] THE RISE AND  FALL OF THE FSLN

THE RISE AND  FALL OF THE FSLN

In the 25 years of its existence the FSLN has constantly  struggled
with contradictions, the weight of state power and the hardships  of
being an opposition party. But its misappropriation of the
revolutionary project threatens its very survival.

By Alejandro  Bendaña
 
---------------------------------------------------------

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Alejandro Bendaña is founder and  president of the Center for
International Studies based in Managua. He  served as the Nicaraguan
Ambassador to the UN (1981-1982) and as Secretary  General of the
Nicaraguan Foreign Ministry (1984-1990). He is author of  several
books, including La mística de Sandino (Centro de Estudios
Internacionales, 1994) and Power Lines: U.S. Dominance in the New
Global  Order (Interlink Press, 1996), and is a member of NACLA's
editorial board.