THIS past week has been a heck of a dive into life. El Salvador is a place where the past is the present in the minds of the older generation. It is a place that is filled with great potential but low investment. It is the kingdom of American fast food restaurants. It is a place where the roads and bridges are made out of pavement. It is a place where the streets are marked with the presence of the youth aka graffiti. It is a place where the dollar is a bill and a coin. It is a place governed by very polarized political parties. It is a place where deputees who have made decisive decisions that resulted in massacres are in congress.
MR. D.'
Listening and learning from peoples testimonies is harder than I imagined. He is a nice man I would say. A man with his many years and experience in life. He is a man with that little french hat. He lived his youth through a war that deprived him of peace and security, a life that was deprived of tears and emotions, a life that was like living and seeing death. A life that ends with a happy ending. He met his wife during the war and his children are now handsome young men. He is an alternate deputee in the National Assembly of El Salvador. He told us his story. Just a glimpse of his story. He met his wife during the war and he suffered many deaths of loved ones and friends. I call him Mr. D simply because I do not wish to use his full name. Man like him that have dedicated their life to his community makes me want to learn more about individuals and their potential. It was hard to listen to his testimony because he was completely honest as he talked about his friends, about his dreams as a young man. It was hard because I could hear his numb pain in his voice as he tried to express what he felt and asked us to imagine being in his shoes when he walked by the military unable to grief the death of the massacre that took place in a plaza. Mr. D. fought with the FMLN he is member of the FMLN.
On Friday the 26th I had the opportunity to meet with two FMLN candidates and an ARENA candidate. The difference between the two is extremely evident and complete polarized in relation to each other. FMLN is more for the people and infrastructure within El Salvador. The FMLN is socialist, from what I understand and ARENA is neoliberal. First of all when talking to the FMLN we met in a very simple room. One that looked like it could be a storage room or if fixed up a bit it would look more like a meeting room for a political party. When we met with ARENA the room was a museum of pictures. It had nice chairs and a great big table. The founders ARENA were framed on the walls. It was a heavy atmosphere, the founders of ARENA had been the mindsets behind massacres during the civil war. It is aggravating to know that has not been any trials for the murderers and masterminds of massacres. Open wounds are left open because there has not been any trials and amnesty has been given by the state. This is possibly the reason why the Salvadorian people are more open to share their stories and their struggles. There is a sense of grief that has not been consoled and by sharing the grief is legitimized.
Visiting Santa Marta was quite impressive. Even though it has dirt/mud roads many homes were well structured. Electricity runs 24hrs, there is water and their are large mini size pools to hold water, some houses have propane stoves and there are latrines. The people of Santa Marta live together in harmony. They are what a community is suppose to be. The work together to move forward. Santa Marta is a village with history, it's people know their past and learn about it in school. It even has its own radio station called Radio Victoria in Victoria, El Salvador. Unfortunately, the station and the community have been threatened because of their social awareness. One example of such issues comes from foreign investors like those that want to conduct mining in El Salvador.The community has raised together to protect one another and to keep on with their movements and their presistance in holding the government accountable to prevent mining. The radio serves as a tool to not only spread information but to get the information through interviews and research.
I absolutely loved El Salvador. Its people are very friendly and open. I did feel the difference between Nicaragua and El Salvador and I am not sure if it is because El Salvador has a more recent war history or because the FSLN turned into a party instead of overthrowing ARENA. I would love to return to El Salvador.
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