· AUSTRALIA $1.50 · CaNaDa $1.00 · FraNCE 1.00 EurO · NEW ZEalaND $1.50 · sWEDEN Kr10 · uK £.50 · u.s. $1.00 INSIDE Havana meeting honors ‘The best fighter in revolutionary Cuba’s air force’ — PAGEs 6–7

A SOCIALIST NEWSWEEKLY PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF WORKING PEOPLE vol. 72/no. 22 june 2, 2008 China: unsafe Eleven-month Workers in Iowa march construction union battle at against ICE factory raid compounded Dakota marks toll of quake new contract BY Doug Nelson BY ERNEST MAILHOT May 20—The final death toll from SOUTH ST. PAUL, Minnesota— the May 12 massive earthquake that hit Workers at Dakota Premium Foods, by China’s Sichuan province will surpass a 94 to 51 vote, approved a contract May 50,000, ranking it among the world’s 14 registering gains for the 250 workers 20 most deadly earthquakes on record. at the meatpacking plant. The members News reports point to the poor structur- of United Food and Commercial Work- al quality of many residences, schools, ers (UFCW) Local 789 had a week ear- and other buildings as the major reason lier rejected a previous contract offer. for the high number of fatalities. The new agreement runs through The Chinese government has so far July 2011. The workers will receive a confirmed more than 40,000 dead, lump sum from a 40-cents-per-hour pay 32,000 missing, and 247,000 injured. raise dating back to July 2007, when the An estimated 4.8 million people have previous contract expired. There will be been left homeless. another raise of 40 cents per hour this More than 250,000 people died the last year, with hourly raises of 35 cents per Militant/Jenny Shegos time an earthquake of a similar magni- hour for each of the next three years. Sofia, one of the workers arrested and released following the May 12 raid by ICE at tude occurred in China. The inadequate For many months Dakota management Agriprocessors in Postville, Iowa, marches with 400 May 18 in Waterloo, Iowa. response of the Chinese government insisted raises could not be much more BY SETH GALINSKY has been in jail since the May 12 im- following that 1976 quake in Tangshan, than its original offer of 15 cents per WATERLOO, Iowa, May 18—“I migration raid at the Agriprocessors which included refusing international hour with a 10-cents-per-hour atten- was affected by the raid,” Elida told slaughterhouse in nearby Postville. food aid and help with the rescue effort, dance bonus. several hundred people gathered at “We are not criminals,” she said. increased the number of unnecessary Among the advances made by the Queen of Peace Catholic Church here, “We just want to work to feed our chil- casualties. workers in the new contract was the right her voice shaking. Elida’s husband Continued on page 3 Since the 1976 earthquake, the gov- to have union representatives visit the ernment has enacted stricter construc- plant three times a month, as opposed tion standards. However, reports of the to once a month, the previous arrange- Socialist candidate joins damage from the current earthquake ment. The contract also included some disaster reveal that many buildings col- improvements in how job openings are Continued on page 3 Continued on page 5 protests in Iowa against raid Conference will promote broader activity to free the Cuban Five BY martín koppel shops on how to broaden support for the NEW YORK, May 21—Support- defense campaign among students and ers of the campaign to free the Cuban youth; religious groups; labor; Black, Five are building participation in a June Puerto Rican, and other community 14 conference here that will serve as a organizations; academics; artists, musi- springboard for stepped-up defense ac- cians, and writers; and civil libertarians tivities throughout the country this fall. and attorneys. The Cuban Five—Antonio Guerrero, A morning plenary session will be Fernando González, René González, addressed by Leonard Weinglass, part Gerardo Hernández, and Ramón Laba- of the Cuban Five legal team, and by a ñino—have been locked up in U.S. pris- representative of the Cuban mission to ons since 1998, serving long sentences the United Nations. Workshops and ple- on false charges because of their actions nary session discussions will focus on in defense of Cuba. plans for action in the coming months. The conference will be held at Hostos One of the main campaigns is a Community College in the Bronx. Ac- stepped-up effort to win visas for Adri- tivists are coming from New York, New Militant/Jenny Shegos ana Pérez and Olga Salanueva, who have SWP vice presidential candidate Alyson Kennedy at May 18 protest in Waterloo, Iowa. Jersey, Connecticut, and other states. been repeatedly denied entry by U.S. au- The program includes seven work- thorities to visit their husbands, Gerardo By Frank Forrestal Hernández and René González. Pro- POSTVILLE, Iowa—Alyson Kenne- posals will also include an East Coast dy, Socialist Workers candidate for U.S. Also Inside: A note to our readers demonstration in September—the 10th In this issue we are running 7 vice president, visited this town May Continued on page 4 Family, friends condemn cop pages in English and 5 pages in 20 to extend solidarity to workers at Spanish in order to publish in both the Agriprocessors Inc. slaughterhouse, killing of youth in California 2 languages a speech by Cuban Brig. where immigration cops arrested nearly New Jersey socialists Gen. Arnaldo Tamayo given in Welcome to our 400 workers May 12. February during the Havana Book Outside St. Bridget’s Catho- wrap up ballot drive 2 Fair. We will return to our regu- new readers! lic Church, Kennedy talked to an For a sliding scale of hours lar layout, 9 pages in English and BY paul pederson Agriprocessors worker who had been 3 pages in Spanish, next week. In With this issue we welcome the more detained and later released by the gov- and wages 4 the future when we have large fea- ernment. This worker, who asked that than 2,500 people who subscribed to the Militant Fund drive ends tures to run, we will do our best to paper during the just-concluded eight- the Militant not print her name out of expand the issue to 16 pages. week subscription campaign. Nearly fear of retaliation, said she knew of 49 next week 4 Continued on page 4 Continued on page 4 Family, friends condemn New Jersey socialists wrap up ballot drive cop killing of Calif. youth By Naomi Craine were trying to leave when the cops at- INGLEWOOD, California—“We ask tacked them. that justice be done,” said Mildred