[Cispes-update] Quadruple Homicide of Salvadoran Deputies and Driver

[CISPES National Office]

Quadruple Homicide of Salvadoran Deputies and Driver 

CISPES Update

February 22, 2007

 

On February 20, three Salvadoran deputies to the Central American Parliament
(PARLACEN) were killed along with their driver in Guatemala, setting off a
wave of accusations and speculation.  The ARENA representatives had been in
a police-escorted caravan of PARLACEN deputies, but the car carrying the
three of them and their driver left the convoy. Hours later all four were
found shot dead 25 miles outside Guatemala City, their bodies and the car
charred from fire.  One of the deputies killed was the son of death squad
and ARENA founder Roberto D'Aubuisson.

 

Leaders of Salvadoran social and religious organizations, the Salvadoran
Human Rights Ombudswoman, and representatives from the major political
parties all condemned the killing of the PARLACEN deputies.  The head of the
FMLN legislative fraction, Leonel Gonzalez, called for a serious
investigation and for those responsible to be brought to justice.  The ARENA
leadership first reacted by calling on the Guatemalan authorities for a
complete investigation.  However, little time had passed before they began
turning the event into a motivation for rallying behind ARENA and for
attacking the Left. The Director of the National Civil Police, Rodrigo
Avila, stated that he would not discard the possibility that the murder was
done by either "gangs or leftist extremist groups."  President Tony Saca,
meanwhile, claimed that these murders were meant to intimidate ARENA and
said that "we will not allow irresponsible communists, people that don't
believe in the system, to take the power in this country." 

 

However, in the days following the murders more has emerged about the case
which points to the motives being related to drug trafficking or organized
crime.  One of the deputies had specifically requested the police escort two
days before the trip.  The Guatemalan Public Ministry reports that the
deputies had been seen in recent years at the same ranch where they were
found dead.  Meanwhile, the murders fell on the eve of the 15th anniversary
of Roberto D'Aubuisson's death, leading some media sources to speculate that
D'Aubuisson's son was the real target. But then on Thursday Guatemalan
authorities announced they had arrested four police officers - who may prove
to be connected to drug trafficking or organized crime - and accused them of
the murders.

 

First Attempt to Apply Anti-Terrorism Law

 

The organizing of informal vendors in El Salvador has been under attack from
the government and right-wing groups over the course of the past year, with
physical assaults, repression of protests, and attempts to divide and
undermine the vendors' struggle. In many cases, informal vendors have been
organized to use violent forms of protest to attack the municipalities
governed by the FMLN.

 

On February 10, one such protest took place in the municipality of Apopa,
which is governed by the FMLN.  Informal vendors arrived and attacked the
municipal government, destroying local government property.  Less than a
week later, three of the protesters were arrested and the Attorney General's
office announced that it would charge them with "acts of terrorism",
punishable by 40-60 years in jail.   This is the government's first attempt
to use the recently approved anti-terrorism law. As the party governing
Apopa, the FMLN criticized the attacks on the town hall and charged that the
protesters belonged to groups organized by the Right.  However, the FMLN has
been clear in stating that destruction of property should be considered
vandalism and not terrorism, and party leaders have said they will not
support any application of the anti-terrorism law.

 

Students Protest Missing Activist

 

On February 16 members of the National University workers union (SETEUS),
the Popular Youth Bloc (BPJ) and other student organizations shut down the
streets in front of the National University in a protest calling attention
to the disappearance of 21 year-old Francisco Contreras and demanding an
investigation into his case.  The youth organizations believe that it is the
government-through the National Civilian Police-that is responsible for the
disappearance given reports that Contreras was first detained by the police.
Rodrigo Avila, the director of the National Civilian Police, responded to
the protest not by addressing the demands but instead with a counterattack,
calling on the National Assembly to approve a temporary law that prohibits
blocking streets as an act of protest. 

 

On Monday, a broad coalition of student and faculty groups from the National
University released a statement about the dramatic increase in repression,
stating that the climate of authoritarianism in El Salvador has increased
dramatically in the last year and that the disappearance should be viewed
within the tense political context.  The university called on Avila and
Minister of Security Rene Figueroa to locate Contreras and release him
immediately.  They also called on the National Assembly to investigate the
existence of clandestine death squad groups in El Salvador, and for a U.N.
human rights commission to monitor the situation.

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