<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:st1="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
<meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 11 (filtered medium)">
<!--[if !mso]>
<style>
v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
.shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
</style>
<![endif]--><o:SmartTagType
namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PlaceName"/>
<o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="PlaceType"/>
<o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="country-region"/>
<o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="City"/>
<o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="place"/>
<!--[if !mso]>
<style>
st1\:*{behavior:url(#default#ieooui) }
</style>
<![endif]-->
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Verdana;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Garamond;
panose-1:2 2 4 4 3 3 1 1 8 3;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
line-height:normal;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
color:windowtext;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
p.MsoPlainText, li.MsoPlainText, div.MsoPlainText
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
line-height:normal;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Courier New";
color:windowtext;}
p
{mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
line-height:15.0pt;
font-size:9.0pt;
font-family:Verdana;
color:black;}
p.style3, li.style3, div.style3
{mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:18.0pt;
font-family:Garamond;
color:red;
font-weight:bold;}
span.EmailStyle19
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:Arial;
color:windowtext;}
span.style21
{color:white;}
span.EmailStyle21
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:Arial;
color:navy;}
span.EmailStyle22
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:Arial;
color:navy;}
span.EmailStyle23
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:Arial;
color:navy;}
span.EmailStyle24
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:Arial;
color:navy;}
span.EmailStyle27
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:Arial;
color:navy;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:.8in 77.95pt .7in 77.95pt;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->
</head>
<body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple>
<div class=Section1>
<p class=MsoPlainText align=center style='text-align:center'><b><font size=4
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";
font-weight:bold'>Son of FMLN Presidential Candidate Mauricio Funes Dies in <st1:country-region
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">France</st1:place></st1:country-region><o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"'>CISPES
Update<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"'>October
18, 2007<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"'>Popular journalist and
now FMLN presidential candidate Mauricio Funes is mourning the death of his 27
year old son Alejandro, who died in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">France</st1:place></st1:country-region> last week where he lived and
studied photography. Alejandro died of cranial traumatism caused by a
violent attack by an unidentified person in <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Paris</st1:place></st1:City>. His death has caused suspicion given
that the violence occurred just days after the announcement of his
father’s candidacy for the upcoming 2009 elections. The FMLN, social
organizations, and friends have expressed their condolences to Mauricio Funes
and his family. The body is scheduled to arrive this week to <st1:country-region
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">El Salvador</st1:place></st1:country-region>,
and FMLN supporters have called for a thorough investigation.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";font-weight:bold'>Fear
and divisions within ARENA become more public<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";font-weight:bold'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"'>The announcement by the
FMLN Political Commission of its presidential and vice-presidential candidates
has created a series of desperate public reactions from the ARENA party.
Security Minister Rene Figueroa has put himself forward as a pre-candidate for
ARENA, running up against current vice-president Ana Vilma de Escobar.
Figueroa’s presidential aspirations have made internal divisions public;
two weeks ago honorary ARENA president and former president of El Salvador
Armando Calderon Sol denounced Figueroa’s candidacy publicly, which was
followed by an editorial from the right-wing Diario de Hoy newspaper, stating
that it would be unethical for Figueroa to run.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"'>Figueroa dismissed these
comments, saying that he “respects that people have an opinion” and
has called for the right-wing to be united. In the past ARENA’s fear of
losing the presidency translated into rhetoric about fighting
“communists” and even political violence against FMLN activists to
induce fear in the population, to cover divisions within the party, and to
secure re-election. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";font-weight:bold'>SETA
and other social organizations march in defense of water<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";font-weight:bold'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"'>Social organizations
mobilized over 15,000 people to march to the Legislative Assembly in early
October to present a Citizen Letters demanding that water be recognized in the
Constitution as a fundamental right and that it therefore not be
privatized. The water workers union SETA was part of the coordination of
the protest and SETA leaders called it an important collective step towards
building consciousness in the population around the right to water.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"'>Communities from all
parts of the country participated in the protest which was sponsored by more
than 125 social organizations. Ex-US ambassador Robert White, Kathleen Kennedy,
and <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Maryland</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType
w:st="on">State</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> legislator Ana Sol Gutierrez were
also present to accompanying the Salvadoran organizations. According to
Gutierrez, “The government of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">El Salvador</st1:place></st1:country-region> should give high
priority to the right to water; if not it will be moving backward as a
democratic nation. The law should be a legal vessel that allows everyone [water
access].” Future plans are in the works to have regional gatherings in
defense of water. For more information about the water march check out </span></font><a
href="http://upsidedownworld.org/main/content/view/936/74/">http://upsidedownworld.org/main/content/view/936/74/</a>.<font
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"'>
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";font-weight:bold'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";font-weight:bold'>Proposed
2008 budget lacks public spending<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";font-weight:bold'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"'>The Saca administration
has presented its 2008 budget proposal to the Legislative Assembly, declaring
it “beats last year’s in public spending.” On the
contrary, Health Minister Guillermo Maza admitted that “the investment in
public health is stagnant; we’re in about the same situation as 5 years
ago.” The extreme shortages in the national hospital have been
demonstrated as unprecedented and critical, yet Saca and Maza continue their
discourse of addressing the shortcomings by prioritizing expenses. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"'>Calixto Mejia, FMLN
deputy in the Legislative Assembly, declared Saca’s statement as false
since there is a huge deficit in social spending according to statistics by the
UN’s Development Project (UNDP). Mejia states that “since
2004, the budget assignation has not gone in the right path of achieving
international commitments like poverty reduction.” <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";font-weight:bold'>FMLN
celebrates 27th anniversary<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";font-weight:bold'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"'>The Farabundo Marti
National Liberation Front (FMLN) celebrated its 27th anniversary last week with
a series of activities at the national, departmental and municipal levels. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"'>Most of the activities
were organized to commemorate the c<i><span style='font-style:italic'>ompaņeros
</span></i>and<i><span style='font-style:italic'> compaņeras</span></i> that
gave their lives to the struggle, to honor the internationalists who
contributed to the process and to celebrate the FMLN’s presidential and
vice-presidential candidates for the upcoming 2009 elections. The FMLN also
celebrated the life and struggle of historic revolutionary leader Schafik Handal
by commemorating his birth date with the inauguration of a monument to his
leadership in the social and political struggle of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region
w:st="on">El Salvador</st1:country-region></st1:place>. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"'><img border=0 width=413
height=307 id="_x0000_i1049" src="cid:image002.jpg@01C81190.C4E7FD80"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><i><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";font-style:italic'>Salvadorans
march against water privatization in October 2007(photo Prensa Grafica)<o:p></o:p></span></font></i></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
</body>
</html>