SalvAide Accompanied First-Round Election and Prepares to Witness Decisive 9 March Run-off

English: Mauricio Funes, FMLN candidate for the 2009 presidential election in El Salvador, during a reception in Brasilia, May 2008.  (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

On 2 February, Salvadorans came out in numbers to participate in elections to choose their next President and Vice-President.  Their preferred choice by a considerable margin (10 percentage points) was the incumbent FMLN ticket of Peace Accords signatory, school teacher, and former guerrilla commander, Salvador Sánchez Cerén, and the popular Mayor of Santa Tecla (a model municipality in El Salvador), Óscar Ortiz.  

However, the FMLN fell just short of the required 50% plus one vote threshold to win outright in the first round (it won 49% of the vote and won in 13 of the country’s 14 provinces).  This sets up a decisive run-off election on 9 March between the FMLN and a devastated 2^nd place finisher, the right-wing ARENA party.  The third place finisher, the populist rightist UNIDAD coalition led by ousted ARENA president Tony Saca, earned 11% of the vote and could play an important role in the run-off despite having chosen officially not to support either of the two remaining competitors.

El Salvador stub icon (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

SalvAide once again accompanied Salvadorans as they exercised their hard-fought democratic electoral rights, and we invite Canadians to join us on 9 March for the definitive election (click here for more information).  We congratulate the Salvadoran people and in particular the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) for an impressively well-organized and festive first-round election.  As part of our partner CIS’ 90-strong international observer mission, the SalvAide team – present in La Palma, Chalatenango, Mejicanos, San Salvador, and the capital itself – witnessed an orderly, transparent, and peaceful election on Sunday, arguably the most secure and collaborative electoral event since the signing of the Peace Accords in 1992.  SalvAide especially applauds the full implementation of residential voting throughout the country which brought voting centres much closer to Salvadorans’ homes.

Perhaps the biggest disappointment, particularly from the perspective of Salvadoran expatriates, was the annulment of approximately half of ballots sent from abroad apparently for missteps in the complicated protocol expatriate voters were obliged to follow.  For the upcoming run-off SalvAide urges the TSE to give preference to the right of Salvadorans abroad to have their votes counted over at best pedantic and at worst malicious adherence to protocols that we suggest require immediate revision.

If you would like to join SalvAide’s election observer team for the 9 March run-off, please click here for more information.  We already have a growing and dynamic team and as always welcome Canadians who value the struggle for social justice and sustainable development in El Salvador.

---

René Guerra Salazar

Executive Director, SalvAide

219 Argyle Avenue, Suite 411

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada  K2P 2H4

T: 613-233-6215 | F: 613-233-7375

Email: director@salvaide.ca

Skype: salvaidecanada

Facebook: SalvAide

www.salvaide.ca

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Porque eso quiero volver a Bajo Lempa

Español: Departamentos de El Salvador (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The best way to describe the work of CORDES is to talk about Rio Lempe.  CORDES is very active in this former insurgent enclave.  This was the site of our first visit into the country.  We visited a small community that is located on the site of a former cotton plantation.  The previous owners deserted the area during the war.  The present community located on the plantation after the Peace Accords in 1992. 

This was the story wherever we went.  Relocated communities are trying to make a go of it with little government support.  Most of these communities have very dramatic stories of the conflict.  This on was no exception.

We visited a small community museum where captured arms are stored in a room with bullet-pocked walls.  The local commander gave us a tour of the facility.  His picture, from earlier days, with military uniform and black beret, were part of the display.  We also visited the site where 28 insurgents are buried after a battle with the military in the community.

This is a country of graves.

One of the captured guns from the community museum.  Note the holes in the walls.

The past and the future are so close here.  We were on our way to see a community that is growing and developing, but we had to pay homage to the past first.  You can’t understand El Salvador without listening to the stories of the struggle.  In Rio Lempe, I would like to think that the people are beginning to turn the corner on this long battle.

Funding has provided support for the development of local products including gourmet cheese, organic fruits, cashews and sugar.  Community supports include an eye clinic, a water purification plant that provides good drinking water to the community, biological pesticide control and a biogenerator that provides methane gas for cooking. 

The community has also developed a fishing co-op that seeks to return a greater share of the profits to local fishermen.  Training has also been provided on filleting and salting processes.  CORDES has also supported the development of an eco-tourism facility -  Hostal Lempa Mar.

