GUATEMALAN GUERRILLA GROUPS WORKING TOGETHER
By Antonio Valdés
A recent interview with Nestor del Valle, Guatemalan delegate to the Organization of Latin-American Solidarity Totas) conference, contains encouraging news about the relations between the two guerrilla groups operating in Guatemala. The interview appears in the September-October issue of OCLAE [Organizacién Continental Latinoamericana de Estudiantes], the magazine of the organization of the same name, whose headquarters is in Havana.
Valle's discussion in the interview is a general one. He outlines the firm commitment of his organization, the FAR [Fuerzas Armadas Rebeldes], to the OLAS perspective of armed struggle as the only road to power, and sharply exposes the reactionary character of the "reformist" Montenegro regime in Guatemala.
Valle's comments on the relations of the FAR with the MR-13 [Movimiento Revolucionario 13 de Noviembre] reflect the efforts being made to unite the revolutionary forces in Guatemala. It is an encouraging development away from the period of sharp factional disputing between the two movements, which got a lot of notice at the Tricontinental Conference in Havana in January 1966,
in reply to the interviewer's question “about the differences between FAR and the MR-13 Movement led by Yon Sosa," Valle replied:
"Our differences with the comrades of MR-13 have been largely overcome. Our commander, César Montes, has squarely confronted this question, emphasizing the general problems of the war [against the regime] and the negative character of these differences at a time when a common enemy as strong as imperialism is attacking us both, while we ourselves attack one another internally.
"Every time we speak with them we try to stress the points that unite us and play down those that divide us. We have reached the point where we exchange experiences and information, coordinate our work in the mountains and the city better, and help each other materially. This approach is sufficient. We shall continue discussing and working with then.
"For example we consider them menbers of the national committee that represents Guatemala at OLAS and when we next talk with them, we will inform them of the steps taken here, the importance of the conference, and the efforts that we have made and will continue to make to strengthen the unity of the revolutionary movement in Latin America.
"With the comrades of MR-13 we struggle against the puppet regime and imperialism: that in essence unites us."