Una contribución biográfica a la Historia del Partido Comunista Salvadoreño

ResumenEntrevista realizada a un dirigente del Partido Comunista Salvadoreño entre 1932 y la década de 1960.Abstract An interview with a leader of the Salvadorean Communist Party from 1932 to the 1960s.

Derechos humanos en Costa Rica

ResumenLa historia de los derechos humanos en Costa Rica muestra una característica muy particular,por cuanto desde mucho antes de haberse promulgado la Declaración Universal de los Derechos Humanos en 1948 ya se daban pasos en su búsqueda. Desde el siglo XlX, aunque fuera de forma clandestina o artesanal, se empezaron a hacer sentir organizaciones y distintas formas de expresión a través de las cuales denunciar las malas condiciones de vida y alcanzar algunos beneficios. En medio de circunstancias adversas y poco apropiadas los movimientos fueron aumentando de intensidad al punto de que ya para 1930 cobran más vigor, lo que se evidencia con un movimiento obrero más organizado y la conformación del Partido Comunista. La lucha por lo que hoy conocemos como derechos humanos logra alcanzar su mayor esplendor en los años de 1940 gracias a las circunstancias coyunturales que favorecieron la presencia de un gobierno reformista como el del presidente Rafael Ángel Calderón Guardia y una activa participación de la Iglesia católica a través de Mons. Víctor Sanabria. De esta forma en Costa Rica se obtuvo el paquete de garantías sociales: un código de trabajo que regulara todo lo pertinenteal trabajo y la seguridad social con la creación de la CCSS. En un tiempo prudencial y con una amplia participación social los y las costarricenses alcanzaron derechos económicos, sociales, políticos y culturales.Palabras clave: derechos humanos, legislación social, código de trabajo, movimiento obrero, Partido Comunista, Iglesia católica.AbstractThe history of Human rights in Costa Rica shows a particular characteristic because long before the promulgation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948, steps towards its search were taken in the country. Since the nineteenth century, although in a clandestine or rustic manner, different organizations and forms of expression through which expose the poor conditions of life and reach some benefits began to be felt. In the midst of adverse and inappropriate circumstances, the movements were increasing in intensity to the point that they got stronger by 1930, as evidenced with a more organized labor movement and the formation f the Communist Party. The fight we know today as human rights reaches its greatest prominence in the 1940’s thanks to temporary circumstances favoring the presence of a reformist government as that of President Rafael Angel Calderon Guardia’s, and an active participation of the Catholic Church by Bishop Víctor Sanabria. In this way Costa Rica obtained the social security package: a working code to regulate all matters related to labor and social security with the creation of the CCSS. In an appropriate manner and with broad social participation, costa ricans reached economic, social, political an cultural rights.Keywords: human rights, social legislation, Labor Code, labor movement, the Communist Party, Catholic Church. 

Mapping socialist solidarities: SWAPO, the Namibian liberation struggle, and the Global Cold War

This thesis addresses the entanglements between the Namibian liberation struggle and the global Cold War, focusing on the socialist support provided to the South West African People Organization (SWAPO), the liberation movement that fought for the independence of the country from the South African regime. This thesis aims at analyzing three socialist models of solidarity with the SWAPO’s struggle that developed especially from the late 1970s. Combining archival sources and biographical accounts, it examines the politics of solidarity with SWAPO implemented by East Germany, Cuba, and the Italian Communist Party. The interest lies in understanding how solidarity was declined and received by internal promoters and external addressees. Thus, I explore how these three actors constructed their concept of solidarity with SWAPO according to their national and ideological contexts and how this was received by the SWAPO members who experienced it in various ways. Each socialist actor promoted solidarity with SWAPO by using varying narratives, pursuing their own objectives, and employing diverse instruments, thus carrying out different and sometimes competing visions of socialism and solidarity. On its side, SWAPO was able to take advantage from such visions, as each of them could serve its different needs in diverse ways. In providing a general overview of these three solidarity policies, this thesis has the objective of highlighting the internal pluralization of the “socialist solidarity regime” while at the same time contributing to the debate on the extent of SWAPO’s commitment to socialism during the Namibian liberation struggle. It argues that, while pragmatism has always guided SWAPO during the liberation struggle and the post-independence period, and non-alignment has always been its international stance, socialism has to some extent been a model for the revolution in Namibia, to the point that it is still influencing the SWAPO party today.