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<div class=Section1>
<h1 align=center style='text-align:center'><b><font size=5 face=Times><span
style='font-size:18.0pt'>Breaking News: Cabañas Anti-mining Activist Gunned
Down<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></h1>
<h1 align=center style='text-align:center'><b><font size=2 color=navy
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></h1>
<h1 align=center style='text-align:center'><b><font size=2 color=navy
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><img
width=133 height=192 id="_x0000_i1049" src="cid:image001.jpg@01CA82F7.18076030"><o:p></o:p></span></font></b></h1>
<h1 align=center style='text-align:center'><b><font size=2 color=navy
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy;
font-weight:normal'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></h1>
<h1 align=center style='text-align:center'><b><font size=4 color=navy
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";
color:navy;font-weight:normal'><a href="http://www.cispes.org/">CISPES</a></span></font></b><font
size=4 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";
font-weight:normal'> update<o:p></o:p></span></font></h1>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=4
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"'>December
22, 2009<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=2
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><i><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic'>Included in this update:<font
color=navy><span style='color:navy'><o:p></o:p></span></font></span></font></i></b></p>
<h1><b><font size=3 face=Times><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></h1>
<ul style='margin-top:0in' type=disc>
<li class=MsoNormal style='mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3'><i><font size=2
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-style:
italic'><a href="#_Clinton_urges_Funes">Clinton urges Funes to take
“leadership” in Honduran crisis</a><o:p></o:p></span></font></i></li>
<li class=MsoNormal style='mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3'><i><font size=2
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-style:
italic'><a href="#_U.S._remains_inflexible">U.S. remains inflexible on El
Salvador immigration policy</a> <o:p></o:p></span></font></i></li>
<li class=MsoNormal style='mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3'><i><font size=2
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-style:
italic'><a href="#_Community_mining_resistance">Community mining
resistance calls on Funes for accompaniment</a> <o:p></o:p></span></font></i></li>
<li class=MsoNormal style='mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3'><i><font size=2
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-style:
italic'><a href="#_Ex-President_Tony_Saca">Ex-President Tony Saca expelled
from ARENA</a><o:p></o:p></span></font></i></li>
<li class=MsoNormal style='mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3'><i><font size=2
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-style:
italic'><a href="#_Obama_names_U.S."><span lang=ES-SV>Obama names U.S.
Ambassador to El Salvador</span></a></span></font></i><i><font size=2
face=Arial><span lang=ES-SV style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
font-style:italic'><o:p></o:p></span></font></i></li>
</ul>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><i><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span lang=ES-SV
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy;font-weight:bold;
font-style:italic'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></i></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
line-height:15.0pt'><font size=3 color=black face=Times><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;color:black'>Ramiro Rivera Gómez, vice-president of CAC (Comité
Ambiental de Cabañas/ the Environmental Committee of Cabañas) and a local
leader in the community struggle against the environmentally-destructive gold
mining projects proposed by Pacific Rim, was assassinated on Sunday, December
20, 2009 in the <st1:place w:st="on">Trinidad</st1:place> neighborhood of
Ilobasco, in the department of Cabañas where he lived. Héctor Berríos <a
href="http://upsidedownworld.org/main/content/view/2266/1/"
title="blocked::http://upsidedownworld.org/main/content/view/2266/1/">reports</a>
that Ramiro Rivera was killed by hitmen carrying M-16 rifles. Ramiro’s
thirteen-year old daughter who was with him on Sunday afternoon was also
injured but is reportedly in stable condition. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
line-height:15.0pt'><font size=3 face=Times><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Take
action today by demanding the Salvadoran Attorney General conduct a thorough
investigation into Ramiro Rivera’s assassination by clicking <a
href="http://www.cispes.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=648&Itemid=1">here</a>.<font
color=black><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></font></span></font></p>
<h1><a name="_Clinton_urges_Funes"></a><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on"><b><font
size=4 face=Times><span style='font-size:13.0pt'>Clinton</span></font></b></st1:City></st1:place><font
size=4><span style='font-size:13.0pt'> urges Funes to take
“leadership” in Honduran crisis<o:p></o:p></span></font></h1>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Times><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Times><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>On
December 9<sup>th</sup>, Minister of Foreign Relations Hugo Martínez met with
U.S. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Washington</st1:City>,
<st1:State w:st="on">D.C.</st1:State></st1:place> At the meeting Secretary
Clinton urged <st1:country-region w:st="on">El Salvador</st1:country-region> to