Dar- Inglewood police chief Jacqueline amola at a May 15 vigil of 50 people to Seabrooks called the events “tragic,” but protest the police killing of her cousin, said, “I won’t go so far as to call it a mis- Michael Byoune, in this Los Angeles take.” But according to the Los Angeles metropolitan area city. Times Seabrooks said there was no indi- Byoune, 19, was killed early on the cation that the cops fired warning shots morning of May 11 when two cops shot or that they saw any weapons. The cops up the vehicle in which he was riding. are currently on paid leave. The driver, Larry White, also 19, was “What they did was wrong,” said shot in the leg and is still hospitalized. White in a message read at the vigil by Chris Larkin, 21, was grazed by the bul- his brother. “They changed my life and lets. All three youths are Black. took my best friend.” The cops said they were investigating “They killed him for no reason,” said shots fired in the area, saw Larkin run Eboni Childs, another friend of Byoune. to a car, and claimed the car began driv- “The officers that killed him need to be ing toward them. They said they heard arrested, like anyone else.” more shots and immediately opened fire James Harris, the Socialist Workers on the car, at first even shooting through Party candidate for U.S. Congress in their own windshield. The cops then got the 35th C.D., took part in the vigil. “We Militant/Carole Lesnick out of their car and continued firing. should demand the prosecution and jail- NEWARK, New Jersey, May 18—During a 12-day effort by supporters of Relatives said the men had gone out ing of the cops who killed Michael By- the Socialist Workers campaign, more than 1,600 people signed petitions for hamburgers, heard some shots, and oune,” he said. to place on the ballot Sara Lobman (shown petitioning above), the SWP candidate for U.S. Senate, and Róger Calero and Alyson Kennedy, SWP candidates for U.S. president and vice president. Another 250 signed for Michael Taber, the SWP candidate for Congress in the 10th C.D. In all cases petitioners collected more than double the requirement. —AMY HUSK

‘Militant’ names business manager BY Cindy jaquith Militant. Our Spanish-speaking read- The Militant has named Angel ers are enthusiastic promoters of the Lariscy business manager. Prior to socialist press. This step enables them taking on this responsibility, Lariscy, to follow more closely the progress of 43, worked as a sewing machine op- both campaigns. erator in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Militant/Naomi Craine and was a member of UNITE Mildred Daramola denounces the police killing of her cousin Michael Byoune, at May 15 HERE Local 169. vigil in Inglewood, California. To her right, in dress, is Byoune’s mother, Jackie Roberts. Lariscy is in charge of sub- scriptions, bundle orders, and invoices for the paper and can be reached by e-mail at themilitant. [email protected]. She is also the Spring 2008 Militant Fund director. Reports on the fund should be directed to her at the Prosecute and jail the killer cops! same e-mail address. Readers will notice that we From New York City to initiated a change in the paper’s Inglewood, California, Spanish section last week. We working people are de- are now printing the articles and charts on the spring subscription Militant/Carole Lesnick manding a halt to the dai- Angel Lariscy selling the Militant in Camden, ly brutality the cops mete drive and on the fund in the pages New Jersey, in 2005, when she ran for governor of El Militante as well as in the of New Jersey on the Socialist Workers ticket. out with impunity. Keep

up with this fight by sub- subscription send $65, drawn on a U.S. scribing to the ‘Militant.’ The Militant bank, to above address. Vol. 72/No. 22 Africa, Asia, and the Middle East: Send Closing news date: May 22, 2008 $65 drawn on a U.S. bank to above address. New York protest against police killing of Canada: Send Canadian $45 for one-year Editor: Olympia Newton Sean Bell in 2006. subscription to the Militant, 2238 Dundas Managing Editor: Cindy Jaquith St. West, Suite 201, Toronto, ON. Postal Business Manager: Angel Lariscy Code: M6R 3A9. Washington correspondent: Sam Manuel United Kingdom: £25 for one year by SUBSCRIBE TODAY! Editorial volunteers: Róger Calero, Ved check or international money order made Dookhun, Martín Koppel, Paul Pederson, out to CL London, First Floor, 120 Bethnal Doug Nelson, Ben O’Shaughnessy Green (Entrance in Brick Lane), London, NEW READERS Published weekly except for one week in E2 6DG, England. NAME January, two weeks in July, and one week Republic of Ireland and Continental in August. Europe: £50 for one year by check or  international money order made out to CL .$5 for 12 issues ADDRESS The Militant (ISSN 0026-3885), 306 W. 37th Street, 10th floor, New York, NY London at above address. 10018. Telephone: (212) 244-4899 France: Send 76 euros for one-year sub- RENEWAL scription to Diffusion du Militant, P.O. Box CITY STATE ZIP Fax: (212) 244-4947 E-mail: [email protected] 175, 23 rue Lecourbe, 75015 Paris. Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark:  Website: www.themilitant.com Send 400 Swedish kronor for one year to .$10 for 12 weeks UNION/SCHOOL/ORGANIZATION PHONE Correspondence concerning subscriptions Bildhuggarvägen 17, 12144 Johanneshov, or changes of address should be addressed Stockholm, Sweden. .$20 for 6 months to the Militant, 306 W. 37th Street, 10th New Zealand: Send NZ$50 to P.O. Box Clip and mail to the militant, floor, New York, NY 10018. 3025, Auckland, New Zealand.  306 W. 37th st., 10th Floor new york, ny 10018. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY. Australia: Send A$50 to P.O. Box 164 .$35 for 1 year POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Campsie, NSW 2194, Australia. the Militant, 306 W. 37th Street, 10th floor, Pacific Islands: Send NZ$50 to P.O. Box 12 weeks of the Militant outside the U.S.: Australia and the Pacific, A$8 • United New York, NY 10018. 3025, Auckland, New Zealand. Kingdom, £3 • Canada, Can$6 • Caribbean and Latin America, US$10 • Continental SUBSCRIPTIONS: United States: for Signed articles by contributors do not one-year send $35 to above address. Europe, £9 • France, 12 Euros • New Zealand, NZ$7 • Sweden, Kr60 • All other areas, necessarily represent the Militant’s views. US$16 (Send payment to addresses listed in business information box) Latin America, Caribbean: for one-year These are expressed in editorials.

