So, here's the dilly. El Salvador had a civil war. It's not unlike a lot of the wars in the cold war era, and not unlike a lot of the histories of countries in central america. Basically, a coup happened in 1979 and 1980 that installed a military junta in El Salvador. Apposing the junta government was a Nicaraguan and Cuban backed right-wing group called Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN). They didn't like eachother, so they fought. The US didn't like Cuba or Nicaragua trying to assert their influence so, the US (especially Reagan) gave a lot of money to the junta to "fight the communists".
Why is any of this important to this post? Well, this past weekend, we travelled to the town that was the unoficial HQ of the FMLN rebels, called Perquin. Perquin is surrounded by a very hilly and well, forested landscape, making it an ideal place to hide if, say, someone were trying to bomb you. (Note: the picture on the right shows a bunker)
In Perquin itself, there's pretty much one thing to do: see the war museum. As far as museums go, it's not exactly the most informative or eye catching place that you've seen. You can see some pictures and some propaganda...ahem...newspaper articles about the war. Mostly, though, you can see the guns and ammunition that was used and imagine what the area was like during the war.
For me, the only truly interesting thing to see in the museum was the radio station. It was still pretty much intact, including the egg cartons that were used on the wall in order to muffle the sound (apparently foam was not widely available) and some radios that used barbwire in place of antennas. Those clever rebels, always thinking outside the box!
Truthfully, the price of admission is not worth what you see. However, what is worth the price is what you hear from people in the museum as they talk about the war, as most of them were former guerrillas. We were shown around by a particularly loquacios musueam "guide". I use the term guide loosly as I think he is just a guy who likes to talk about the history, so he hangs around the museum. Man, did this guy talk. He knew the dates of everything, names of all the commanders, locations of attacks, etc.
Unfortunately, while I can understand people decently well in Spanish at this point, the guy talked so much that it didn't give my brain enough time to relax, so I ended up missing chunks of it. It's kind of like training for a 5K and then someone throws you into a marathon. Basically, it went like this:
"In 1982, the genral (name of general) was flying in this helicopter with so-and-so and so-and-so and there was a radio with a bomb on it that..." (I lose concentration) "..and these hand bombs over here caused a lot of accidents. They are very dangerous."
So, I didn't absorb as much as I could have, but he was a nice guy and he seemed to enjoy the fact that I was nodding my head in agreement. Just like many things in El Salvador, there's not much to see, but the people sure are nice!
(Follow-up: Both sides of the war signed peace treaties in 1992 and formed political parties instead. On the left (socialist leaning) is FMLN. On the right is ARENA. Both sides continue to fight it out, but this time in words and seats in the Legislative Assembly instead of bullets)
We're silly and adventurous, computer geeks and yoga peeps.
July 15, 2008
Elmer
I was there when in 1989 the leftist tried to take over the country and remove the right-wing government. It was a great suffering for all of the citizens. I must say that the civil war set the country back so many decades. I just hope that we all contribute to a better country from now on and honor the sacrifices of all who endured the war. We must all teach our kids about this war to avoid any future ones. I am surprised to see the new generations being clueless about what happened...
On a different note, thanks for doing the interview with the "Charamuscos" it was fun to listen to it!
July 15, 2008
Bessie
Thanks for your perspective & the interview hook-up too! We had a fun time with the Charamuscos!
July 16, 2008
Kyle
As far as the museum goes, yes, I am a critic as I've seen a number of museums in my time. I only wish it were more informative for all of the tourists who go to El Salvador and make Perquin one of their main spots. I fear that people may come and go and not really truly understand what happened (especially if they aren't good with Spanish).
July 16, 2008
Elmer
In terms of GDP per capita, I think ES is better off than its neighbors (taking into account its small territory and overpopulation) Certainly, things have improved thanks in great part to all of the nationals living outside its borders. I think slowly people are realizing that tourism is where the sweet spot will be in the future. You guys are definitely pioneers of tourism in ES aside from the adventurous surfers! Government should start with putting up some signs!
September 21, 2011
Charlie
Like Gary Webb, Bob Parry, Brian Barger and many others, Ray Bonner was a journalist who broke a story that was vehemently denied by our government. Bonner's story was the massacre in Morazan. The knives came out and the journalists were carved up. Years later, after the public's short attention span had lapsed, the stories were proven true.
General Domingo Monterossa, leader of the infamous Atlacatl Battallion that massacred about 1,000 old men, women, and mostly children in Moarazan department in December of 1982, was particularly bothered by the rebel radio staion "Radio Venceremos".
The rebels arranged to "lose" a transmitter where Monterossa's men would find it. He took his prize with him when he left Perquin in his new, US supplied Huey helicopter bound for the capital. When the helicopter was high in the sky the bomb hidden in the transmitter turned Monterossa and the helicopter into a huge ball of fire.
I plan on going to el Mozote for the 30th anniversary of the December 10, 1981 El Mozote massacre. Anybody else?
September 21, 2011
Kyle
Thanks for the extra information and thoughtful comment!
December 23, 2011
Tony
I came across your site when searching for information on Radio Venceremos. I read your synopsis of the civil war. You really need to preface your summary with two things. First: the civil war erupted because the population in El Salvador had been trying for decades to change their government (which was controlled by the richest 13 families in El Salvador)so that it would serve the majority in the country and not the 1% (as her in the US). Any leaders that began to rally their people were literally killed off whenever they would try and run for office or defeat an incumbent of the old guard. There was no democracy nor tolerance of any reform effort. Violence and death squads was the order of the day. Finally they had had enough as peaceful change was made impossible. War was the last resort to put the country on the right foot.
Second: The war would have been over within a year or two had the U.S. not pumped $1.5 million a day bolstering the military dictatorship.
Finally, the rebels were left wing, not right wing as your summary implies.
Thanks,
Tony