Elections for deputados (similar to congressional representatives) and alcaldes (mayors) were last Sunday, January 18. It has been interesting to watch the democratic process here in El Salvador. Although structurally similar to elections in the States, it is disparate in practice. The voting body, though fragmented among a plethora of outfits, rests its majority between two main parties. The fmln,
Frente Farabundo Martí para la Liberación Nacional ...is a left-wing political party, formerly a revolutionary guerrilla organization. The (fmln) formed as an umbrella group in 1980 uniting 5 organizations - the Fuerzas Populares de Liberacion Farabundo Marti (FPL), Ejercito Revolucionario del Pueblo (ERP), the Resistencia Nacional (RN), Partido Comunista Salvadoreno (PCS) and the Partido Revolucionario de los Trabajadores Centroamericanos (PRTC).
Description curtasy of Lisa Kaplan, Peace Corps Country Director, El Salvador
; and ARENA, Alianza Republicana Nacionalista, was concieved late in 1981 during the civil war to counter the military juntas in power. With a right-wing conservative agena, the party has been in control of the presidency since 1989. There is also a popular distinction made, though fallacious, between fmln as homogonous with the US Democratic Party, and ARENA with the Republican Party, predicated by the conventional political spectrum of left liberal, right conservative.
As any country at the pinnacle of political activity, there is a lot of excitement. Nevertheless, this season is particularly unique in that the elections for presidential and local representatives fall within the same year. Deputados and Alcaldes serve a three-year term, while el Presidente y Vise-Presidente have elections every five years. What’s more, there is, according to numerous polls held both in country and with ES citizens in the US, a broad leftward swing with the majority vote in the Presidential elections, accrediting Marico Funes of fmln with as large as a 21-point lead over his competitor Rodrigo Avila of ARENA. Such speculations have gained steam following election results from local and departmental elections in which fmln claims to have gained 20 new municipalities and now tout the majority, appearing to have won 43% of national deputado elections. In Perquín, for instance, an area steeped in civil war history and considered an fmln stronghold, has reclaimed the mayoral offices after a three-year respite. The congressional seat for the department of Morazán, however, as remained in the hands of ARENA, as well as a return to the mayor’s seat at the countries capital, San Salvador. Therefore, although tempered with modest success country wide between both parties, the momentum seems to be on the side of fmln, leading up to the March 15 presidential elections, a little less than two months away.
Politics are a bit more raw and palpable here, with strong grassroots partaking. Parties (of which there are currently six, though this is subject to change) are view very much as we do sports teams in the States. One pitted against another, successes and failures enumerated by the amount of votes or seats attained as much as by policy. There are rallies held often across the country and range from the local to national level. They attracted supporters donning all sorts of party memorabilia: shirts, hats, flags, belts, and yes, even watches. Each party has their own songs, and cars fitted with loudspeakers, some resplendent with flashy paintjobs, prowling the streets disseminating their ideology and soliciting votes to anyone within earshot. All while enjoying their happy tune. I have seen marches, sometimes right along the street and at other times along the fringes, from the capital all the way to the remote corners of the country.
Paint wars are waged between neighboring communities who support opposing factions, painting lamppost, ramadas (awnings, usu. meant to wait for buses) homes, stores, and party offices. I have even seen phrases splayed across street lanes, just as you might expect to find “yield” or “turn only.” One area notorious for this is the Torola Bridge, crossing the Torola River situated northeast of San Miguel and the one major throughway northbound into the department of Morazán. Since beginning my two-year stint in May, I cannot tell you how many times I have seen the bridge repainted. Red with various political rhetoric in white for fmln; striped red white and blue for ARENA; at intermittent times yellow with red lettering for FDR, (more as reminder to the general public that indeed there are parties other than the two); then red with… oh, you get the point!
Requisite of Salvo life, trucks are regularly laden with scores of people from some such communities or other in transit to heaven knows where (I have more than once been a passenger of such convoys). Yet, at the height of the political season, it is common to see supporters of a particular party crammed, hodgepodge, into the back of one of these camiones, flags waving proudly and slogans vociferously rose, as if challenging distention. It can be disconcerting at times, as one may feel a boisterous unrest just beneath the surface. These moments, however, are rare, and, at least for me, are in no small part attributed to my presence as an outsider not fully accustomed to their particular standards of social expression. At times it seems I have the potential to become a menace to their proceedings, causing undo attention because of my status as an American and thus a physical representation of the policies of our country, and thus a potential target. It is as when a teacher looks over a students shoulder while he/she works, affecting anxiety and resentment.
To tell you the truth, I admire Salvadoran participation in politics, however disorganized or skewed it may seem at times. It should be something to envy and strive towards, the pains and earnestness with which they treat government. Barring historic social and/or political shifts, (e.g. Obama elected president), the majority of US citizens seem to have contended themselves to be lulled into indifference and inaction afforded by prodigal comforts. In so saying, I again realize the cyclic process of experiences here. Part of my purpose as a volunteer is to teach the people of my community skills, habits, and general knowledge to benefit their quality of life; and yet, by assimilation in order to achieve that goal, I in turn learn from their way of life as benefit and amelioration of my own.
Anticipation of change is in the air, simulated considerably by the innumerable challenges facing today’s world leaders and, of course, a black man’s ascension to command of the free world. On March 15, all will be made evident.