2 The Militant June 2, 2008 Iowa workers talk about raid, plant conditions BY SETH GALINSKY Volunteers from many churches in POSTVILLE, Iowa—“It was a hu- the region provided three free meals man-hunt,” said one woman at the a day to the raid refugees, along with trailer park near the Agriprocessors toiletries and some clothing. meatpacking plant here. Referring Although still in a state of shock to the immigration raid at the plant because of the scope of the raid, many two days earlier, she told the Militant of the workers at the church wanted to that “they surrounded the plant and talk about the horrendous conditions used helicopters. What they did was in the plant. criminal.” Her son, an undocumented “Many people lost fingers and worker from Mexico, was arrested hands,” one worker said. “The line during the raid. was so fast.” The U.S. government has brought “My job was to twist the necks of criminal charges against 306 out of 100 chickens a minute,” said another worker. Militant/Jenny Shegos 389 workers arrested. Charges in- May 18 march in Waterloo, Iowa, against immigration raid at Agriprocessors Inc. clude: “misuse of Social Security Several said that the company fired number,” “aggravated identity theft,” workers with on-the-job injuries when charged the U.S. government with suit also charges that Agriprocessors and “possession of counterfeit identi- they could no longer work on the pro- violating Fifth Amendment due pro- withheld pay for “immigration fees,” fication.” duction line. cess rights by imposing “prolonged denied compensation for overtime, The May 12 raid was the biggest When workers asked for pay rais- and indefinite detention” and ham- and refused to let employees use the single-site immigration roundup in es the supervisors told them if they pering access to lawyers. The law- restroom during work shifts. U.S. history. Agriprocessors is the didn’t like it, “there’s the door.” largest kosher slaughterhouse in the According to several workers in- country. terviewed, one of the bosses from Earthquake toll in China Sixty-two workers have been re- Agriprocessors came by the church leased on “humanitarian grounds,” the day after the raid and asked em- Continued from front page ied 900 students. The Fu Xing No. 2 such as having minor children. They ployees to come back to work for $14 lapsed because they were not built or school in the village of Wufu collapsed, must wear electronic ankle bracelets per hour. upgraded to these codes. killing 300. Nearly all the other build- and are not allowed to leave the state According to the Waterloo Courier, Working-class dwellings and schools ings in the village remained intact. while awaiting a court hearing. 200 workers briefly walked off the were the hardest hit. A higher percent- “My daughter wasn’t killed by a natu- The woman whose son was arrest- job a year ago when the company an- age of buildings collapsed in smaller ral disaster. She and the others were ed had worked at the plant until a cou- nounced it had received “no-match” towns and rural areas than in large cit- killed by a derelict building,” said Bi ple of weeks ago. She described the letters from the Social Security Ad- ies. According to Chinese engineers Kaiwei, whose 13-year-old daughter conditions there. Shifts of 12 or more ministration, alleging that some quoted in the press, building code viola- was buried under the school in Wufu. hours a day were the norm, she said. Agriprocessors employees did not tions are particularly common in these “The officials knew it was unsafe.” Starting wages were only recently have proper work documents. The more rural areas. Bi and the child’s mother, Lin Xiaoy- raised to $7.25, and workers said that United Food and Commercial Work- Residents of Mianzhu, who were ing, are chemical factory workers. the highest wage for Latino produc- ers union publicized the walkout at searching for relatives in a fallen apart- Their apartment across the street, built in 1982, was older than the school, but tion workers was $7.75 per hour, the time. ment complex, told The Independent stood undamaged. China’s reaction- $5 per hour less then most packing At a convenience store and gas that the buildings had been built in a ary “one-child policy,” which prohibits plants in Iowa. Other employees were station on the outskirts of town, fre- substandard manner because corrupt government officials had siphoned off so most parents from having more than one given the easiest jobs, more breaks, quented by many area farmers, the much in kickbacks during the construc- child, meant that the couple, like many and were paid substantially more than cashier said, “To be honest, the raid tion. “Show me the structural steel in other working-class parents of victims, Latino workers, who are mostly from sucks. They’re just tearing apart fam- that building,” said one woman whose lost their only child. Mexico or Guatemala. ilies for no good reason.” In what the Des Moines Register mother was trapped under debris. “It all So far, 7,000 aftershocks have oc- At nearby St. Bridget’s Catholic termed an “unusual agreement,” fed- went into some official’s pocket.” Build- curred in southwest China, increas- Church, the hundreds of men, wom- eral authorities will allow detained ings surrounding the working-class com- ing fears of further disaster, includ- en, and children who sought refuge workers who are not criminally plex remained intact, The Independent ing landslides and bursting dams. The during the raid were still there two charged to stay in Iowa for several reported, “including one which housed widespread substandard construction in days later. By May 16, most had left more months. After the December cadres from the Communist Party.” China mirrors the government’s attitude the church, after fears of another 2006 raid at Swift & Co., which in- Xinhua, China’s state news agency, toward the safety of working people roundup by ICE eased. Most of those cluded the plant in Marshalltown, estimates 4 million buildings were de- on the job. Health and safety have both at the church were second-shift work- Iowa, immigrants who were arrested stroyed, including 6,900 classrooms been a casualty of the capitalist market ers, who stayed away from the plant were rapidly shipped out to detention and school dormitories. The quake oc- methods increasingly applied in the during the first-shift raid. Others had centers around the country and de- curred at 2:30 p.m., when school was in last two decades by China’s privileged successfully hidden or escaped during prived of the ability to meet with their session. In the city of Mianyang, seven government bureaucracy. Deaths from the raid, in some cases with the help lawyers or see their families. school buildings collapsed, burying work-related accidents last year totaled of coworkers who are U.S. citizens. A lawsuit filed May 15 by lawyers 1,700 people. nearly 100,000 workers, according to for three of the detained workers A school collapse in Dujiangyan bur- China’s safety agency. calendar United Kingdom Workers in Iowa protest ICE factory raid London The Cuban Revolution Today. Thurs., May Continued from front page The spirited march was led by There were many U.S.-born work- 29. Speaker: Teresita Trujillo, representative dren.” She demanded the government Agriprocessors workers from Postville ers—white and Black—from Waterloo of the Central Committee of the Communist “return my husband to me and free the and their children. Several of the women and other towns in northeast Iowa. Party of Cuba. Thurs., 7:30 p.m. University of London Union, Malet St., Room 3D. Spon- rest of those who have been arrested.” who marched were wearing GPS ankle Oscar Gomez, a 15-year-old high sors include: Jeremy Corbyn (MP), Andy de “To my fellow Latinos I say, we must bracelets required as a condition of their school student from Waterloo, said he la Tour, Communist Party of Britain, Com- keep fighting until we win.” release by ICE after being arrested dur- joined the march because “one of my munist League, Young Socialists, Movimiento Ecuador en el Unido, Larry Herman. The meeting at the church included ing the raid at the meatpacking plant. uncles was arrested by ICE. He has five immigrant rights activists, religious lead- A busload from Marshalltown, Iowa, kids and a wife and she doesn’t know ers, trade unionists, and other workers. was organized by Latinos en Acción how she can pay the bills.” Mark Lauritsen, an international vice de CCI (Latinos in Action of CCI), an “It’s messed up,” Gomez said. “This militant president of the United Food and Com- affiliate of the Iowa Citizens for Com- just breaks families apart.” For three mercial Workers union, was present. munity Improvement. The bus included nights in a row he joined the protests labor Following the meeting, more than 400 many meatpacking workers from Swift outside the Cattle Congress. people marched two-and-a-half miles to & Co., which was raided by ICE in De- Michelle, a Black worker on the Tyson forums the Cattle Congress fairgrounds, where cember 2006, as well as students from meatpacking plant cleaning crew in Wa- Florida many of those detained in the May 12 Marshalltown Community College and terloo, also joined the march. “They’re Miami raid had been held. While the workers construction workers. doing the same thing to immigrants War and Crisis in the Middle East: A have now been sent to other prisons A vanload of workers and students that they did to Blacks,” she said. Working-Class Perspective. Speaker: Deb- around the state, agents of Immigration came from the Twin Cities in Minneso- orah Liatos. Fri., May 30. Dinner, 6:30 p.m.; program, 7:30 p.m. 8365 NE 2nd Ave., 2nd and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are ta. Several nuns, priests, and ministers Natalie Morrison contributed to this Floor. Tel: (305) 756-4436. still operating out of the grounds. also joined the march. article.