Hostal Lempa Mar consists of four cabins that can sleep three persons each.  The hostal is located on the Lempa River and offers and excellent restaurant where visitors can enjoy local produce including red snapper taken from the Lempa.  Apart from the peace and serenity of the Lempa, this facility also offers kayaking and boat rides on the Lempa.  During the week, these same boats are used by the fishing co-op.

Profits from the Hostal stay in the community and all employees of the Hostal are members of the local community.  Plans are in place to develop hiking trails in the area and it is hoped that Hostal Lempa Mar will soon be able to promote to the international community through the Internet.

Hostal Lempa Mar.  Great fish and an afternoon ride on the Lempa

my Spanish for this week on Bajo Lempa

Porque eso quiero volver a Bajo Lempa

Yo he escrito de Bajo Lempa antes. Yo tengo un diario para cada viaje de El Salvador y Guatemala.    En 2005 y 2009, yo fui a Bajo Lema con los grupos Canadienses.  Yo no conozco la comunidad de Bajo Lempa y San Vicente como yo conozco la comunidad de San José las Flores.  Esto es porque este es el grupo CRIPDES quien decide a dónde íbamos.  Durante la guerra, San Vicente y Chalatenango fueron lugares que fueron controlados por los grupos militares afiliados a CRIPDES.  Yo no sé el nombre de los grupos, pero los afiliados existen hoy en El Salvador.

Las comunidades de Bajo Lempa no están bien organizadas como las comunidades en Chalatenango.  Cuando visitábamos las escuelas en esta área, los maestros no tenían los recursos necesarios para realizar su trabajo.  Yo espero que cuando visitemos este año,  haya cierta mejora. 

Bajo lempa es un área amenazada por el calentamiento global.  El océano pacifico está creciendo e inundando la tierra.  Cuando hay una tormenta, la tierra y la gente se ven afectados.  Cada vez, hay mucho daño.

Cuando yo regrese a Bajo Lempa, quiero ver que las cosas han cambiado.  Como están las escuelas?  Como están los proyectos de CRIPDES, CORDES y las otras organizaciones? 

También, fue un pequeño hostal, se llama Hostal Lempa Mar.  Este hay un gran

hostal.  La   comida en el hostal fue maravilloso.  La cocinera era un excombatiente que aprendía como a cocinar en San Diego mientras él se recuperaba de sus heridas.  

Nuestra cena en hostal Lempa Mar

Creo que hay muchas oportunidades para aprender en Bajo Lempa.  Yo voy a ver pronto lo que ha cambiado.  Ojalá, yo espero que las personas no cambien.

El último viaje a El Salvador

Here we go - my latest Spanish homework - rewritten a few times.  Thanks to my amazing teacher Ronnaldo for reviewing this too.  I know there are still a few errors, so if anyone wants to comment - please do, you will be helping me.

El último viaje a El Salvador para mí fue hace dos años y medio.  Había un grupo de cinco personas  que viajabas conmigo.  Este viaje fue muy diferente  que los otros viajes.  Para este viaje, todos nos quedábamos con las familias de San José las Flores.  Esta fue la primera vez que un grupo había hecho esto.  En mi opinión, ésta fue una muy buena decisión.  Cuando se vive con una familia se aprende mucho.  Esto fue lo mismo en Xela.  Para mis visitas  a Celas Maya siempre, ha vivido con una familia.

Koky de Suchitoto, nuestro traductor

En San José las Flores nos quedábamos con las familias durante ocho días.  Cada día, nos comíamos con la familia para el desayuno y la cena.  Nos duchábamos la misma manera que los salvadoreños, con un balde de agua fría.  A mí, me gustaba este porque el clima en San José las Flores fue muy cálido. 

Cada día, nos reuníamos con los maestros de la escuela.  Hemos hablado de muchos temas.  Hablábamos de la guerra durante dos días, específicamente, hablábamos de la masacre del rio Sempul.  Esta fue la segunda mayor masacre de la guerra.  Cada maestro conocía un miembro de su familia que fue asesinada en la masacre.  Las historias eran muy difíciles de escuchar.

Los estudiantes de la escuela

Hubo buenos tiempos también.  La comunidad tenía una piscina y eso fue muy importante. 

