Carlos Fonseca Amador, 1975
Portrait by Ever Arrascue Arévalo
Published in Barricada, Saturday November 8, 1980.
Text originally published in a clandestine flyer, in 1975, selection by Carlos Gallo.
1 The Sandinista revolutionary must avoid the glib "revolutionary phrase", we must accompany this with a deep identification with revolutionary principles.
2 The Sandinista knows how to link revolutionary theory with the concrete practice in which they act, closely linked with the popular masses, assimilating the experience that comes from the practice of our combative force.
3 The Sandinista must have an authentic critical spirit, because such a spirit of constructive criticism gives greater consistency to unity and reinforcing it and ensuring its continuity, knowing that a misunderstood criticism that puts unity at risk, loses its revolutionary sense and becomes reactionary.
4 A Sandinista possesses, above all, revolutionary modesty. This is a quality that is more important than it may seem at first glance. Modesty facilitates collective life, the activity of a group of people, perhaps in many cases decisively,
5 The collective conscience, the conscience that gives energy to the group of women and men who make up the vanguard, is indispensable in the militant spirit. This collectivist spirit, which is sustained by modesty, should be a passion for the revolutionary militant.
6 The Revolutionary never forgets the form of address of Sandinista combatants: BROTHER or SISTER. Nor is this inimical to the use of energy and rigor, so necessary in the hard clandestine and guerrilla life. It is about being energetic and rigorous without forgetting respect, sincerity and fraternity.
7 The Sandinista militant, wherever they may be, must be related in some way to the life of Working People.
8 The Sandinista knows that ideological correction is worthless without a consequent practical behaviour, but positive practical conduct is insufficient if it is not accompanied by revolutionary ideological identity.
9 The Sandinista knows that only intense links with the men and women workers contribute to their true political education.
10 The Sandinista practices a policy of patience and serenity, avoiding that this becomes a policy of indulgence. To be patient without being indulgent, without overlooking the various violations of principles.
11 The Sandinista revolutionary cannot propose only to teach the popular masses, because they must also learn and know how to be a disciple of the popular masses. Let all their steps bear the mark of the character of our people.
12 There are questions that concern us personally, but our obligation is to subordinate everything to the interests of the Sandinista cause, to the interests of the subjugated Nicaraguan people, to the interests of the exploited and oppressed of Nicaragua.
13 The Sandinista knows how to help their compañer@s recognize their faults, their weaknesses. But they must understand that a Sandinista will not be sympathetic simply for tactical reasons or out of mere convenience, but because revolutionary principles demand it.
14 The Sandinista knows how to link people's opinions to their practices, how they match what they talk about with what they have done. Demonstrating perfectionism on paper is easy, in practice doing so is more difficult.
15 A revolutionary knows that wherever they are, as long as they fight for humanity, they are doing their duty.
16 A Sandinista is neither excessively pessimistic nor optimistic.
17 A Sandinista knows that whenever they have to to offer an opinion, the most objective and impartial terms should be used, without name calling. To offer an opinion, without answering insult with insult, but instead to assert our serenity.
