By Mathew Campbell
MANAGUA Reuter: Nicaraguan President
Daniel Ortega said that U.S Congressional approval of increased id for anti-Sandinista rebels had increased the chances of U.S. military intervention in his country.
There have been difficult moments in the past five years of sustained aggression by the United States moments when an intervention by North American troops appeared imminent Ortega said in a ceremony in which he conferred the rank of General on his brother Defence Minister Humberto Ortega.
But there was still the U.S Congress to this policy. Now the President (Reagan) has managed to break that resistance. The eventuality of an intervention by North American troops is closer than ever.
Reagan said last week that the rebels would have to take over in Nicaragua if the Sandinistas declined to negotiate with them. He denied planning to send U.S. troops to fight in Nicaragua.
Today’s ceremony marked the introduction of the Conventional Western System of military ranks into the estimated 60000 strong popular Sandinista army (EPS).
Former guerrilla titles such as Commandant (Commander) will be replaced by conventional ranks ranging from general to sergeant.
The term Commandant will be retained as an honorific title by some officers such as Ortega.
Ortega said the change was part of efforts to increase army efficiency in the face of increasing hostility from the United States which funds insurgents who have been battling for more than three years to topple the Sandinistas.
The U.S Congress has approved 100 million dollars in mainly military aid for the rebels known as Contras and the Nicaraguan government says it expects an upsurge in the fighting in which more than 14000 people have been killed since 1982.
Article extracted from this publication >> August 29, 1986
