a Oa a a il a pw? rn World By MARC FRANK Panamanian trade union leader Juan Antonio Samulio, who has relatives mar- ried to Americans and living in the United States, gave the following response when asked about the current crisis in Panama and the role of the United States: “I adore my family; I love your country, but I must love my own country more. I don’t hate the people of the United States I am against the government, against this militaristic belief that they have the right to decide things for the whole world.” Samulio, 56 years old, is president of the Public Employees Association at Panama’s Agricultural Development Bank and a member of the Secretariat of Panama’s National Public Employees Union. The answer of Luis Antonio Cantillo, a 30-year-old construction worker, differed slightly. “It has been a new experience for me, my family and my people in general. This economic blockade, this aggression has taught us a lot,” he remarked. ‘“‘We’ve learned just how U.S. imperialism treats small and poor countries when they refuse to bow to America’s will.” Cantillo heads the Youth and Sports Department of Panama’s National Council of Organized Workers, an umbrella that groups together private sector unions. The two labour leaders were in Havana representing Panama’s Popular Front at this year’s May Day festivities, when they were interviewed by the People’s Daily World. The two gave some insight about the impact of the Reagan administration’s sanc- tions on daily life. Panama, not U.S. will judge Noriega, trade unionists say Children wait in line for food in March at t he San Jose church in the working class neighbourhood of San Miguelito in Panama City. “Many U.S. soldiers stationed in the country are married to Panamanian women. They have been living in our cities, among us, we believed, as our friends. Now, they have been relocated to the canal zone, putting on combat uniforms. We have to see them now as our enemies,” he said. Cantillo said the U.S. build-up and mil- itary exercises “‘have created incredible ten- sion among the population.” However, he continued, “they have responded valiantly I don’t hate-the people of the United States | am against the government, against this militaristic belief that they have the right to decide things for the whole world. “Our consumption habits have changed,” said Cantillo, the father of two small child- ren. “We had learned to consume the same as North Americans. Now, we are more. dependent on the foods we produce in our own country, eating a more traditional diet.” Samulio said it’s become a question of simple survival. ““My people are just trying to live. Food costs much more. Our pay cheques are very hard to cash. When we do, anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent is paid to a money shark for the so-called ‘risk’, 50 per cent to 75 per cent to stores when you go to buy a pair of pants or some other item.” Both trade unionists said the situation is even worse for the unemployed. “People are really suffering, especially the children. Their parents have lost work in the- banks, in industry. Men and women are now jobless and haven’t the money to buy even food,” said Samulio. People manage to survive, said Cantillo, because Panama is an abundant food pro- ducer and feeding the people is the number one priority. “Our labour federation helped set up farmers’ markets that take cheques in exchange for food. Then the farmers use the cheques to pay for government services and products.” Samulio said the government is also dis- tributing food baskets with the basics — like rice, beans and oil — at below cost. Reaction to living under military threat, said Samulio, “has been negative. 8 e Pacific Tribune, May 25, 1988 by joining our ‘dignity battalions.’ Tens of thousands are being trained by the military to handle arms, precisely to repel this aggression, and this is a new advance in our fight for national liberation.” Deposed President Eric Arturo Delvalle, backed by the Reagan administration, has called for military intervention. “Delvalle has passed into the dustbin of Panama’s history,” said Cantillo. “He has no support. All forces in the Popular Front oppose Del- valle. Even the main opposition party, the Authentic Panamanian Party, says he’s fin- “Panama must be Noriega’s judge. The United States is not the law in our land. We have our own supreme court. “I want to say again we are not against the people but oppose the U.S. threat and its desire to dominate our country. The real intention behind all this is not Noriega; what really lies behind the campaign is a move to renegotiate the canal treaty because they don’t want to leave in the year 2000.” On Panama’s future, Cantillo said, “Until the year 2000, the United States will try to get back the canal and only a united Panamanian people can stop them. So our position must be for a government with the people, for the people and by the people. There is no other way to stop them. “To achieve this, we have been working for a broad national dialogue without for- eign intervention. You can see the tremend- ous force behind our Popular Front at the May Day march with the more than 100,000 people who took to the streets. “This is why the United States is now trying to negotiate. Why they’ve switched from talking about drugs to the so-called Communist threat. We say our homeland can’t be negotiated. ““We have gained enough strength so that without the front there can be no solution. A deal that excludes us won’t solve anything but will just aggravate the situation. We ‘saved the government. We are the ones who have been hurt the most by the sanctions. We are the ones ready to die to defend Panama. We must be included.” The real intention behind all this is not Noreiga; what really lies behind the campaign is a move to renegotiate the canal treaty because they don’t want to leave in the year 2000. ished. Only the oligarchy and Washington back him. So where is all this support the USS. talks about? “We have had relations with the United _ States since the last century,” said Samulio. “Since then we have thought of the U.S. asa friend. But suddenly, they are doing things — unjust, criminal, perverse things — against our people. Things we do not accept. All because the United States says Noriega deals in narcotics. And for this we go hungry every day? Samulio agreed. “The front is made up of all the major unions, peasant groups and other forces. We have tremendous prestige today because everyone knows that we are the main block who have stood in the way of the U.S. plans. What we want is a government of national reconciliation. If part of it isn’t made up of the workers,. peasants, and professors, this would be a terrible treason.” Marc Frank is a correspondent for the U.S. People’s Daily World. V.P. Bush linked to | cover-up of Noriega © drug case By TIM WHEELER US. Vice-president George Bush has developed a credibility gap, which con gressional aides said will have a serious impact on his presidential bid. | Despite acknowledgements from US. officials that they have spied on Panama General Manuel Noriega since 1976, Bush has continued to deny reports that he knew in 1985 about drug charges against Noriega. . On Capitol Hill, several officials and congressional aides expressed skepticism that Bush could have headed the presk dent’s efforts to stem drug trafficking without knowing about Noriega’s invol- | vement. S| Sen. Christopher Dodd (Democrat), — chair of a Senate subcommittee on Latin America, pointed out that Bush was “director of the Central Intelligence Agency and General Noriega has been | on the U.S. government payroll for some. | BUSH NORIEGA years. I’m concerned, in a sense, that he would suggest he wasn’t aware of it at all.” Reports indicate that an intricate web is being unravelled which links Bush and Everett Briggs, the U.S. ambassador to Honduras, as central figures in Central | American drug trafficking. =| Bush was a director of the CIA im 1976. The CIA used Noriega as a source © of information about other Latin Ameti- can leaders, after catching him in 1976 recruiting U.S. army sergeants as Spies. That information was revealed in 1978, in a report by the Senate Intelligence Committee. Briggs, former U.S. ambassador to Panama, has denied revelations that he told Bush in 1985 about Noriegas alleged role. But Charles Barclay, a SPO- kesperson for Briggs, said there were widespread reports about Noriega and drugs in 1985. Barclay said he did not know whether Briggs passed on the information to Bush. Monday, Bush aides declined to comment on the reports. But Bush’s chief of staff, Craig Fuller, had earlier told reporters, ‘I am perfectly comforta- ble saying he had an awareness of the nature of some of the problems and an awareness Noriega might have been associated.” The chronology supplied by Bush’s aides implies that he knew there were “allegations” about the drug trafficking but turned his back on them until after Panama refused to assist in an invasion of Nicaragua. At about the same time, Panama insisted that the United States abide by the Panama Canal treaty it signed — to turn over the canal to Panama by the end of this century. Shortly after, Noriega was indicted.