The Militant June 2, 2008 3 Editorial Cuban Five Continued from front page For a sliding scale of hours, wages anniversary of the arrest of the five—as well as a na- tional conference. From truck drivers in the United States to toilers appointed by William Clinton recalculated the Con- Conference participants will also discuss how to in semicolonial countries from Haiti to Bangladesh, sumer Price Index (CPI) to substantially reduce offi- take advantage of an array of speakers, literature, peti- working people are seeking ways to protect ourselves cial price figures. Increases in the price of meat, for tions, and documentary videos on the case. from the grind of the spreading capitalist crisis with its example, were not taken into account on the basis that Before their arrest, the five—two U.S. citizens and ruinous inflation and devastating unemployment. workers could substitute hamburger for steak. In a three Cuban immigrants—were gathering informa- An effective demand that can unite working people similar fashion, a commission under the John F. Ken- tion on right-wing Cuban-American groups that have today is a sliding scale of wages and hours. There nedy administration “disappeared” millions of unem- staged violent attacks against Cuba with Washington’s should be cost-of-living increases in the wages and ployed workers by no longer counting those who had complicity. Arrested by the FBI on Sept. 13, 1998, they benefits of all workers so that when the prices of con- given up on finding a job. were denied bail and kept in solitary confinement for sumer goods go up there is an automatic rise in in- To counter this trickery the unions need to initiate 17 months. The U.S. government falsely charged them come to match. And to protect our class against rising committees of workers and farmers that can take the with “conspiracy to commit espionage,” “conspiracy unemployment, the work week should be shortened determination of the CPI into our hands. to act as an unregistered foreign agent,” and—in the with no cut in pay to spread the available work to all. To wage this kind of fight working people need a case of Hernández—“conspiracy to commit murder.” Millions of jobs can be created at union-scale wages political party of our own—a labor party based on Although none of the main charges were proven, they through a massive public works program. combative trade unions. Such a party can begin to were convicted and given sentences ranging from 15 In addition to high prices the capitalist rulers rig fight now for a sliding scale of wages and hours and years to a double life sentence. their statistics to understate the real cost of food, fuel, other demands in the interests of working people The injustice against the five men strikes many health care, housing, and education. In 1997 a panel around the world. who learn the facts of the case as being part of the broader pattern of U.S. government assaults on basic rights. Over the past decade and a half Washington Welcome to our new readers has enacted laws that have expanded mandatory fed- Continued from front page “One of the most interesting things was how—not eral prison sentences, reduced protections against ar- 2,200 of the subscriptions were sold to new readers. everybody—but more people than I expected, were bitrary search and seizure, authorized “preventive de- We also congratulate the supporters of the paper opposed to ICE setting up its detention center in the tention” without bail on the basis of “secret evidence,” around the world who participated in this very suc- middle of town,” said Frank Forrestal, a Militant sup- limited the right of appeal, and expanded the use of cessful campaign. Not a single local area that took a porter in Des Moines, in a phone interview on his way the death penalty. Through their resistance in face of quota failed to reach it—in full, and on time. back from Waterloo May 21. harsh prison conditions, the Cuban Five have been in The Militant was particularly marked over the past “Taking the paper door-to-door and at the protests, the front ranks of those fighting these assaults. two months by working-class struggles across the a number of workers who were born in Iowa—white Initial sponsors of the June 14 conference include United States in response to factory raids, deportations, and Black—would often come up and buy the paper Casa de las Américas, Cuba Solidarity New York, and abuse against foreign-born workers by federal and and express their disgust at the raid. Many joined the Popular Education Project to Free the Cuban 5, Na- local cops. For the third year running, at mass actions protests,” Forrestal said. Some 25 people in the area tional Committee to Free the Cuban Five, IFCO/Pas- on May Day, thousands took to the streets to demand subscribed in the week following the raid. tors for Peace, People’s Organization for Progress, legalization for all undocumented immigrants. Supporters of the Militant threw themselves into the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party, ProLibertad, Social- The Militant has been welcomed in Iowa in the effort to build May Day actions for legalization in their ist Workers Party, ANSWER, Venceremos Brigade, aftermath of a May 12 raid in the town of Postville. areas. They wrote stories for the paper as the activities Workers World Party, Young Socialists, and San Nearly 400 workers were arrested—many brought to were building and won nearly 700 new readers to the Romero Church. a detention center and base set up by the Immigration paper between April 30 and May 7, the majority at the For more information visit www.freethecuban5con- and Customs Enforcement cops in Waterloo. May Day actions themselves. ference.com. Socialist Fund drive ‘Militant‘ Subscription Drive $100,000 ‘Militant’ Fund ♦ Spring 2008 ♦ March 22 – May 18 in Iowa wraps up Spring 2008 March 22 – May 18 Continued from front page Final chart will print next week Week 8 of 8 women and 3 or 4 male next week workers who were released Country Quota Paid % Country Quota Sold % BY Angel Lariscy but are forced to wear ankle UNITED STATES UNITED STATES With only a few days before bracelets. Kennedy said the the final figures are counted, Twin Cities* 5,500 5,820 106% Boston 60 64 107% socialist campaign favors the $100,000 Militant Fund is Los Angeles* 9,500 9,984 105% Miami 130 136 105% legalization for all immi- close to a victory with $99,647 Houston 2,500 2,538 102% San Francisco* 135 141 104% grants without conditions. collected. New York 15,000 15,187 101% Des Moines, IA 140 146 104% “In Postville and sur- Supporters of the social- Washington, D.C.* 4,300 4,345 101% rounding towns, the people Philadelphia 85 88 104% ist newsweekly in Australia, Des Moines, IA 2,000 1,952 98% Newark, NJ* 175 181 103% are divided on the issue of Canada, New Zealand, Swe- what to do about immigra- Miami 3,000 2,886 96% Houston 90 93 103% den, the United Kingdom, and Philadelphia* 3,300 3,170 96% Twin Cities 150 154 103% tion,” Lyle Otte told Kenne- five U.S. cities—Houston, Los dy. Otte is a retired teacher Newark, NJ 3,700 3,508 95% New York 315 322 102% Angeles, New York, Twin Cit- who is helping the families Seattle 7,000 6,425 92% ies, and Washington, D.C.