take on greater leadership in the resolution to the crisis in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region
w:st="on">Honduras</st1:country-region></st1:place>. President Funes has
yet to make a pronouncement on the results of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region
w:st="on">Honduras</st1:country-region></st1:place>’ controversial
November 29<sup>th</sup> elections. Recently, he acknowledged the
repressive conditions under which the elections took place, but also called the
elections a first step towards a negotiated exit.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Times><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Times><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>The
Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN) party, which carried Funes to
an electoral victory on March 15 of this year, has condemned the Honduran
elections as an attempt to legitimize the June 28 coup. In their annual
convention on December 12, the party reiterated its position that the coup that
ousted President Manuel Zelaya in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region
w:st="on">Honduras</st1:country-region></st1:place> represents a threat to
democracy for the entire region. FMLN General Coordinator Medardo
González has acknowledged the party and Funes’ differing opinions,
particularly concerning foreign relations. In a recent interview,
González spoke of the importance of the FMLN in maintaining its positions as a
party despite the president’s position. He highlighted the difference
between the current situation and the behavior of Nationalist Republican
Alliance (ARENA) administrations during their 20 years of governance, in which
they were frequently denounced for fusing the party and government institutions
and for using state funds and resources to promote the party.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Times><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Times><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Since
his presidential nomination by the FMLN, Mauricio Funes has reiterated his
desire to build a “strategic alliance” with the U.S. and emphasized
the importance of maintaining friendly relations with the country where 2.5
million Salvadoran’s live and work, sending back an estimated $315
million each month. Clinton’s push for El Salvador to take a more
active role in the Honduras crisis was viewed by many policy analysts as an
attempt to build regional support for the U.S.’ anticipated position of
accepting the elections.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Times><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<h1><a name="_U.S._remains_inflexible"></a><st1:country-region w:st="on"><b><font
size=4 face=Times><span style='font-size:13.0pt'>U.S.</span></font></b></st1:country-region><font
size=4><span style='font-size:13.0pt'> remains inflexible on <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region
w:st="on">El Salvador</st1:country-region></st1:place> immigration policy<o:p></o:p></span></font></h1>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=3 face=Times><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-weight:bold'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Times><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>The
primary objective of Martínez’s visit to <st1:City w:st="on">Washington</st1:City>
<st1:State w:st="on">D.C.</st1:State> was to petition for immigration reform
aimed at improving the lives of Salvadorans in the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region
w:st="on">U.S.</st1:country-region></st1:place> In addition to Secretary
Clinton, he met with Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Janet
Napolitano, to whom he proposed a temporary moratorium on deportations of
Salvadorans in the aftermath of <a
href="http://www.cispes.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=638&Itemid=1">Hurricane
Ida</a>. Napolitano showed little flexibility, despite the devastation
caused by the hurricane. She agreed to try to reduce the daily number of
deportation flights to El Salvador—currently averaging 10 per
day—but failed to give a concrete figure for flight reduction. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Times><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Times><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Martínez
expressed hope that future conversations would address more comprehensive
solutions to the problems faced by immigrants in the <st1:country-region w:st="on">U.S.</st1:country-region>,
beyond a simple renewal of Temporary Protection Status (TPS)—the
temporary legal status granted to Central American immigrants in the <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">U.S.</st1:country-region></st1:place>
who fled a rash of natural disasters in 2001. Roughly 229,000 Salvadorans
living in the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">U.S.</st1:country-region></st1:place>
have temporary legal residency under TPS. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Times><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Times><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>TPS
and its renewal have often been threatened by <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region
w:st="on">U.S.</st1:country-region></st1:place> congressional members and
government officials for political purposes. In both the 2004 and 2009
Salvadoran presidential elections, Republican Congressional representatives and
administration officials <a
href="http://www.cispes.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=539&Itemid=1">threatened
to terminate TPS</a> if the FMLN candidate won the elections—a fear
tactic utilized by the ARENA party during its electoral campaign.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Times><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<h1><a name="_Community_mining_resistance"></a><b><font size=4 face=Times><span
