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El Salvador
Current Issues
Safety- As "Gringo" visitors, we stand out.  The tourism industry in El Salvador is pretty non-existant.  It is great to experience being a minority!  You should know before hand, that you should not venture out alone, away from our group.  It took me a week to feel comfortable enough to use the bus and walk on the street alone, if you're here that long or longer, you may feel the same way.  Most of the time you will only be carying the cash you need for that day, a photo copy of your passport and nothing else.  My advice is: do what Vince and Amy tell you to, and Better Safe than Sorry.  Think of it this way- your entering a different world, try to get the best glimpse you can in the time you're here, that includes experiencing what it is to live where safety is something you have to consider daily.  This doesn't mean you'll be unsafe, it just means there's more work involved in staying safe.

Gangs-
1990s- Present - The United Sates has been deporting gang members to El Salvador.  (The US State Department considers Salvadoran gangs some of the most dangerous in the world.)  The gang problem has intensified in El Salvador.  The two main gangs (who started in LA) 18th Street and MS  continue their gang war in El Salvador.  The government passed laws “Hard Hand” (mano dura) and “Super Hard Hand” (mano super dura) trying to deal with the gang problem by taking away the rights of suspected gang members. A fierce struggle continues between police and gangs.  Road blocks search vehicles for young men with tatoos who are automatially suspects. 

Politics- The ARENA party which gained power during the war, still has a majority in government.  It is backed by many large U.S. corporations, and considered a friend to the U.S. Government. It implemented CAFTA (Central American Free Trade Agreement) and changed the official currency to the US Dollar.  These recent changes are not expected to reduce the enormous gap between rich and poor in this country (one of the largest socio-economic divides in any country in the world).  El Salvador is the only Latin-American country with troops currently supporting the US effort in Iraq.  The FMLN (formerly guerilla) is the second largest political party. But has not yet won a majority of seats in the legislature.
March 24, 2002 George W Bush visited  El Salvador, and said “It is one of the freest and strongest and most stable countries in our hemisphere.” (see full speach and reactions in links below)

Disasters- El Salvador is prone to hurricanes, floods, volcanic erruptions, and earthquakes.  (but don't worry this is the hot dry season)
January 13, 2001-  7.7 Earthquake hit El Salvador and killed 900 people, exactly one month later a 6.1 earthquake killed 100.   
Most recently - October 4, 2005 - Hurricane Stan killed 66 in El Salvador, mostly from mudslides.  Flood damage in the countryside left many stranded in a rural area without aide.  Aide organiztions are still trying to assist with the need of victims, the government claims that the need has already been addressed.  The government is very slow (if at all) to respond to the needs of the people in geographic areas that support FMLN.
Important Massacres, Martyrs, and Dates
Click to view.  Vital historical information!  These events are very relevant and still controvercial.
Links- For the inquiring mind
Read the massacres timeline before looking at the links.  They are more detailed information on what is provided
PBS- short summary of the Civil War “Enemies of War”

PBS Timeline- El Salvador

Bush speech in 2002 visit to El Salvador

Reaction to Bush speech by a religious group working for US solidarity in the region

Current polling of political parties

US Institute for Peace- Summary of evidence in the massacres 1980-82
(note there is a typo on this page dating the Sumul River massacre at 1990 instead of 1980)