[Cispes-update] Protests in San Francisco and Los Angeles Target Salvadoran President Antonio Saca

[CISPES]

Protests in San Francisco and Los Angeles Target Salvadoran President
Antonio Saca

CISPES El Salvador Update - go
<http://www.cispes.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=35&
Itemid=28&lang=es>  here for updates in Spanish 

April 8, 2008



 

Also in this update:

*	More than 15,000 bakers hold <>  strike to denounce government
incapacity 
*	Rural Communities and social organizations <>  demand water law
*	Organizations celebrate life and <>  legacy of Archbishop Romero

 

On April 6, a large and loud group of protesters gathered on Wilshire
Boulevard in Los Angeles to demonstrate against Antonio "Tony" Saca, the
right-wing president of El Salvador.  Saca's trip to L.A. followed a brief
stay in San Francisco where dozens of protesters came out for two separate
actions on April 4, targeting both Saca and San Francisco mayor Gavin
Newsom, who agreed to meet with Saca, and was consequently lambasted by the
local community for praising a president whose government has been guilty of
numerous human rights abuses.  CISPES helped organize both protests and also
flooded Mayor Newsom with emails and calls demanding that he not honor Saca.

In Los Angeles, a bevy of LAPD motorcycle officers lead Saca's motorcade on
Sunday, and apparently convinced him to change his travel plans in order to
avoid the agitated anti-ARENA crowd.  President Saca participated in four
different events, including one with wealthy Cuban-Americans, organized by
the owner of the Liborio Supermarket chain. An invitation to a "ranch
picnic" in Moorpark, California -copies of which were obtained by protest
organizers-asked for donations of $10,000 with checks to be made payable to
Saca's ARENA party.  Protest organizers denounced the fact that Saca was
using the state visit to raise money for his party's candidate in the 2009
elections.

In San Francisco, cut-outs of dead bodies littered the sidewalk in front of
city hall and protesters held signs calling for an end to government
repression and for the U.S. Congress to cut funding to the International Law
Enforcement Academy, which trains officers from the Salvadoran National
Civilian Police.  Back in El Salvador, Saca's visit was also denounced by
the FMLN party, who said that public funds should not be used for political
fundraising and foreign campaigning. 


More than 15,000 bakers hold strike to denounce government incapacity 


 

For three consecutive days, the Salvadoran Artisan Bakers Association held a
national strike due to the rising costs of materials for the production of
bread.  The strike ended with a second demonstration at the Economic
Ministry and then the Legislative Assembly to pressure the central
government to find a solution to the price crisis bakers are facing.

 

The Artisan Baker Association, through their president Heriberto Vasquez,
has made clear their demands toward the central government, which include a
temporary subsidy for the extra cost of flour, a support policy for artisan
bakers, the regulation of monopolistic and anti-competitive practices, and
the reduction or exemption of the sales tax on most material for bread
production.  

 

The Saca government has responded negatively to their demands, insisting
that there are no funds to grant bakers a subsidy.  However, a few months
ago, the right wing bloc in the Legislative Assembly approved a subsidy for
collective transport owners (who in their majority belong to ARENA's ally,
the National Conciliation Party), and without consultation passed the extra
tax of 10 cents per gallon of gas which the population pays to finance the
subsidy.  Instead of solving the problems of the baker's association, Saca
and his Economic Minister Yolanda de Gavidia communicated to the bakers that
the only possible measure for the time being is to eliminate the tariff on
imported flour.  According to economic analysts, this measure only benefits
importers-large companies like as MOLSA and HARISA-and not the artisan
baker.

 

At the Legislative Assembly, the FMLN fraction welcomed the bakers and
pledged to continue to work so that their demands are heard in the assembly.
Lourdes Palacios, FMLN deputy in the Economy Commission, explained that they
high cost of production materials is in part due to the monopoly in the sale
of baking materials by MOLSA and HARISA, whose owners belong to the ARENA
party.   The legislative fraction of the FMLN has requested that the
Superintendence of Competition investigate the monopoly in the sale of
materials, given that this does not allow for national or regional
competition, nor for lowering prices of flour and other baking materials. 


Rural Communities and social organizations demand water law


 

In celebration of the International Water Day, the Public Water Workers
Union SETA, along with various rural organizations and NGOs, marched on
March 27 to demand the approval of the General Water Law presented by civil
society organizations. 

 

At the same time, the social organizations that mobilized towards the
legislative assembly denounced the fact that more than 90% of water in El
Salvador is polluted and that majority of the population does not have a
dignified water service. According to experts on the subject, "not having a
law means there's more contamination. More than 95% of rivers are polluted."


 

According to participating organizations, the lack of a law makes it so
there is no sustainability of water, which is why the population has
demanded the quick passing of the General Water Law law created by community
and environmental organizations.  SETA mobilized some communities where
people are organized in defense of this important resource to prevent,
through community action, the privatization of water that ARENA is
attempting to achieve.

 


Organizations celebrate life and legacy of Archbishop Romero


 

The last week of March was dedicated to the commemoration of the 28th
anniversary of the murder of Archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero, which occurred
on March 24, 1980.  According to reports by the post-war Truth Commission,
the murder of Archbishop Romero was ordered and planned by the founder of
the ARENA party, Roberto D'Aubuisson.

 

28 years after his passing, various social, community and religious
organizations filled the streets of San Salvador to demand, among other
things, that political crimes such as the murder of Archbishop Romero not be
left in impunity.

 

According to Antonio Barrera of the Ecumenical Coordination of the Church
and the Poor of El Salvador (CEIPES), the Salvadoran government must
publicly recognize the guilt of the ruling party, and in particular Roberto
D'Aubuisson, in this case.  The Salvadoran government continues to refuse to
comply with the three recommendations from the Inter-American Human Rights
Court that would allow for those responsible for human rights violations
during the 12 year civil war to go to trial.  The recommendations are that
there to be a complete or partial investigation of Romero's case, that the
victims of human rights violations be compensated, and that the Amnesty Law
approved in 1993 be overturned, given that this law still prevents those
responsible from being brought to justice.

 

The social organizations, along with the general population, have retaken
the words of Romero to continue their social struggle for an El Salvador
with economic and social justice for all. In his last homily, Romero
declared to the government "In the name of God, and in the name of its
suffering people, whose cries reach the heavens each day more tumultuous, I
ask you, I beg you, I order you in the name of God: End the repression!".
These words remain profound nearly 30 years after his death, especially
given the increased repression towards all sectors struggling for change in
El Salvador.   The murder of Archbishop Romero is part of the long list of
politically motivated murders that remain in impunity, such as the more
recent murder of the Mayor of Alegria, Wliber Funes, and his co-worker Zulma
Rivera. 

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