— Chicago 120 122 102% of the arrested workers. San Francisco* 13,000 11,470 88% have already met or gone over Atlanta 130 132 102% Going door-to-door in a Atlanta 4,000 3,403 85% their goal. Carrollton, GA 145 147 101% trailer park, Kennedy was John Clifford, a hotel Chicago* 8,125 6,910 85% Seattle 115 116 101% introduced to Alicia Vega worker and new member of Carrollton, GA 4,700 3,877 82% Washington, D.C. 140 141 101% Ortiz, whose 19-year-old the Young Socialists in Twin Boston 2,800 2,088 75% Los Angeles* 145 146 101% son was rounded up in the Other 1,500 May 12 raid. Along with a Cities, spoke at a recent meet- Albuquerque, NM 10 10 100% U.S. total 88,425 85,063 96% busload of Agriprocessors ing on the Militant Fund. He Other 16 said what was inspiring about U.S. Total 2,085 2155 103% workers, Ortiz marched CANADA* 5,500 6,050 110% in the Waterloo rally and the paper was that “it rests UNITED KINGDOM addressed the crowd, de- on the shoulders of work- NEW ZEALAND 3,200 3,390 106% ers and those who donate to Edinburgh 45 50 111% nouncing the arrests. get it out. It’s the only media AUSTRALIA* 2,200 2,205 100% London* 80 89 111% “People like you are leading the way forward,” source that consistently pres- UK Total 125 139 111% UNITED KINGDOM said Kennedy. “We can win ents social, economical, and London 1,000 1,038 104% CANADA 105 109 104% if we keep fighting to build political issues from a class a movement that demands perspective.” Edinburgh 600 600 100% NEW ZEALAND 65 70 108% legalization. There were The final chart for the fund UK total 1,600 1,638 102% a good number of people will be run in the next issue of AUSTRALIA 55 57 104% who’ve lived their whole the paper; all money received SWEDEN 1,000 1,069 107% by Tuesday, May 27, will SWEDEN 25 27 108% lives in Iowa who joined FRANCE 260 232 89% the protest. There was uni- count. It’s not too late to join Int’l Totals 2,460 2,557 104% ty there that we can build the effort. Please send your Goal/Should be 100,000 100,000 100% on. More and more are see- contribution to the Militant at Goals/Should be 2,400 2,400 100% ing the raids as attacks on 306 W. 37th Street, 10th floor, Total 102,185 99,647 99% * increased quota all of us.” New York, NY 10018. * increased quota 4 The Militant June 2, 2008 11-month union battle Continued from front page workers sat in the lunchroom and re- posted and awarded. fused to work until the company slowed One of the central demands of the down the line. Workers today often re- workers throughout the contract fight— fer to the sit-down strike of 2000, called a line speed at no more than 94 cows per the plantón in Spanish. For seven hours hour, verified by the workers—was not workers stood firm against company addressed in the new contract. This will threats and pressures and won. A few remain a focal point of struggle, accord- weeks later the workers voted in the ing to union activists interviewed by the UFCW. Militant. The union victory was followed by a two-year-and-a-half fight for a contract, Company’s attempt to take credit which was won in 2002. During the life Thirty-five percent of the union of this five-year contract there were con- members who voted opposed the con- stant skirmishes with the company over tract. This registered sentiment among safety conditions, access to union repre- many that the contract fight had put sentation, firings, and other harassment of the workers. workers in a strong position to win Mike Dreyer more from the company, including As a result of the sit-down strike in Victory celebration Jan. 25, 2008, at the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 789 better safety on the job. Most of the 2000, the workers wrested an agreement hall after members voted to keep the union at Dakota Premium Foods. workers—both those who voted “no,” that the plant would butcher no more and those who voted “yes”—see their than 94 cows an hour, with a worker had to first beat back a drive to destroy and authorized a strike. The vote of 94 accomplishments and consider them- verifying the line speed. Workers were their union. An antiunion petition was to 51 approved the contract. selves stronger today for having used not strong enough to maintain that vic- circulated in the plant leading up to the their union power to wrest some wage tory in the face of the company’s relent- June 30 contract expiration and com- Workers know the fight is still on concessions from the company. less pressure to produce more. Since pany backers succeeded in forcing a The Workers’ Voice distributed in the Rebecca Williamson, one of several 2000 the line speed has significantly union decertification election. The com- plant after the contract vote explained workers who became shop stewards increased, workers say, with hundreds pany was confident the union would be that workers were celebrating their fight during the contract fight, explained: more cows a day being killed in the defeated. Their strategy included hiring and accomplishments. At the same time “The company flyer put out the day of same number of hours. many new workers who are Black, Na- it noted that dozens of workers have the vote urging workers to ratify the The demand to reestablish a limit on tive American, or white in order to di- faced increased harassment in recent contract says the employer worked hard the line speed became very popular as vide them from the mostly Latino work- weeks. It further states: for 11 months to get us this contract. workers tried to figure out how to deal force. “One of the most important issues “They did work hard, but it was not with constant injuries and abuse. This boss campaign to decertify the remains unresolved—a line speed to give us anything. For the first six The other central issue was a decent union was soundly defeated on Janu- that injures us daily. The company’s months Dakota worked hard to decertify pay raise. Workers were determined to ary 25 by a vote of 152 to 82. Workers drive for profits at our expense means the union. After that they insisted wages do better than their last contract, which united against the company in defense that they will continue to try to up the could not be raised much. They always included raises between 20 and 35 cents of their union. They and UFCW Local line speed. . . . We will use our re- refused to talk about the line speed and each year for the union members. 789 union representatives worked to- newed strength to defend our safety other safety issues. It’s the fight by the Throughout the 11-month battle for a gether to defend several Black workers on the job.” workers that got us where we are today contract in 2007 and 2008 the Dakota who had been unjustly fired and dis- The newsletter also calls for solidar- and it’s this fight that continues.” workers have written and distributed an criminated against. ity for the workers arrested in the May The recent struggle to organize a in-plant newsletter called the Workers’ It was only after the company’s 12 immigration raid at Agriprocessors union and win a contract at Dakota Voice. The newsletter is popular among union-busting attempt failed that Da- meat plant in Iowa. It ends by explain- Premium goes back to June 2000 when workers, many of whom make sugges- kota grudgingly began to negotiate. A ing that the current issue of the Workers’ tions as to what should go in it. Among dozen workers from different depart- Voice starts volume 5, reflecting the new The Teamster series other things it addresses unjust compa- ments participated in the weekly nego- stage in the ongoing fight at Dakota Pre- ny firings, the brutal effects of the line tiations, joined by union officers and mium Foods. speed, and pokes fun at