Durante la guerra la gente de San José las Flores todas se fueron.  El pueblo fue demasiado peligroso.  Mucha gente vivía en los bosques que rodean las comunidades.  Los niños tenían una escuela y algunos de estos niños son ahora los maestros de la comunidad.  Sin embargo, era muy peligroso.  Cuando los soldados venían, los niños se condieron en túneles subterráneos. 

una pintura de la  masacre del rio Sempul

A mí me gusto mi tiempo en San José las Flores.  Yo conocía a mucha gente y toda la gente hablaba a mí en español.  Por ocho días yo hablaba en español todo el tiempo.  Pero de vez en cuando, yo no entendía porque los salvadoreños hablan más rápido para mí.  Sabía que si hubiera tenido más tiempo en la comunidad, yo aprendía mucho más español. 

El viaje de éste año será muy diferente, pero esto es otra historia.

Learning Spanish - Duolingo

www.duolingo.com  (Photo credit: Emanuel Hallklint)

Hello everyone

I have just sent out an invitation to all those going on the trip this year to join Duolingo 

If you are going and have not received an invitation, please let me know.

If you are not going this year and want to start on your Spanish - please let me know and I will invite you to our group - a little competition is always healthy.

A little news - Rene Guerra Salazar, director of Salvaide and I have been working to develop a program for conflict studies students at St. Paul University here in Ottawa.  They will be leaving this May.

Rene is on his way to El Salvador to work on contacts for trips heading out soon.

Also, the students from Holy Trinity will be heading to El Salvador.  We will post anything we get from the group on our Compadres blog.   http://compadres-elsalvador-canada.blogspot.ca/

I will continue to work through our July trip through TourBuilder

I am currently working on Day 7 of the trip.

If the winter weather is getting you down and would like something sunny to look forward to you are still more than welcome to join us!

Just send me a note. mcswa1@gmail.com 

Paul

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Day Six of our tour - Suchitoto - a great place to be!

Day 6 of the tour - July 2014

All this is on Tour Builder Good to have this here too!

A visit to the colonial town of Suchitoto in Cuscatlán province for a tour of the historic town, the Joya de Cerén Mayan ruins (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), and for an introduction to the work of SalvAide sister organizations CRIPDES and CORDES in the region.

Suchitoto is a beautiful town.  This may be a location where the group will elect to stay a bit longer here.  This is also a good location to return to after the formal trip is over.  Spanish language training is available here and you can be billeted with a family!

I love this town - it has become one of the most popular tourist destinations in El Salvador and the only place I could find real Salvadoran cigars!

Here is one of the many web sites on this beautiful town.  There are many more!!

Universidad Centroamericana "José Simeón Cañas" Romero Centre The Romero Tour on Tour Builder - Day 4

Day Four of this year's tour will be taken up by the Romero Tour.  The last three entries have been taken up with the tour.  The last entry is included below.  Tomorrow, I will move on to Day Five.

The tour will take in other important locations including most significantly, the Romero Center at Central American University, the site of the 1989 Jesuit Massacre.   The Romero Center includes many relics from the time of Romero including artifacts from the murder of Oscar Romero's friend Rutilio Grande.  The center also focuses on the murder of the Jesuit priests in 1989.  The rose garden you can see in a few of the pictures here was planted by the husband of the priests' maid who was also killed during this incident.

There is no question that this is a crucial part of the tour.  While there are other locations we may visit, these are the key ones to help us get a sense of the importance of Oscar Romero.  

I have included a few key images from the Centre in Tour Builder.

Tomorrow - a visit to the colonial town of Suchitoto in Cuscatlán province

Tour Builder

Now that we have a trip confirmed and we are in 2014 - only months away from our next trip, I have started working with a great new tool called Tour builder - yet another great tool by Google.

This one combines Google Earth with the ability to easily upload images and videos from your collection.

Each day of the trip will be documented and outlined so that participants can take a good look at what is proposed for any particular day.  Right now, I am working on Day Four.  You can add photos, written descriptions, even videos.  The first stop on Day Four is the Cathedral in San Salvador.  I was able to add

video taken the day of Archbishop Romero's funeral.  This should give participants some historical perspective on what they will be seeing.

As I post each day, I will now add this to the blog so viewers can see the tour here or on Tour Builder.

Really exciting, I hope this will add a new dimension to our group formation this year!