¡A Luchar!
Encyclopedia
¡A Luchar! a was political movement in Colombia
, formed as a coalition of various progressive trade union
ist and social movements.
government in 1984, various underground leftwing movement began exploring possibilities of building up legal movements. With the social struggles in North-Eastern Colombia, the petrol workers struggle in Arauca
and with the rise of the leadership of the Spanish
priest Manuel Pérez
inside the movement, the National Liberation Army
(ELN) began to orient itself towards non-military social struggles.
¡A Luchar! emerged out of a long process of discussions and cooperation between three tendencies of the Colombian leftwing; ELN, Workers Revolutionary Party (PRT) and the Revolutionary Integration Movement - Free Fatherland (MIR-Patria Libre). The three tendencies had begun cooperating in 1984. 18 months later, ¡A Luchar! was founded at a Workers, Peasants, People's Meeting held as a commemoration of José Antonio Galan
March 16-March 17, 1985. In its initial phase of organizing, ¡A Luchar! mobilized a national civic strike on June 20 against the policies of the Betancur government regarding economic liberalizations and peace negotiations. However, the build-up of ¡A Luchar! aggravated internal divisions between the 'military' and 'political' tendencies inside ELN.
, June 28-June 30, 1986. The organizations that took part in the congress were:
and other groupings. In total 850 delegates took part, as well as some 1000-1500 observers.
¡A Luchar!.
¡A Luchar! called for a 'popular tribunal' for president Betancur. His successor, Virgilio Barco, was characterized by the movement as serving the interests of the United States
and big capital.
, ¡A Luchar! became a target for paramilitary
violence. Many of its cadres were murdered.
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
, formed as a coalition of various progressive trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
ist and social movements.
Background
With the launching of the policy of national dialogue of the Belisario BetancurBelisario Betancur
Belisario Betancur Cuartas is a Colombian statesman, who as a member of the Colombian Conservative Party was President of Colombia from 1982 to 1986.- Biographic data :...
government in 1984, various underground leftwing movement began exploring possibilities of building up legal movements. With the social struggles in North-Eastern Colombia, the petrol workers struggle in Arauca
Arauca
Arauca can refer to the following Colombian locations:*The Arauca Department, in the northeastern part of the country*The city and municipality of Arauca, Arauca, capital of the Arauca Department*The Arauca River, a river shared by Colombia and Venezuela...
and with the rise of the leadership of the Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
priest Manuel Pérez
Manuel Pérez
Manuel Pérez Flores is a Mexican Footballer that plays as a Midfielder for Morelia. He is known as El Tripa to team mates and fans alike. He began playing in the Primera División with Atlas in the 2001-2002 season stayed there until moving to monterrey in 2007. Manuel is known for his great...
inside the movement, the National Liberation Army
National Liberation Army (Colombia)
National Liberation Army is a revolutionary, avowed Marxist guerrilla group that has been operating in several regions of Colombia since 1964....
(ELN) began to orient itself towards non-military social struggles.
¡A Luchar! emerged out of a long process of discussions and cooperation between three tendencies of the Colombian leftwing; ELN, Workers Revolutionary Party (PRT) and the Revolutionary Integration Movement - Free Fatherland (MIR-Patria Libre). The three tendencies had begun cooperating in 1984. 18 months later, ¡A Luchar! was founded at a Workers, Peasants, People's Meeting held as a commemoration of José Antonio Galan
José Antonio Galán
José Antonio Galán José Antonio Galán José Antonio Galán (ca. 1749, Charalá, Santander (Colombia) – February 2, 1782, Santafé de Bogotá (Id.) was a Colombian historical figure of the 18th century...
March 16-March 17, 1985. In its initial phase of organizing, ¡A Luchar! mobilized a national civic strike on June 20 against the policies of the Betancur government regarding economic liberalizations and peace negotiations. However, the build-up of ¡A Luchar! aggravated internal divisions between the 'military' and 'political' tendencies inside ELN.
1986 congress
The movement held its first congress in the Jorge Elicier Gaitan Theatre in BogotáBogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
, June 28-June 30, 1986. The organizations that took part in the congress were:
- Colectivos de Trabajo Sindical (politically linked to ELN)
- Corriente de Integración SindicalCorriente de Integración SindicalCorriente de Integración Sindical was a trade unionist group in Colombia, which functioned as the labour wing of the Workers Revolutionary Party....
(politically linked to PRT) - Movimiento Pan y Libertad (politically linked to MIR-PL)
- Socialist Workers Party (Colombia)
- Revolutionary Workers Commandos
- FER-Sin Permiso (students front of ELN)
- Comité de Activistas Creditarios
- Opinión Obrera
and other groupings. In total 850 delegates took part, as well as some 1000-1500 observers.
Political activity
Nelson Berrío was the main leader of¡A Luchar!.
¡A Luchar! called for a 'popular tribunal' for president Betancur. His successor, Virgilio Barco, was characterized by the movement as serving the interests of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and big capital.
Repression
Similar to the Patriotic UnionPatriotic Union (Colombia)
The Patriotic Union or UP , was a leftist Colombian political party founded by the FARC and the Colombian Communist Party in 1985, as part of the peace negotiations that the guerrillas held with the Conservative Belisario Betancur administration...
, ¡A Luchar! became a target for paramilitary
Paramilitary
A paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military, but which is not considered part of a state's formal armed forces....
violence. Many of its cadres were murdered.
External links
- Letter to PST (C) on ¡A Luchar!, by Nahuel MorenoNahuel MorenoNahuel Moreno was a Trotskyist leader from Argentina. Moreno was active in the Trotskyist movement from before World War II until his death....