the company’s staff members. This went on for several Hector Hernández, a young kill floor Lessons from the labor claims that workers could get by on months until union officials organized a worker who helped put out the Work- battles of the 1930s paltry wage raises. As evidence of the vote on the company’s May 7 offer. The ers’ Voice in earlier battles as well as in need for a decent wage raise the Work- 116 to 5 “no” vote on the deal sent a clear this most recent fight, said, “The ma- Teamster Rebellion is the first of ers’ Voice pointed out at the beginning message to the company. jority of us learned that the bosses only four books on the 1930s strikes, organizing of the last contract, in 2002, gas was drives, and political campaigns that trans- A few days later the company in- look for their own benefit. They never, formed the Teamsters union in much of the $1.30 per gallon and now workers pay creased its wage offer. A second vote never see the work we do. They always Midwest into a fighting social movement. $3.65 per gallon. by the workers was then held. This was look for more production. We learned $19. (Now also available in Spanish) In July 2007, before workers could organized so that a “yes” vote approved that when all the workers unite we can The subsequent volumes describe... begin fighting for a new contract, they the contract and a “no” vote rejected it win our objectives.” Teamster Power ...how the class-struggle Teamster leadership in if you like this paper, look us up Minneapolis, Minnesota, launched an 11-state cam- Where to find distributors of the Mili- MINNESOTA: Minneapolis: 1311 1/2 CANADA paign that brought a quarter tant, New International, and a full display E. Lake St. Zip: 55407. Tel: (612) 729-1205. E- QUEBEC: Montreal: 7105 St. Hubert, of Pathfinder books. million over-the-road truck- mail: [email protected] Suite 106F, H2S 2N1. Tel: (514) 272-5840. E- ers into the union...$19 NEW JERSEY: Newark: 168 Bloomfield mail: [email protected] UNITED STATES Ave., 2nd Floor. Zip: 07104. Tel: (973) 481- Teamster Politics CALIFORNIA: Los Angeles: 2826 S. 0077. E-mail: [email protected] FRANCE ...how they combated Vermont Ave. #9 Zip: 90007. Tel: (323) 737- 2191. E-mail: [email protected] NEW YORK: Manhattan: 306 W. 37th Paris: P.O. 175, 23 rue Lecourbe. FBI frame-ups, helped San Francisco: 3926 Mission St. (front) Zip: St., 10th Floor. Zip: 10018. Tel: (212) 629- Postal code: 75015. Tel: (01) 40-10-28-37. the jobless organize, 94112-1015. Tel: (415) 584-2135. E-mail: swpsf 6649. E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] deployed Union Defense @sbcglobal.net Guards to turn back PENNSYLVANIA: Philadelphia: 188 fascist thugs, fought to FLORIDA: Miami: 8365 NE 2nd Ave. W. Wyoming Ave. Zip: 19140. Tel: (215) 455- NEW ZEALAND advance independent la- #206. Mailing address: P.O. Box 381395. 2682. E-mail: [email protected] Auckland: Suite 3, 7 Mason Ave., Otahuhu. Zip: 33138. Tel: (305) 756-4436. E-mail: bor political action, and TEXAS: Houston: 4800 W. 34th St., Suite Postal address: P.O. Box 3025. Tel: (9) 276- [email protected] mobilized opposition to C-51A. Zip: 77092. Tel: (713) 688-4919. E- 8885. E-mail: [email protected] U.S. imperialism’s entry GEORGIA: Atlanta: 2840 NE Ex- mail: swp.houston1@ sbcglobal.net pressway, Suite 102. Zip: 30345, Atlanta. SWEDEN into World War II...$19 WASHINGTON, D.C.: 3717 B Tel: (404) 471-1165, E-mail: swpatlanta@ Stockholm: Bildhuggarvägen 17, 12144 bellsouth.net Carrollton: 1109 S. Park Georgia Ave. NW, Ground Floor. Zip: Teamster Bureaucracy 20010. Tel: (202) 536-5080. E-mail: Johanneshov. Tel: (08) 31 69 33. E-mail: St. Ste. 504 #148. Zip: 30117. E-mail: [email protected] ...how the employing class, backed by union [email protected] [email protected] officials, stepped up government efforts to ILLINOIS: Chicago: 3557 S. Archer WASHINGTON: Seattle: 5418 Rainier UNITED KINGDOM gag these class-conscious militants, and how Ave. Zip: 60609. Tel: (773) 890-1190. E-mail: Ave. South. Zip: 98118-2439. Tel: (206) 323- workers mounted a world campaign to free [email protected] 1755. E-mail: [email protected] ENGLAND: London: First Floor, 120 eighteen union and socialist leaders framed- Bethnal Green (Entrance in Brick Lane). up and imprisoned in the infamous 1941 IOWA: Des Moines: 3707 Douglas Ave. Zip: 50310. Tel: (515) 255-1707. E-mail: AUSTRALIA Postal code: E2 6DG. Tel: 020-7613-24466. federal sedition trial. $19 E-mail: [email protected] [email protected] Sydney: 1st Flr, 3/281-287 Beamish —ONLY $65 FOR SET OF ALL FOUR MASSACHUSETTS: Boston: 13 St., Campsie, NSW 2194. Mailing SCOTLAND: Edinburgh: Second Floor, Bennington St., 2nd Floor, East Bos- address: P.O. Box 164, Campsie, NSW 2194. 105 Hanover St. Postal code: EH2 1DJ. www.pathfinderpress.com ton. Zip: 02128. Tel: (617) 569-9169. Tel: (02) 9718 9698. E-mail: cl_australia@ Tel: 0131-226-2756. E-mail: cledinburgh@ E-mail: [email protected] optusnet.com.au talktalk.net The Militant June 2, 2008 5 ‘The best fighter in revolutionary Cuba’s combat aviation’ Brig. Gen. Arnaldo Tamayo’s remarks at Havana meeting on memoirs of Div. Gen. Enrique Carreras

The following are remarks by Brig. history as a revolutionary, his coop- Gen. Arnaldo Tamayo at an event held eration with the July 26 Movement, during the Havana International Book began. Fair in February where he presented The regime caught him conspiring, Por el dominio del aire: Memorias and he was court-martialed. He and a de un piloto de combate, 1943–1988 group of conspirators were sentenced (Controlling the Air: Memoirs of a to jail on the Isle of Pines, today the Combat Pilot, 1943–1988), by Div. Isle of Youth. In prison on the Isle of Gen. Enrique Carreras. Pines, he became involved in revolu- Carreras, 86 and still on active duty, tionary work. They were in jail until is considered the father of revolution- Jan. 1, 1959, when the revolution tri- ary Cuba’s air force. As an officer in umphed and he and other revolution- the air force before the revolution, he aries were freed. opposed the 1952 coup by Fulgencio From that point on Carreras began Batista and became a collaborator a new stage of revolutionary activity. within the armed forces of the July 26 He continued his training as a pilot, Movement, led by Fidel Castro, which improving his flying skills and learn- was fighting the U.S.-backed dictator- Courtesy Enrique Carreras ing new technologies as we began to ship. He was arrested in September “We shot down more of their planes than the total number of planes we had, which was barely receive Soviet weaponry. 1957 for taking part in a military plot seven,” said Arnaldo Tamayo, referring to role of fledgling Revolutionary Air Force during 1961 U.S.