PST Honduras’ statement on Magdalena Morales death, on March 26th.
Comrade Magdalena: To socialism!
Today, Honduras loses one of its left, revolutionary icons: comrade Magdalena Morales, General Secretary of the National Federation of Rural Workers [CNTC in Spanish] in El Progreso, Yoro. She was a woman of steel.
Before her death, many times while struggling against her disease, our gold Magdalena led important struggles together with her brothers and sisters peasants, defending the right of land, food sovereignty and an integral agrarian reform in favor of peasants, specially rural working women.
Her life and struggle represent a huge break to the plans of transnationals to control the land that belongs to the people. This is why the conservative regime unfairly arrested her. She was detained and criminalized by Azunosa[1] for defending life.
She was a sympathizer of our humble party. She led the electoral process previous to the Independent Popular and Peasants Candidature for deputie in Yoro, which since the begining served stregthening the struggle Magdalena was part of. This is why the regime rejected her nomination, despite fulfilling all necessary requirements. She shared ticket with Juan Romero, brother of the peasant leader of CNTC, Edickson Lemus, also militant of PST, murdered more than 10 years ago by the same big landowners Magdalena dedicated her entire life to struggle against.
Magdalena was not killed by cancer; she died because of the deficient health system in our country, worsened by the embezzlement of the conservative regime, which impossibilitated her to get the medication she needed to fight her disease.
Consternation possesses all of us who were close to her. She was not one more leader: she was one of the indispensable ones.
We want to tell her family we share their deep sorrow, we know the suffering they have been through, not only by the dangers of her political activity, against landowners and the government itself, which managed to make her one of the main targets of its brutal repression, but also by the silent enemy inside her own body, which eventually put an end to her life.
With premission of her sons and daughters, Omar and other relatives, we want to remember comrade Magdalena as the great human being she was, but also as an exemplary fighter, who left her pain aside to transmit courage and optimism to everyone with a sweet, calmed voice, as only the best leaders can do.
We know their comrades of CNTC also share this sorrow. Our condolencies and solidarity also goes to them, while giving our last goodbye to our endearing comrade. A goodbye which will not erase her from the future struggles, as Magdalena will live in every struggle, every sacrifice, and every victory we achieve. We are convinced the best way of honoring her life and legacy is to follow her way, her example and to continue her struggle.
Finally, Magdalena’s death causes deep pain to the entire Socialist Workers’ Party, PST Honduras, IWL-FI, as she was part of our effort to build a new political alternative for the working class, and we consider her our comrade; for everything said above, we declare ourselves in grief, together with her relatives, struggle partners and friends.
Long Live Magdalena Morales!
Comrade: To Socialism!
***
Notes:
[1] Sugar Refinery Company, Azucarera del Norte S.A.
