Stop Moving Towards Militarization and Authoritarianism in El Salvador

Petitions, Politics — By Lindsey Powers on January 26, 2012 6:36 am

Target: El Salvador President Mauricio Funes

Goal: To prevent El Salvador from returning to militaristic and authoritarian rule.

Twenty years ago the brutal civil war in El Salvador ended with the signing of the Chapultepec Peace Accords which established strict protocols to ensure the prevention of another military dictatorship. Among the reforms was the establishment of a civilian peace force known as the National Civilian Police (PNC), which replaced military-dominated security institutions that were responsible for the deaths and cruel abuse of thousands of citizens during the war. The PNC was vital in the reduction of the country’s armed forces and gave civil liberties back to the people. Unfortunately, President Mauricio Funes continues his militarization of the public security sector by naming newly retired, General Francisco Ramon Salinas Rivera, as head of the PNC. This treasonous action violates El Salvador’s constitution and is counterproductive to the country’s consolidating democracy.

President Funes maintains that his decision was based strictly on the retired general’s ability to confront the violence facing the nation. El Salvador does face one of the highest murder rates in the world due to violent drug trafficking regimes and deeply entrenched street gangs. And according to Funes, “Mr. Salinas Rivera has had an outstanding role within the government’s security, shown a great professionalism, and has a profound knowledge of the problems related to delinquency.” However, the President was also facing pressure from the conservative business and political sectors which view street violence as an obstacle to international investment, and the military as the only solution to halt crime.

Furthermore, the naming of Gen. Rivera occurred in the wake of a similar decision by the President to name a former military officer as Minister of Justice and Public Security, a position that was also formally held by a civilian. President Funes’s decisions are setting the stage for a militarized public security sector; a potential development that this sector was created to counteract. In fact, the law requires the police director to be a civilian, which should technically disqualify General Rivera. However, in a tricky move on the part of the general and the President, Salinas Rivera retired from the army and stepped down as Vice Minister of Defense to be considered a civilian, allowing Funes to give him the position at the PNC.

The decisions of President Mauricio Funes are damaging to the liberties guaranteed by the peace accords. As Secretary General of the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front, Medardo Gonzalez explains, “The president’s decision not only violates the republic’s constitution but could also mean the militarization of public security, and something dangerous that could generate a backward step to the past.” By signing the petition below you will help stop the decision to give the military a decisive role in El Salvador’s public security.

PETION LETTER

Dear President Mauricio Funes,

Appointing formal military leaders within the public security sector is a step towards a more militarized government and thus, directly violates the peace accords signed at the end of the civil war. The National Civilian Police (PNC) was created for the civilians as a means to replace the once violent government-run security institutions, and should therefore remain in the hands of true civilians. Naming newly retired General Francisco Ramon Salinas Rivera as head of the PNC, is a treasonous corruption of the once civilian held department.

The military should not have any role in public security. Responsibility over the violent streets should remain with professional civilians of the PNC, despite what big business believes. Therefore, choosing military professionals over trained civilians simply to pacify the pressure from the conservative business and political sectors, is not only morally unjust, it defies the republic’s constitution. By law, only civilians can head the PNC.  General Rivera may have retired and stepped down as the Vice Minister of Defense to qualify himself as a civilian, but he was a professional military officer nonetheless.

Public security should remain public, with no military interference. I am urging you to stop appointing formal military leaders to office. Please take action to ensure the values of the peace accords are upheld and prevent the militarization of El Salvador’s public security sector.

Sincerely,

[Your Name Here]