The Generals

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Just 2½ months after other Latin American states military regime faces a very resume normal relations with "IT ALL seemed so cosy and right to the generals and admirals... the Falklands were there for the taking, and the world would probably accept their capture as an accomplished fact.

"The US had been carefully building up an excellent relationship with the pro western Galtieri and so would probably limit itself to a lame protest; the Russians, heavily dependent on Argentine grain shipments, would make sure nothing went awry; and Argentina's friends in the Third World would applaud a victory over colonialism.

"Britain, deep in its economic crisis, would swallow a temporary discomfort. At home, Argentines would forget their anger with the junta over long years of dictatorial rule and economic mismanagement"

The different branches of the armed forces are at each others' throats. The political parties are confidently clamouring for a return to civilian rule.

Less noisily, but more importantly, revolt must be breeding in the powerful Argentine working class. The days before the Falklands invasion saw the biggest workers' demonstration against the junta since the coup of 1976, and a general strike had been called for a few days after. Now the national unity euphoria must be wearing off, with workers beginning to ask hard questions about the class interests in which the junta undertook its expedition and sent hundreds of conscripts to their deaths.

And by all indications the voca sympathy which 11. - - 1the junta got from some 103.

After defeat on the Falklands, Galtieri bustered about continaing the war. Within the military, the air force presented the most radical alternative.

They dissociated (according to Le Monde, June 19) from the police repression of the antı-government demonstration in Buenos Aires on Taacdntr 15+h And oftre 1utsuay wow. Anu altI meeting with his top brass, air force chief Lami Dozo made a programmatic speech on Thursday 17th.

"Change must begin here and now... The country can no longer be the laboratory for economic models transplanted from abroad [i.e. the monetarist policy pursued by the junta since 1976].

'"Etfort should be made without unjust social sacrifices... We want a country without privileged OI oppressed, a just, democratic, free and noble country"

For the political parties this attempt to curry their favour by demagogy was too little, too late. Explaining the decision by the Multipartidaria (a bloc of the THE • MaI lome major bourgeois parties) to boycott a meeting called by the junta on Wednesday to discuss liberalisation, a Radical leader said:

"The situation demands a 180 degree turn. The economic and social policy of the regime is rejected by everyone. Those responsible for it must go. Never mind the statutes they want to impose on us"

Meanwhile, after meetings on Tuesday, Wednesday. ana 1 hursday, Galtieri had been dumped by the overwhelming vote of the army high command. Interior Minister Alfredo St Jean was made interim president.

The army is now propos ing retired general Reynaldo Bignone as president; the air force and navy chiefs say that if Bignone is imposed as president they will not support him. The air force has suggested its own candidates for president. The three forces have joined together in promising civilian rule by early 1984 at latest.

The prospect of a military president openly rejected by two of the three wings of the armed forces underlines the deep political crisis in Argentina. And behind it looms an economic crisis.