This retura to Peru from exile in Europe. RICARDO Letts was stili recoverile Irom his surorise ar being allowed back into Peru.
Letts, an editor of the Lima left-wing wcckly Marka, was one of the 13 oppositionists deported to Argentina at the May. subsequently released and fled to Europe.
When I met him in London, the day before his return to Lima, he was still puzzled at the readiness of the regime to pay Sir returh air lare. After all, as he pointed out, hadn't they just gone to all that troubie to ges rid of him?
Letts had been exiled twice before. Expulsion is something or a ponncu tradan in Peru he explained. But this time LACTO • the 1 US CIS polteness.
UNIFORM Along with bundreds other leftists he was picked up on 18 May, just before the planned general strike against price tises. With seven left leaders from Lima be was taken to a military where they were jolned by five others, including two admirals, former members of the junta.
The admirals were in full trese, Letir explamed. - hiey naive', Letts explained. Topene baat woe toey por le Argentina they would talk to Massera mersber of Videla's junta) and admiral and Massera would fix things up.
BARRICADE "When they first told us we were going to Buenos Aires the admirals reaction was: "Boys it's a chance to see the World Cup". And these people used to be members of the govern ment"' Lents and the others were less enthusiastic when they were told their destination. -tried to harricade themselves in a room and resist being put on the plane. According RICHARD CARVER interviews RICARDO LETTS, the left-wing Peruvian newspaper editor, just before another member of the group.
Letts, along with Hugo Bianco, was one of the ones who fought hardest.
ARCHIVES In Argentina Leits convinged they were going to be killed any moment: it can't have been that the Peruvian government would have gone to all this trouble so that two weeks later I wowld be sat in this office in London. were planning something else. He recounted OuEnOSATeaICEOCuDusd his police file. they were takine us trom thi dungeons to the ninth floor. It was quite accidental. F asked an old clerk what all these archives HCIC "He says. "Ah, we've got everybody here. "You haven't got me". 1 of sasd.
'He says, 'O1 course. nisst have. Where are you othet "Peru."
*'Ah, Peru, Peru... here we airport | are."
P'OK, so you've got Peru, but Ahyes, bere we are.. haven'L got 'And so 1 got to look at my file!' INFANTILE In the elections Murka called for a vote for either of the lar left slates, though Letts himself was a candidale oE Democratic Popular(UDP). Why had unity with the other far left front, FOCEP, not been possible? *The short answer: sectarianism. Sectarianism, infantile leftism.
Letis argues that had greater responsibilits for the split than the Lnamany Cae Leo wee MaRou They in one front but split over the question or ancinee ir possible to ally with the 'radical to bourueoisie No. they how, in This was when Letts maintains difference was a small one: "We and Blanco's party had already закосо в joul prosramme, Al we were asking was that anyone who agreed to the programume could take part.
What he leaves out is the crucial questian of freedom of propaganda for cach party within the dectoral alliance. Letts FOCEP parties had previously allied with the PSR, the party Union of the ieft officers, during, for cxample, February. different now7 I pointed out that there was a difference between agrecing a FOCEP united action in the struggle.
UDP. Ibere is action believes agreement we have made today was will be the one that puts us in power eventually. And so does it have to be so strict, so exact, Peruvian peasante al a demonstration the | so pure?' ETIMI But surely fundamental stralcrs Ri WUL JE SEMEE COIE explained that the popular democracy FOCEP and strikes having achieved unity Sois unity possible?
LASE they dissolve into one acoount the power replied, *But that have and action. election tesuils.
that the Blanco has African RICHARD Pm LIS so il is share of there Is difference stake.
Peruvian revolution be a sampic overthrow of the military good BLITUEC Liself. power by the working class? Constiruent shown that Letts confirmed the difference between us: "We are for What the masses want in Peru is unity And they hate the leaders of UDP for not 1 would like very much that front.
When Blanco was asked this be said yes, but we musi take into verge of TEJSOIL: appeared in the 'He has said the same thing abput the relationship berwoen the parties within POCEP. And something like 300,000 votes and all the rest 1 have only 100,000, I rbink that he has made a very wrong Leus thinks the regime has a chance SRHOHHSITE The carly days of the the military govern with the support of the majority right-wing bloc.
The Assembly, of course, bas legislative powers, aud Letts is worried that the left will become marginalised discussing constitutional issues He is anxious to dispel any idea that the mames are on the power pechaps an over-reaction to the cuphoria he has chcountered in Europe: "Maiy poople say this is the moment for confrontatfor JDE WLUL LOL CEOVCEICIH the stropele for power. And that all forces must be put into this and that whoever doesn't | de lus s a trairor to ene popular cause. I think that is a very megahvc atenuae Ho 15 equally SABLOa dowoplay the success of llie Tratskvists in the election: The high vote comes from the less conscious sectors of the left.
You can call chem what you like, I sugpested, but you still have to explaio why the left in general and the Trotskyists in particular CURVE made such Letts ascribes it largely to the 'symbolic' appeal of peasane leader Hugo Blanco: "Kouge in Paris says they have elected che Trotskyiststo Parlament, That is nonsense. Less chan hulf of one per ceat consciously voted Trotskyist. They were voting for Blatco.!
We broke off there, Ricardo Lois was off lo Peru in l morning and he had last minute HTITSCENCTEA EOLINA But I still felt that my lasi question was unanswered apartheid regime's supply of