First Published: Obreros En Marcha, Vol. 3, No. 10, November-December 1978.
Transcription, Editing and Markup: Paul Saba
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We have dedicated this First Assembly of our movement to our outgoing First Secretary, Federico Lora, in recognition and revolutionary appreciation of the many contributions that he has made to our organization as a whole, and to each one of us as individuals. But his contributions have been made not only to the development of our movement, M.I.N.P., but also to the entire revolutionary process in this country, as well as in Puerto Rico where he is presently living and struggling.
This assembly will culminate the formative stage of El Movimiento de Izquierda Nacional Puertorriqueno and will commence what we understand will be another period of qualitative growth and consolidation for our organization. It is important to point out that this entire period of formation was led by our’ First Secretary, comrade Federico. Secondly, it is a time when our First Secretary will officially depart from our organization and from the revolutionary process in this country, to continue and deepen his revolutionary activity in Puerto Rico...
We are not here concerned with elevating him above the organization, the masses, or the period in which he lived and struggled in this country. Our intentions are the complete opposite. Our intentions are to place him within a historical moment, a determined time and space in which he acted and, based on an understanding of that historical moment, analyze his contributions in order to add to the arsenal of knowledge and experiences from which our organization can draw...
His first contribution was as...originator and driving force behind the formation of this new organization in the summer of 1970 called El Comité...The type of organization that Federico understood to be necessary was one that would be linked to the Puerto Rican community and which would struggle in defense of its interests. From the very first days of our formation, he pushed for members to incorporate into the struggles for better housing, education and health services.
One of the major strengths that began to characterize Federico’s work was his ability to make the necessary adjustments in his political conceptions in order to bring his view into correspondence with changing reality. This was to prove crucial during the development of the organization’s newly-awakened national feelings. His promotion of nationalism within the organization was a positive step forward in the political development of El Comité. Yet after, a time, these nationalist tendencies developed to the point of reaching extreme levels.
When companero Federico came into contact with Marxism-Leninism, he soon learned that the future of the Puerto Rican people, of the exploited and oppressed and, consequently, of our organization, lay with the study, acceptance, internalization and application of this science. Convinced of the tremendous value of this science, he gathered the process of transforming our community organization into a Marxist-Leninist formation.
The underdeveloped ideological formation of El Comité created serious problems within the organization. Of particular importance was the danger that in our new-found enthusiasm to become Marxist-Leninist, we would liquidate our revolutionary nationalism. This liquidation was represented by the dogmatic application of Marxism to the national question of Puerto Ricans here, particularities of culture, language, etc. Having developed an advanced understanding that these conceptions were incorrect, comrade Federico was able to lead a struggle against these ideas, both within the organization and outside. At the same time, Federico articulated the incorrectness of forces who described Puerto Ricans in the U.S. as being part of a divided nation.
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Another one of Federico’s contributions is his example of revolutionary morality. Throughout the process of developing our organization, our companero First Secretary has proven his capacity to lead. His vision, humanity, commitment and sacrifice have been an example to us all. He has always shown sincere respect and love for the masses and his comrades...
Throughout the years in our organization, he has maintained a critical attitude toward himself and a critical attitude to the organization and the membership.
A fourth contribution is his defense of the principles of Marxism-Leninism...At a time when Marxism-Leninism was beginning to again spread in this country, the defense of this science became a task of immeasurable significance...
This our companero did against the attacks of the opportunists, the ultra-nationalists, the dogmatists, the revisionists, the ultra-leftists and the economists. Our organization has always been in the forefront of the defense of the principles of Marxism-Leninism in this country. Companero Federico has been the guiding element of this process. He has become known both in the U.S. and in Puerto Rico for his consistent and principled defense of Marxism-Leninism. This has won him the respect and admiration of many true revolutionaries and the dislike of those that claim to be revolutionaries, but who refuse to purge themselves of those conceptions, attitudes and work methods that are alien to Marxism-Leninism.
Those who recognize that revolutions involve the transformation of individuals, or that see the need to become the new men and women that Che Guevara spoke about, have respect and admiration for Comrade Federico Lora and recognize in him a true-revolutionary and a real comrade. Those who refuse to change, who refuse to revolutionize their lives and give up backward views, see in him a class enemy.
We of the developing Movimiento de Izquierda Nacional Puertorriqueno see in you, companero Federico, a guiding example. You have molded the path for our organization to follow in the many long and difficult years to come, before we reach our final victory...