The MLN ? Tupamaros en Uruguay From terrorism to the adoption of the rules of the democratic game

Résumé du document

Traditionally referred to as the ?Switzerland' of America, Uruguay is a country whose economy has never been very dynamic and diversified. In fact, it has always depended on agriculture and rearing in order to earn revenue and maintain its finances. During WWII, the economy of the country worsened owing to factors like inflation. The working class took advantage of this situation and resorted to protests especially regarding their salary restrictions. This incident led to the creation of the ?Coordinador', a politico-military organization. The organization was a gathering of several left-wing groups and the workers and peasants formed the basis of this movement. The Movimiento de Liberación Nacional MLN-Tupamaros was born in 1966 from the ?Coordinador'. The name ?Tupamaros' refers to a rebel inca chief, Tupac Amaru.

Extraits

[...] The decision to grant amnesty to the Tupamaros was voted by acclamation in Congress at a moment of national euphoria following the return to democratic rule. The amnesty put an end to the investigation of crimes allegedly committed by the Tupamaros. It had the effect of proclaiming one side victorious, and this prestige will then help the Tupamaros to refund the MLN. The members of the former MLN were invited by the former leaders to discuss the relevancy of the reorganization of the MLN. [...]

[...] The revolutionary socialist theory promotes the modification of the State and of the socio-economic system in order to favour the majority. For this theory, the oppression of the capitalism is exercised in any political system, and the democratic liberal political system is only one of the forms adopted by capitalism to maintain with the inequality. From that, socialist thinkers get to the conclusion that socialism can only be reached through the revolution. In the ideology of the MLN, this revolutionary socialist theory was combined, in some aspects, with the revolutionary liberal one. [...]

[...] The MLN wanted to preserve its freedom of decision and remain very close to the specific problems of Uruguay. Ideological influences The MLN was built on a very uncommon ideology, which included elements typical of the socialist revolutionaries, but we can also find out some liberal revolutionary influences in the aims they pursue. Indeed, they wanted to extend the field of individual liberties. The non-static nature of the MLN enabled it to have a fluctuating dominant ideology. The Uruguayan history itself has an influence over the political choices made by the MLN. [...]

[...] The name ‘Tupamaros' refers to a rebel inca chief, Tupac Amaru. The Tupamaros were severely fought by the dictatorial regime during the 1970s and 1980s and alsmost disappeared. However, after the return of democracy rule in Uruguay, they re-formed the MLN for the 1989 elections, joined the centre-left coalition for the 2005 elections, and the same year two old-time Tupamaros, José Mujica and Nora Castro, became presidents of the two Chambers of the Congress. In this paper we will focus on the evolution of the MLN-Tupamaros movement. [...]

[...] This period is characterized by the overstepping of a new level in military action, as the movement began to show the characteristics of a civil war. An intense work of mobilization of the masses was made in parallel and the political movement organized paradoxically in legal structures such as the '26 de Marzo' movement. The fourth phase began in April with the repressive offensive of the State and the subsequent almost complete disarticulation of the MLN. In 1972, president Bordaberry declared the state of intern war and exceptional military tribunals were set up. [...]