style='font-size:13.0pt'>Community mining resistance calls on Funes for
accompaniment <o:p></o:p></span></font></b></h1>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=3 face=Times><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-weight:bold'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Times><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>On
December 9<sup>th</sup>, hundreds of people from Cabañas, Chalatenango, and
other departments of El Salvador that are facing potential mining projects
gathered at the Presidential House to raise public awareness and debate surrounding
the <a
href="http://www.cispes.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=597&Itemid=28">two
lawsuits El Salvador is facing</a> in the International Center for the
Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), a World Bank tribunal based in Washington,
D.C. Gold mining companies Pacific Rim of British Columbia and
Wisconsin-based Commerce Group are suing <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region
w:st="on">El Salvador</st1:country-region></st1:place> for hundreds of
millions of dollars for violating the U.S.-Central America-Dominican Republic
Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) by refusing to grant mining permits. The
communities opposing the mining projects called on President Funes to unite
with the anti-mining movement and confront the lawsuits in concert.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Times><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Times><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>On
December 10<sup>th</sup>, <i><span style='font-style:italic'>La Mesa Nacional
frente a la Minería Metálica</span></i> (the National Roundtable Against
Metallic Mining in El Salvador)—a coalition of the community
organizations in areas affected by mining, environmental organizations, and
other non-governmental organizations—was recognized for its community organizing
efforts by El Salvador’s Human Rights Ombudsman, Oscar Luna. Radio <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">Victoria</st1:State></st1:place>, a youth-led
community station in Cabañas, was also celebrated. The awards were
presented in the celebration of the 61st Anniversary of the United
Nation’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Times><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<h1><a name="_Ex-President_Tony_Saca"></a><b><font size=4 face=Times><span
style='font-size:13.0pt'>Ex-President Tony Saca expelled from ARENA<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></h1>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=3 face=Times><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-weight:bold'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Times><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Former
President of the Republic Tony Saca was expelled from the ARENA party on
December 20, 2009. According to ARENA party president Alfredo Cristiani,
Saca violated the party’s principles by manipulating the internal
election process that nominated Rodrigo Ávila as the 2009 presidential
candidate. Ávila lost the March 15 elections to FMLN candidate Mauricio
Funes, ending 20 years of ARENA governance.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Times><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Times><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Saca’s
expulsion comes after the Presidential House was exposed for spending $219
million beyond the amount budgeted by the Legislative Assembly during his
presidency from 2004-2008. Many analysts view this sudden expulsion as an
effort by the ARENA party to distance itself from allegations of corruption, as
well as a scrambling attempt to salvage the party’s image. ARENA has been
suffering a serious internal crisis, brought to public attention in late
October by the <a
href="http://cispes.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=634&Itemid=28">defection
of over 1/3<sup>rd</sup> of its legislative deputies</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<h1><b><font size=3 face=Times><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></h1>
<h1><a name="_Obama_names_U.S."></a><b><font size=4 face=Times><span
lang=ES-SV style='font-size:13.0pt'>Obama names U.S. Ambassador to El Salvador<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></h1>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=3 face=Times><span lang=ES-SV
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Times><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>On
December 9<sup>th</sup>, the White House announced the nomination of Mari
Carmen Aponte as U.S. Ambassador to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region
w:st="on">El Salvador</st1:country-region></st1:place>; she is awaiting
approval by the Senate before assuming the post. Aponte, a lawyer by
training, grew up in Puerto Rico and <st1:State w:st="on">New Jersey</st1:State>
and previously was the Executive Director of the Administration of Federal
Subjects in <st1:place w:st="on">Puerto Rico</st1:place>. President
Bill Clinton nominated her as U.S. Ambassador to the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region
w:st="on">Dominican Republic</st1:country-region></st1:place> in 1998, but her
confirmation was blocked by Senate Republicans. The U.S. Embassy in <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">El Salvador</st1:country-region></st1:place>
has been without an Ambassador since January 20, when Obama took office and
dismissed all politically appointed ambassadors of the Bush
Administration. The Embassy is currently under the direction of Charge
d’Affaires Robert Blau, who occupied the post under Bush. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Times><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Times><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=3 color=navy face=Times><span
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