IN MARCH EL SALVADOR LEAPT BACK ONTO MARCH EL SALVADOR LEAPT BACK ONTO thethe front pages when Aifredo “Freddy” Cristiani of front pages when Alfredo “Freddy” Cristiani of the far Right Nationalist Republican Alliance swept to the far Right Nationalist Republican Alliance swept to the presidency, and the guerrillas of the Farabundothe presidency, and the guerrillas of the Farabundo MartI Marti
National Liberation Front mounted their largest military National Liberation Front mounted their largest military offensive in over five years. For us the change was offensive in over five years. For us the change was particularly striking: In recent years we had become particularly striking: In recent years we had become accustomedaccustomed to working among twenty or so foreign jour to working among twenty or so foreign journalists; during the campaign over eight hundred passed nalists; during the campaign over eight hundred passed through San Salvador. through San Salvador.
The election deserved the attention it received. It was The election deserved the attention it received. It was a political watershed which changed the face of Salva a political watershed which changed the face of Salva doran politics. The Christian Democratic Party of Jose doran politics. The Christian Democratic Party of Jos6
Napoleon Duarte around which the last decade of U.S. Napole6n Duarte around which the last decade of U.S. policy was built suffered a stunning blow from which policy was built suffered a stunning blow from which it may never recover. Through ARENA, the landed oh it may never recover. Through ARENA, the landed oligarchs and rich industrialists who had dominated Salva garchs and rich industrialists who had dominated Salva doran politics for decades but whose hegemony was doran politics for decades but whose hegemony was shattered by the popular upsurge of the 1 970s reasserted shattered by the popular upsurge of the 1970s reasserted their considerable political weight. The FMLN also their considerable political weight. The FMLN also showed its muscle. The rebels first made a peace pro showed its muscle. The rebels first made a peace proposal which pushed the elections from the spotlight for posal which pushed the elections from the spotlight for two months, then brought the country to a virtual stand two months, then brought the country to a virtual standstill during the voting itself. still during the voting itself.
At first glance the elections may appear to have re At first glance the elections may appear to have reestablished the equation with which the long and bitter established the equation with which the long and bitter civil war began: A politically neanderthal ruling class civil war began: A politically neanderthal ruling class led by a tiny group of ultra Right oligarchs confronts a led by a tiny group of ultra Right oligarchs confronts a radical and combative movement of workers and cam radical and combative movement of workers and cam pesinos. The situation, however, is more complicated. pesinos. The situation, however, is more complicated. TenTen years of war have intervened. Social forces always years of war have intervened. Social forces always changechange over time, and the rhythm of social change is over time, and the rhythm of social change is accelerated during war. accelerated during war.
Spokespeople for the Right and Left agree that the Spokespeople for the Right and Left agree that the nextnext 12 months will be “decisive.” Such declarations 12 months will be “decisive.” Such declarations nownow ring familiar, as every year of the 1980s has been ring familiar, as every year of the 1980s has been deemed “decisive” in some manner or other. This is not deemed “decisive” in some manner or other. This is not just hyperbole: A society in war loses its sense of rou just hyperbole: A society in war loses its sense of routine, so that words like “decisive” and “crisis” appear tine, so that words like “decisive” and “crisis” appear to lose meaning. Yet because the rupture of routine is to lose meaning. Yet because the rupture of routine is real, each period does decide the possibilities and limits real, each period does decide the possibilities and limits of the next. We believe that the current moment has of the next. We believe that the current moment has arrived charged with both more stringent limits and more arrived charged with both more stringent limits and more far reachingfar reaching possibilities than the recent past. possibilities than the recent past.
B ITfER CONFLICTS THROUGHOUT THE
HITTER CONFLICTS THROUGHOUT THE ThirdThird World are moving toward negotiated settle World are moving toward negotiated settlements that only a short time ago were unthinkable. Yet ments that only a short time ago were unthinkable. Yet the Salvadoran war still seems intractable: The sides are the Salvadoran war still seems intractable: The sides are too far apart, the fighting too brutal. Interminable war is too far apart, the fighting too brutal. Interminable war is certainly one possible future that awaits El Salvador, but certainly one possible future that awaits El Salvador, but itit is not the most probable. The social polarization re is not the most probable. The social polarization resulting from the ARENA victory may, paradoxically, sulting from the ARENA victory may, paradoxically, provideprovide the impetus for the national consensus that the the impetus for the national consensus that the country’s diverse pro democratic forces have long been country’s diverse pro democratic forces have long been seeking. seeking.
The ARENA victory also opens new opportunities The ARENA victory also opens new opportunities for North American activists, somewhat sidelined in for North American activists, somewhat sidelined in recent years by the bi partisan consensus supporting the recent years by the bi partisan consensus supporting the
Duarte government. But simplistic predictions of a “to Duarte government. But simplistic predictions of a “total war” and a return to the death squad rampages of the tal war” and a return to the death squad rampages of the early l980s may backfire, diverting attention from the early 1980s may backfire, diverting attention from the “legal””legal” police state ARENA will attempt to construct. police state ARENA will attempt to construct.
This first of two Reports on El Salvador offers a close This first of two Reports on El Salvador offers a close examination of these issues and of the ARENA party examination of these issues and of the ARENA party itself. The FMLN will be the subject of our forthcoming itself. The FMLN will be the subject of our forthcoming companion issue. companion issue.
T HREE OF THE JOURNALISTS WHO COVERED HREE OF THE JOURNALISTS WHO COVERED thethe March elections did not live to see their work March elections did not live to see their work come out. Just hours before the polls opened, Salva come out. Just hours before the polls opened, Salva doran photographer Roberto Navas, and then Mauricio doran photographer Roberto Navas, and then Mauricio
Pineda, a Salvadoran television soundman, were shot Pifieda, a Salvadoran television soundman, were shot and killed by government soldiers at two different road and killed by government soldiers at two different road
blocks. Navas’ companion, photographer Luis blocks. Navas’ companion, photographer Luis
Galdamez, was seriously wounded. Dutch television Galddmez, was seriously wounded. Dutch television cameraman Cornel Lagrouw, wounded covering an elec cameraman Cornel Lagrouw, wounded covering an election day battle, died as the press vehicle in which he was tion day battle, died as the press vehicle in which he was being evacuated was repeatedly strafed by government being evacuated was repeatedly strafed by government aircraft. aircraft.
We would like to dedicate this two part series to We would like to dedicate this two part series to these colleagues. It is our hope that these Reports, if these colleagues. It is our hope that these Reports, if nothing else, will convey the importance of defending nothing else, will convey the importance of defending and expanding the limited democratic space which has and expanding the limited democratic space which has been won in El Salvador, so that courageous journalists been won in El Salvador, so that courageous journalists like Pineda, Navas and Lagrouw can carry out their like Pifieda, Navas and Lagrouw can carry out their work, and the diverse members of Salvadoran society work, and the diverse members of Salvadoran society cancan speak with their own voices in the search for peace. speak with their own voices in the search for peace.
