First Civil, Now Gang Wars. Who Would Want To Be President of El Salvador?
There are 2 million Salvadorans in the U.S. That’s almost a third of the entire population of El Salvador itself, Central America’s smallest country. Many were born in the U.S., but most are migrants – and that inordinate exodus suggests some serious things are wrong with El Salvador.
A civil war tore El Salvador apart in the 1980s – and today violent drug-gang crime is tearing it down. About 40 percent of the population live in poverty while a tiny elite lives in luxury. The economy’s long been in the cellar, and the country still seems as politically polarized as it did when right-wing death squads terrorized the place a generation ago.
If you needed a reminder of that split, consider the results of the March 10 presidential election: Vice President Salvador Sánchez Cerén of the leftist FMLN party defeated Norman Quijano of the right-wing ARENA party by a miniscule 50.11 percent to 49.89 percent. Sánchez, 69, who was a guerrilla during the civil war, was declared the winner this week, but Quijano and ARENA reject that official ruling and are crying fraud. Quijano even summoned cold-war demons last week by urging the military to intervene.
In fact, compared to really dysfunctional neighbors like Honduras – which has the world’s highest murder rate today – El Salvador looks relatively stable. After returning from El Salvador to gauge post-election tensions, Cruz told me this week that for all its problems, “El Salvador is one of the few countries in Central America where democratic institutions are seen to be working.”
El Salvador is one of the few countries in Central America where
democratic institutions are seen to be working. -- Jose Miguel Cruz.
The question is whether Sánchez’s election signals more difficult relations between Washington – which backed a brutal Salvadoran military during the civil war – and San Salvador.
This marks the second consecutive presidential victory for the FMLN, the party of the rebels that fought the military until the 1992 peace pact. But Sánchez is considered more left-wing than current President Mauricio Funes, who is not a former guerrilla; and conservatives fear he wants to align his country more closely with anti-U.S. regimes like oil-rich Venezuela’s.
Would you want to be president of El Salvador?
This is a good article because I learned a lot about El Salvador that I wasn't aware of. I didn't know Washington considered El Salvador as an ally in Central America's northern triangle. It is good to know the U.S. is investing in El Salvador, since it is considered one of the most dangerous areas outside of Iraq and Afghanistan. Maybe with the help of the U.S., it will become a better place to live. I feel saddness for the people of El Salvador because I wasn't aware that El Salvador had issues with poverty and gangs. It seems the U.S. and El Salvador both have poverty and gangs in common. The U.S. Government should step in and provide guidance to help them improve these two issues. I would not want to be the President of El Salvador.
ReplyDeletei would not be the president of El Salvador but then i would because serious things are wrong with El Salvador. El Salvador has very few democratic institutions were people cant be held. the democratic institution is not working. El Salvador has to many problems to begin with. if El Salvador fix the problems they have then i would consider being president of El Salvador.
ReplyDeleteWow! 2million salvadorians live here in the U.S.? I never knew that and the crime over in that area is unbelievable. Really shows there's life outside of Memphis
ReplyDelete~Kel Nesbitt, 7th Period
This article informed me of things that I didn't know that happened in El Salvador. It's very sad to see people in the community of El Salvador have to live in an area where there is crime and gang wars. I really think the government should really take action in this to avoid more mishaps
ReplyDelete-Natalie Wison
6th Period
Honestly, I've never really heard of much news from El Salvador. This is probably the first time I hear anything from them. I was really astounded in finding out that El Salvador is struggling with both poverty and gangs. I can't put my firm opinion in really about the U.S stepping in to help, because what if for instance just as back when the U.S army or navy went into Puerto Rico Or Cuba,( im not sure which), The civilians there began to hold a grudge against the U.S. Also I don't think our economy is all that stable to begin helping anyone else if we're constantly going over our own debt. But at the same time the U.S goverment could go in and set a little bit of stability in El Salvador. But no ma'am I would not want to be president of El Salvador!
ReplyDeleteWell, this article taught me that there's not just gang violence here in Memphis. Its in El Salvador also. I would not want to be president because I wouldn't want the responsibility of people's lives in my hands.
ReplyDeleteBtw, this is Jeralin Banyon from 7th period.
ReplyDeleteI liked that the article told me a lot of what's going on in Salvador
ReplyDeleteHonestly I wouldn't Be A President Of El Salvador because Of There Gangs Issues. Although, it would be nice to be president to help out with poverty. Zakeria Winston
ReplyDeleteTo first start off, that was a really good article.It taught me a lot more than I knew about El Salvador.To answer this question about being the president there,I would say no.Being president there seems like a lot of differences to make and a lot of responsibility and I don't think I could do it.They relate to us because both of us have gangs in our surroundings.I wonder how President Obama is handling it.But if I was president there,I would try to do my best to make it better.
ReplyDeleteTyrell Johnson
2nd period
This article affected me because I know one of my friends could have been in danger . He recently took a trip to El Salvador . I had no idea that this country could be experiencing the same struggle as the U.S.
ReplyDeleteI would've expected something much less violent and peaceful .
Sai M.
5th Period
I didn't know El Salvador had gang wars and crimes. I always thought El Salvador was a good place to live with less or no crime. I wouldn't be the president because I think its a bad place to live.
ReplyDeleteTyra Lewis
5th Period
A lot of people are struggling, to meet ends, in El Salvador. 40 percent of the population is living in poverty and nobody is doing anything to help. If I were the president i would help the lower class people have jobs, food, and money to stop the poverty. These people deserved to be treated better than this.
ReplyDelete-Nicholas Schreiner
6th Period
I Found This Article Interesting Because I Never Knew That Crimes Took Place In El Salvador & That Majority Of The People Are Living In Poverty . I Could Not Be President Of This Country , The United States Should Go Set Some Stability Over There
ReplyDeleteChelsie Payne
6th
I wouldn't mind being president of El Salvador, not just because it's my country, but because they are in need of help to become a better country. I can say it sure is dangerous to be walking out on streets even in pure daylight! But we can't do anything about gangs, there are always going to be there. We can't stop them from what they are doing even when they know they are not supposed to do it. El salvador is in need of becoming a better country and i know they want that as well. Somebody needs to step up and help fix this country.
ReplyDeleteWow I just wanna say this article was really good I wanted to read this one because it caught my eye and after reading though it holds up I knew there were alot of chaos in el Salvador but to this extent 10 out 9
ReplyDeleteJason Fields 7th period
wendell gipson i think that no matter what happens there will still be gangs
ReplyDeleteand the president still would have no change
ReplyDeleteI didnt know El Salvador had alot of crime. I believe A U.S ex-president should be their president to show them the American way.
ReplyDeleteEric Dean
I would be the president but then I wouldn't because of the issues there are that could get worse. Reading this article proved to me that gang violence is getting out of control and needs to be handled.
ReplyDeleteNitia Hawthorne 4th period
I would not choose to be president of El Salvador.First of all being president is hard work , second of all I didn't even know El Salvador had gang's and a whole lot of crime there and third of all if being president won't change anything , there's always going to be crime, gangs , peeople living in proverty and political rivalry's as the same as the U.S.A
ReplyDelete