Celebrate the People's Triumph--Support the 2009 Victory Tour!

Sat Apr 11 15:30:07 EDT 2009

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Dear Friend,

By now, I’m sure you’ve heard that the FMLN
<http://www.democracynow.org/2009/3/16/fmln_candidate_mauricio_funes_wins_el
>  won an unprecedented victory over the right wing US allied ARENA party on
March 15. “Hope triumphed over fear” as the Salvadoran people elected the
first leftist government in their history, the realization of more than 30
years of vision, struggle, and sacrifice.  

As the polls closed, town squares nationwide became seas of red as FMLN
supporters thronged in celebration (Click here for excellent videos
<http://therealnews.com/t/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemi
d=74&jumival=3425>  and slideshows <http://www.elsalvadorelections2009.org/>
).  With firecrackers exploding overhead, the joyous crowds chanted “Sí se
pudo” (“we did it”)! Many wept openly—from the elation of the victory and
the memory of all the fallen compañeros and compañeras who gave their lives
to this struggle. 

Now we want to give you the chance to hear first-hand from the organizers
who made this triumph possible with the 2009 CISPES Victory Tour! Please
make <http://www.cispes.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=296>
a contribution to jump-start the tour and read on for more details...

We feel incredibly gratified that CISPES activists like you played a role in
this victory. When the
<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-naiman/election-dirty-tricks-aga_b_174
486.html>  Republicans attacked, denouncing the FMLN as a “threat to U.S.
national security” and threatening to deport Salvadoran immigrants and cut
off the money they send home to their family if the FMLN won, we fought
back! Our lightning-quick response inundated the State Department with phone
calls, forcing them to issue a strong
<http://sansalvador.usembassy.gov/news/2009/03/12.html>  statement of
neutrality and repudiating the right-wing’s threats.

But the real heroes of this Victory are the Salvadoran people. Unable to
match ARENA’s huge advantage in financial resources, media access or control
over the voter registry, the FMLN relied on its own prime asset—active
organizing by the poor majority who could not stand five more years of
ARENA’s corporate misrule. (photo: Adam
<http://www.elsalvadorelections2009.org/>  Kufeld)

For days leading up to the vote, thousands of Frente supporters mobilized to
“defend the vote” against right-wing fraud.  They detained busloads of
“voters” brought in from Nicaragua, Honduras and Guatemala, exposed sites,
including <http://cispes.org/09electionsblog/?p=396>  government buildings,
where ARENA was housing them, and, linking arms, surrounded buildings
overnight to prevent foreigners from going out to the polls!

The electoral victory in El Salvador opens a new phase in the struggle for
social justice.  Now the FMLN and the organized social movement can begin
building an economic and political system that serves the needs of the poor
majority rather than multinational corporations. As leaders from the social
movement told our delegates, “This is when the real work begins!” 

But I doubt you’ll hear about all the progressive changes they’re making in
the mainstream media. El Salvador is already disappearing from the news,
save slander
<http://www.miamiherald.com/news/issues_ideas/story/960246.html>  of the
FMLN by the right-wing press. 

That’s why CISPES is sponsoring a Victory Tour this June! We will bring a
prominent leader from the Salvadoran social movement to cities across the
U.S. to educate our communities, schools, churches, and unions about the
FMLN <http://www.fmln.org.sv/detalle.php?action=fullnews&id=37> ’s plans for
promoting economic development based on social justice and about the
solidarity we can provide during this historic shift in power. 

This tour is especially important for Salvadoran immigrants in the U.S. to
hear first hand about how their new government will create the “El Salvador
que queremos” (the El Salvador that we want)

The road ahead will not be easy: ARENA and international capital are not
defeated. The right-wing has the majority in the Legislative Assembly, U.S.
policies of privatization and free trade dominate the economy, and U.S.
<http://nacla.org/node/4364>  <http://nacla.org/node/4364>
<http://nacla.org/node/4364> military, police and FBI bases remain. 

So now is the time to build a broad base of solidarity to defend the
people’s victory against the attacks to come and the Victory Tour is an
important way to build people-to-people connections. But we
<http://www.cispes.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=296>  need
you to make it happen! If we raise $3000 by the end of this month, we can
buy plane tickets and to bring this tour to as many cities as possible. Will
you be one of 30 Victory Tour sponsors and make
<http://www.cispes.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=296>  a
donation of $100 today?

Stay tuned for more details about the tour itinerary at www.cispes.org
<http://www.cispes.org/> . Thank you for your continued support--let’s
celebrate!

En solidaridad,

Alexis Stoumbelis

CISPES National Office

P.S. Please give
<http://www.cispes.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=296>  as
generously as you can to kick off the tour and a new era of El Salvador
solidarity—after all, it’s not every day we get a victory as sweet as this!

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© 2008 CISPES - The Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador
CISPES National Office | ph. 202-521-2510 | 1525 Newton St. NW, Wash. DC
20010| cispes at cispes.org

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