Si bien la Cumbre de las Américas estuvo colmada de frustraciones para el Presidente Obama, en el caso del jefe de Estado de El Salvador, Mauricio Funes, este acontecimiento de dos días resultó ser todo un éxito. En su discurso ante los participantes de la Cumbre, el Presidente Funes pudo anunciar por primera vez durante los casi tres años de su administración que el sábado 14 de abril hubo “cero homicidios” en este país. Esto obedece a un frágil acuerdo de cese al fuego entre las dos pandillas más grandes del país, la MS y Barrio 18.
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Archive for the ‘Around the Region Blog’ Category
May 1, 2012 | Linda Garrett
El Salvador Monthly Update: April
Although the Summit of the Americas was fraught with frustrations for President Obama, for El Salvador’s head of state, Mauricio Funes, the two-day event was a success. In his address to Summit participants, President Funes was able to announce “zero homicides” in El Salvador on Saturday, April 14th, for the first time in the nearly three years of his administration, a consequence of the fragile cease-fire agreement between the country’s two largest gangs, MS and Barrio 18. Not only was President Funes seated at the right hand of the U.S. president during official meetings, when the two leaders met privately, Funes received assurances of continued U.S. support on economic and security issues. Just three days later, El Salvador accepted the “voluntary transfer” of two Guantanamo prisoners as refugees.
April 22, 2012 | CDA
Salvadorans hope dedication of square spurs more recognition
Sam Quinones, LA Times- Under cloudless skies and a radiant sun, a couple of hundred Salvadorans dressed in white gathered early Saturday to name an intersection near downtown Los Angeles in honor of Msgr. Oscar A. Romero, a Catholic archbishop who was slain in 1980 during El Salvador’s civil war… read more »
March 30, 2012 | Linda Garrett
Informe Mensual: El Salvador, Marzo del 2012
El tumultuoso proceso electoral de medio período de la Asamblea Nacional y las municipalidades de El Salvador concluyó de forma ordenada el 11 de marzo con pocos problemas serios. En el transcurso de los días siguientes, se retiró la propaganda de las campañas, los salvadoreños se prepararon para disfrutar de unas largas vacaciones de Semana Santa en la playa y la clase política se sumió en un análisis postelectoral de victorias y derrotas. En el seno de la Asamblea Legislativa, surgieron de inmediato las negociaciones, a medida que los dos partidos mayoritarios (ARENA y el FMLN) —ninguno obtuvo una mayoría— se lanzaban a buscar votos entre las agrupaciones políticas más pequeñas para garantizarse el éxito en torno a diversos asuntos críticos que les esperan. Ahora que ya finalizaron las elecciones del 2012, empezó de inmediato la contienda presidencial del 2104, en tanto los esperanzados candidatos compiten inmediatamente por quedar bien situados.
March 30, 2012 | Linda Garrett
El Salvador Update: March 2012
The tumultuous mid-term electoral process for El Salvador’s National Assembly and municipalities concluded in an orderly fashion on March 11th with few serious problems. In the following days, campaign propaganda came down, Salvadorans prepared for long Semana Santa vacations at the beach and the political class was immersed in post-election analysis of victories and defeats. In the National Assembly, negotiations were immediately underway as the two major parties (ARENA and the FMLN), neither with a majority, hunted for votes among smaller parties to guarantee success on critical issues ahead. With 2012 elections over, the campaign for the 2014 presidential contest began straightaway as hopeful candidates jockeyed for position.
March 15, 2012 | CDA
A new report by El Faro suggests that, confronted with a surge in homicide rates, the government of El Salvador may have struck a deal with the country’s two largest street gangs – Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and Barrio 18 – in order to reduce violence.
March 15, 2012 | CDA
Bloggings by boz: Congress questioning security aid for Honduras
Seven US senators signed a letter to Secretary Clinton asking that the State Department update them on investigations into human rights abuses in Honduras. Twenty percent of the US assistance is to be held up if the State Department does not certify that progress is being made. Separately, and receiving wider attention, 94 members of Congress signed a letter calling for a full cutoff of all aid to Honduras’s police and military. The Congressional letter also asks for updates on specific cases of human rights violations and for information about how the US embassy is working to comply with the Leahy provisions that prohibit the US military from working with or assisting military units that commit human rights abuses.
March 12, 2012 | Linda Garrett
Special Update: The Salvadoran Elections
Salvadoran voters shift to the right: ARENA, the conservative party that held power until 2009, is once again the primary political force in El Salvador following a defeat for the left in National Assembly and municipal elections that reflects voter apathy, disillusion with promises of “change,” and profound concern about the inability of the government to control the critical public security crisis.
March 1, 2012 | Linda Garrett
Informe Mensual: El Salvador, Febrero de 2012
A solo pocos días de las elecciones de diputados y alcaldes, los funcionarios se están preparando para un proceso electoral bastante complicado. Si bien se considera que las reformas que ordenó la Sala de lo Constitucional en el 2010 representan avances democráticos positivos, las mismas necesitan una masiva campaña de información, a fin de educar al electorado sobre dónde votar, al igual que cómo marcar las nuevas papeletas, las cuales anteriormente sólo necesitaban una simple “X” en la bandera del partido correspondiente. Se espera que al menos 1,200 observadores internacionales lleguen al país para las votaciones del 11 de marzo. Lo que está en juego es muy alto en estas elecciones de medio período, tanto para el Presidente Funes como para los propios partidos políticos.
March 1, 2012 | Linda Garrett
El Salvador Update: February 2012
With legislative and mayoral elections less than a week away, officials are preparing for a very complicated electoral process. Reforms ordered by the Constitutional Court in 2010 are seen as positive democratic advances, they but require a massive information campaign to educate the electorate about where to vote and how to mark the new ballots — ballots that in the past required only a simple “X” over a party flag. To witness this process, at least 1,200 international observers are expected for the March 11th vote. The stakes are high for President Funes and for the political parties in this mid-term election.
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