-backed mercenary invasion at the Bay of Pigs, which Cuban working people defeated Victory at Playa Girón against the regime. Released from within 72 hours. Above, Carreras in a fighter plane at the time of the invasion. prison with the January 1959 revolu- Not to jump over stages in his life, tionary victory, Carreras joined the the March 3 Militant). a pilot. Many years later I was able to however, shortly before we received effort to build the air force of the new The translation and subtitles are by meet him. Later I can tell you some the first Soviet planes, Playa Girón revolutionary government. An inter- the Militant. anecdotes about this complex profes- took place.2 With the few planes we view with Carreras about his life and v sion of being a combat pilot. had taken over from Batista’s air force, his participation in the revolutionary In the course of his professional re- with the few pilots we had at the time, By Arnaldo Tamayo cord Carreras has accumulated great movement is included in Making His- It’s a difficult task for me to have to the revolution confronted the merce- tory: Interviews with Four Generals merits, the greatest of which is that he nary aggression at Playa Girón. talk about Div. Gen. Enrique Carreras became a complete revolutionary, in of Cuba’s Revolutionary Armed Forc- Rolas. All the more so here in front In the book we see how it happened. es, published by Pathfinder. every sense. And he did so, above all, In addition to being few in number, of his closest family members, includ- in very difficult times, when the July In his remarks at the February 14 ing his children, who know him better the majority of planes they were fly- book presentation, Tamayo recounts 26 Revolutionary Movement and oth- ing were in very poor condition. There than any of us. er revolutionary forces were fighting how Carreras was his teacher when Carreras is one of the combatants are many stories about how our engi- he first joined the Revolutionary Air to overthrow the tyrant. In the book neers, our mechanics, our technicians of the Cuban Revolution who have he explains what a blow Batista’s Force in the early 1960s. Today head beautiful and glorious deeds to their made the planes operational, even of international relations of Cuba’s March 10, 1952, coup was for him, using contact breakers from automo- credit. He is one of the combatants even as he served in the professional Revolutionary Armed Forces, Tamayo who have had the privilege of becom- biles. And the courageous pilots who became famous around the world army. Many professionals of the army achieved this, under these conditions, ing part of history. And not just as a and air force were also hard hit by that in 1980 when, as part of the Soviet combatant, but because of what Rav- were headed by Carreras, as leader of Union’s space program, he became violation of the constitution and of the one of our air force’s attack groups. elo just described: for his modesty, principles of democracy. the first Cuban and first person of -Af his simplicity, his total devotion to a The mercenaries had supremacy not rican descent to take part in a space From then on Carreras began to just at sea but also in terms of planes. cause. rebel against the repressive forces mission. We often hear about combatants The proof is that we shot down more The event also presented Pombo: and against the tyrant himself. That’s of their planes than the total number who have distinguished themselves when he linked up with cells of the un hombre de la guerrilla del Che of planes we had, which was barely in the guerrilla struggle, in interna- July 26 Movement and began to co- (Pombo: a Man of Che’s guerrilla), by seven. Nonetheless, between our ar- tionalist battles, in different areas of operate in organizing to topple the Brig. Gen. Harry Villegas, who spoke tillery and our planes, we shot down defense. But when we speak about the dictatorship. As he was doing so, on the panel. Villegas, known by his 12 of theirs. They acted like cow- defense of our skies, of the combat- the uprising of September 5 in Cayo nom de guerre Pombo, is executive ants of the air, Carreras must hold a ards—their planes bore Cuban insig- Loco in Cienfuegos occurred.1 He vice president of the Association of special place in that history. Without nia, creating uncertainty among our was one of the pilots connected to the Combatants of the Cuban Revolution. Carreras’s story, I believe, it would be pilots and artillerymen. At the hour July 26 Movement who interceded Sergio Ravelo and Iraida Aguirrechu difficult to write a history of the Rev- of battle, you didn’t know if you were to get themselves assigned to a mis- of Editora Política, the publishing olutionary Armed Forces of Cuba, firing at friend or foe. That complicat- sion against the uprising. By doing house of the Central Committee of much less a history of the air force. ed things a bit until we figured it out so they prevented the indiscriminate the Communist Party of Cuba, made I say it’s difficult for me, because and our pilots came up with signals to bombing that was going to be carried introductory remarks. Editora Política we have before us an exceptional fig- identify each other in the air. out against the people of Cienfuegos, issued new editions of the two titles, ure. As I learned from reading the Our planes played an extremely im- who had joined in the uprising. It was subsidized by the Cuban Book Insti- book, Carreras started in the air force portant role in the final outcome in the very difficult to determine where in tute as part of its Special Plan to make when I was born—he joined the air battle of Playa Girón. All this is well Cienfuegos the revolutionary forces force in 1941, and I was born in 1942. told by Carreras here—his participa- books broadly available to the Cuban were, since the people rushed out into people (see article on the meeting in From that point on he was trained as tion as well as that of other pilots who the street and joined the movement of risked their lives, not just due to com- September 5. bat but because of the technical condi- FOR FURTHER READING The massacre would have been tre- tion of the planes. These pilots carried mendous. But Carreras and other pi- out this important duty to defend the Making History lots achieved their aim. Given orders revolution, and we know the results: Interviews with Four Generals to bomb Cienfuegos, they dropped the mercenaries were defeated in less of Cuba’s Revolutionary Armed Forces their bombs and all their murderous Through the stories of four outstanding Cuban generals— shrapnel in the ocean. That’s how his Néstor López Cuba, Enrique Carreras, José Ramón Fernán- 2. On April 17, 1961, 1,500 Cuban-born dez, and Harry Villegas—each with close to half a century mercenaries invaded Cuba at the Bay of revolutionary activity, we can see the class dynamics that 1. On Sept. 5, 1957, an uprising against of Pigs on the southern coast. The ac- shaped the Cuban Revolution and our entire epoch. $16 the Batista dictatorship took place in tion, organized by Washington, aimed the city of Cienfuegos in south-central to establish a “provisional govern- Playa Girón/Bay of Pigs Cuba, led by disaffected forces in the ment” that would immediately appeal Washington’s First Military Defeat in the Americas navy, as well as the July 26 Movement. for direct U.S. intervention. But the in- It was quickly joined by working peo- vaders, never able to secure a foothold, By Fidel Castro and José Ramón Fernández ple and youth from the city. Originally were defeated in less than 72 hours by In less than 72 hours during April 1961, near the Bay of Pigs, intended as a national uprising by anti- the militia and the revolutionary armed Cuba’s revolutionary militias, police, and armed forces de- Batista forces in the military, the revolt forces and police. On April 19 the last feated an invasion of 1,500 mercenaries armed, trained, sup- was isolated to Cienfuegos and was invaders surrendered at Playa Girón ported and deployed by Washington. $20 quickly crushed; dozens of revolution- (Girón Beach), which is the name Cu- bans use to designate the battle. WWW.PATHFINDERPRESS.COM aries were killed.

