EL SALVADOR was reborn 25 years ago. On January 16th 1992 the government signed a peace accord with left-wing guerrillas at Chapultepec castle in Mexico City, ending a 12-year civil war in which 75,000 people died. The agreement, followed by a truth commission that laid bare the war’s atrocities and by an amnesty, was a model for reconciliation in other countries. It underpins El Salvador’s political order today.
Stirring as that achievement was, the festivities held to commemorate it this week fell flat. The convention centre in San Salvador’s Zona Rosa, not far from where guerrillas invaded the capital in 1989, prompting the first peace talks, was emptier than normal for big events. A small exhibition, displaying military uniforms, guerrillas’ weapons and quotes about peace from the likes of Confucius and John Lennon, lined the walkway to the stage. The crowd, clad in white, seemed more interested in free pupusas (bean-and-cheese filled tortillas) than in the speeches. The event ended with a confetti drop, listless applause and a return to the food queues.
The mood was downbeat because El Salvador’s 6m...Continue reading
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