San Salvador:
- We went to visit the church where the Archbishop Oscar Romero was assassinated on the 24th of March 1980. The church, "La Divina Providencia" was far from the one shown in the movie "Salvador" and was very simple with no particular style. The Salvadoran civil war confronted the right-wing military government and the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN), a coalition of 5 left-wing guerilla groups. During the war, the military party received massive help from the Americans and 75000 people died. Archbishop Romero witnessed ongoing violations of human rights and started to speak out on behalf of the poor, first victims of the politic of the government. He was killed by the death squad, a private army from the government and from here started the Civil War.
- For the funeral of Monsenor Romero, more than 250000 people from over the world were present showing the huge popularity of the clergyman. Still now the anniversary of his death is celebrated everywhere in El Salvador. A process of canonization is also on-going,
- We were in San Salvador during the week-end of the presidential elections and the colours of the right-wing party, called ARENA, were blue, white and red like the French flag. That reminded me a little of France!
- Two of the countless posters seen in town for the elections. Finally the left-wing party, the FMLN, won making El Salvador on the left side after more than 20 years on the right side.
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