6 The Militant June 2, 2008 ‘The best fighter in revolutionary Cuba’s combat aviation’ Brig. Gen. Arnaldo Tamayo’s remarks at Havana meeting on memoirs of Div. Gen. Enrique Carreras

than 72 hours. And Carreras played to train as pilots in different countries. an outstanding part in that battle. In one year we were trained as pilots. Later came the period of the de- In accelerated courses, we learned the velopment of our air force, with dif- technical aspects of aviation, the same ferent types of aircraft coming from as the technicians and engineers. We the USSR. And there was Carreras finished the initial part of our school- participating again, organizing and ing in other countries, but when we planning the groups of us who went returned to Cuba in May 1962, as Car- off to study in Czechoslovakia, the reras describes here, the older pilots, Soviet Union, China. His recommen- beginning with Carreras, became our dations were very important with re- tutors. Because as pilots we were still Militant/Ben O’Shaughnessy gard to the requirements for the pilots rookies. We had learned to land and Young Cuban military cadets in who were to go study—that they have take off, but it was different learning the audience listened intently good reflexes, be in good health. the combat side—experience in combat to talk by Gen. Arnaldo Tamayo (inset, speaking) at February I remember the first medical exam aviation, the aggressiveness a pilot must 14 meeting during the Havana at the airfield in San Antonio de los have in the air, among other things. International Book Fair. In Baños at the beginning of 1961. That’s Many of you know Carreras, he’s his presentation of the book when we had the opportunity to get calm and easygoing. But in the air he Controlling the Air: Memoirs to know Carreras firsthand. He went was a lion, hunting targets, accelerat- of a Combat Pilot, 1943–1988, Tamayo paid tribute to its au- through the hospital many times, in- ing at moments of danger, seizing the thor, Enrique Carreras, con- quiring about the pilots, the young offensive. sidered the father of Cuba’s personnel there—17 or 18 years old— And he instilled these virtues in Revolutionary Air Force. who came from the Young Rebels.3 us, the young pilots. I had the privi- These youth were integrated into our lege of being with him during the troops were to open fire on the planes jets, but as long as he could fly he armed forces, enriching our units. October Crisis in San Antonio de that were flying over Cuba, scouting continued piloting transport planes of los Baños.4 I arrived in May, and by out where the strategic missiles were different kinds. He felt—and feels— Sense of humanity October—thanks to what I and oth- located and what planes we had in the that he is a man of the air, because There’s something worth recalling. ers had learned from him and other air brigade. By then we had MiGs. he’s a professional of the air force. I In the medical books inherited from experienced compañeros—in a few The Soviets had a MiG-21 regiment. believe he still conducts flights in his the old army, there was an affliction months we were able to assimilate And there were antiaircraft missiles. mind. He is a man of the air who was called “repulsive ugliness” that was aerial tactics, aerial combat, master- The night the commander in chief born and raised to become one of our used to prohibit individuals from fly- ing complex techniques. arrived we were asleep—we were heroes who have always defended us, ing. Doctors could put down “repul- Now, Villegas here is someone who bivouacked there, of course. The com- kept our skies blue and clear of any sive ugliness” for someone with juve- really knows something about ground mander told us that by dawn we were type of enemy aircraft. nile acne, for example. They didn’t let combat. But not all combat is the to be positioned in our cockpits on the For that reason, his participation in many blacks through. Anyone a doc- same. In all combat you risk your life. runway, with the planes armed, ready the formation of our air force—which tor didn’t like, he could put down “re- In the air, however, you don’t even to go into combat. became, after that of the United States, pulsive ugliness” and that was enough need to be in combat to do so. Every Clearly the danger was very great. the strongest in the Americas—has to bar the person from flying. takeoff, every landing, exposes you to [Raúl] Curbelo, head of the air force at great value. No Latin American coun- Well, Carreras fought those strange the same intensity, the same rigor, the the time, decided that the most experi- try has, or will have, either the fire enced pilots—those with Playa Girón concepts. Sometimes there were very same danger. Carreras taught us that. power or the courage that our air force under their belts—would be the first to good compañeros about whom the Calmness is also a virtue of his. He demonstrated in Angola, in Ethiopia, take off, and then us rookies. Owing doctors would put down “repulsive is very cool in the face of danger. He and in other countries. Our pilots to his experience, Carreras was in the ugliness,” and Carreras would go talks about that in the book; you’ll be were in the Congo, in Yemen, and I’m front ranks of the planes that were to fight with them. I’m telling you this, able to read it in these pages. sure all of them carry with them the because one of his qualities was his confront that powerful air force. Dur- teachings of Enrique Carreras Rolas, sense of humanity, which has always Front ranks in October 1962 crisis ing the October Crisis, this power was the master of the air.5 In one way or shown by the number of exploration been part of his character, his cha- You could see all those attributes another, all of us flew with him. He flights the U.S. government carried risma. of Carreras during the October Cri- oversaw us, he watched over us. out, not to mention the planes they had Many of us young people went off sis. I remember when the commander I never heard from the mouth of in reserve in the event of total war. in chief [Fidel Castro] showed up at Enrique Carreras Rolas, toward me Our air force was going into battle San Antonio de los Baños at one of or any other pilot, a single offensive 3. The Association of Young Rebels at a disadvantage relative to the ene- the most critical moments of the cri- word. If he had to point out errors in (AJR) was a revolutionary youth my’s numerical superiority. And Car- your flight, he’d do it modestly, calm- organization formed in 1959 by the sis, in the middle of the night. He met reras, courageously, was in the front ly, and with a tremendous revolution- Rebel Army’s Department of Instruc- with all the pilots. He had just given ranks of takeoff position number one. tion headed by Ernesto Che Guevara. ary spirit. the order that, the next day, Cuban Fortunately the Yankee planes did It was one of the predecessors of the These are the characteristics of the not fly over Cuba that day, because it Union of Young Communists (UJC), great man who has written this book. 4. In the face of escalating prepara- would have been a real dogfight. All founded in 1962. He is the most honest man one could tions by Washington for an of us pilots were equally ready to take invasion of Cuba in the spring to the air and give the aggressors the know, the most humble, the calmest, and summer of 1962, the Cu- beating they deserved. the most decent. ban government signed a mu- That was the October Crisis. But he is also the best fighter we tual defense agreement with have known in combat aviation. the Soviet Union. In Octo- In the following years we increased ber 1962 U.S. president John the air force’s technological capacities; Kennedy demanded removal we obtained new planes. We received 5. Between 1975 and 1989, more than of Soviet nuclear missiles in- the MiG-15 and MiG-17 fighter jets, 375,000 Cuban internationalist com- stalled in Cuba following the then the MiG-21 F-13. Then the next line batants served in Angola, helping to signing of that pact. Wash- of planes, the MiG-19; then other vari- defend that country against a South ington ordered a naval block- ants, the MiG-21 MF, the MiG-23, and African invasion and an imperial- ade of Cuba, stepped up its finally the MiG-29. Also different types ist-backed insurgency supported by preparations to invade, and Washington, among others. In 1977 placed U.S. armed forces on of helicopters and transport planes. Cuba responded to a request by the nuclear alert. Cuban workers There were few pilots able to master government of Ethiopia to help de- and farmers mobilized in the and fly all the types of planes our air feat a U.S.-backed invasion by the re- millions to defend the revolu- force had. One of these was Enrique gime in neighboring Somalia aimed tion. Following an exchange Carreras Rolas. Few of us had that priv- at seizing the Ogaden region. In 1965 of communications between ilege. Because every plane has its own Che Guevara led a column of more Washington and Moscow, on peculiarities. Each has its own method, than 100 Cuban combatants in the October 28 Soviet premier Congo to help train liberation forces Nikita Khrushchev, without its own way of being flown. He became fighting a proimperialist regime in- Militant/Mary-Alice Waters consulting the Cuban govern- an ace in the Cuban air force. stalled with Washington’s support. Enrique Carreras during October 1997 interview for ment, announced his decision Later on, because of health prob- In the 1970s Cuban military instruc- Pathfinder book Making History. to remove the missiles. lems, he could no longer fly fighter tors trained forces in South Yemen.

The Militant June 2, 2008 7