ty to the capitalist state. Up to 100 left wing soldiers and officers are reported to be under arrest — among them Diniz de Almeida, the popular commander of the far left Lisbon Artillery Regiment (RALIS), which bore the brunt of the right-wing 11 March coup. These prisoners are not being kept in the Lisbon area, where the Government still feels uncertain of its power, but have been moved to the Cusoias barracks in the right-wing dominated north.
There are reports that a number of civilian left-wing militants are among those arrested, including leaders of the PRP-BR (Revolutionary Party of the Proletariat-Revolutionary Brigades) and the maoist MRPP.
The second focal point of the repression has been the mass media. After the army, this is the most important area where the right-wing forces need to reassert their control if Portugal is to be saved for capitalism.
MARTIAL LAW
All Lisbon newspapers have been shut down and the radio and TV stations occupied by the army since the city was placed under martial law on Thursday. ernment has also ordered the purging or left-wing sympathisers from the editorial boards of a number of Lisbon and Oporto papers (but the pro-Socialist Party papers have been left untouched).
In the case of the independent worker-controlled paper Republica, the Government has meted out even harsher measures: its works have been occupied by armed paramilitary police, the GNR, and speculation is that it will be kept shut until it is driven into bankruptey.
These actions are just the thin end of the wedge of repression. If the Government can get away with them, then much more will follow - the steady erosion of the gains made by the workers since 25 April 1974, and the repression of all those who speak out for the working class against attempts to guarantee the rule of capital in Portugal.
For the time being these measures are being perpetrated by the "moderates' - pro-capitalist elements like the Soares leadership of the Socialist Party and President Costa Gomes. But once the repression gathers speed, political power will rapidly shift further to the right than even these 'gentlemen' desire. Already an extreme right-winger like Jaime Neves, head of the commandos who put down the revolt, is being widely feted as a national hero.
VETERAN ENEMY
If the Portuguese working class is not able to regroup in the wake of this defeat, organising broad and united action to defeat this repression, the return of a new reactionary dictatorship is waiting not far around the corner - just behind that veteran enemy of the working class, General Spinola.
The international workers movement must now be rallied around our Portuguese comrades to stop this threat before it begins to gather speed.
End martial law in Portugal!
Free Diniz de Almeida and all left wing militants! End the occupation of Republica!
End military control of the mass media! The GovMX