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POLITICAL WILL BROUGHT ABOUT PEACE IN EL SALVADOR 15 YEARS AGO,FORMER FOREIGN MINISTERS SAY

Former Salvadoran Foreign Ministers Oscar Santamaría and Fidel Chávez Mena agreed that “political will” was essential for the signing of the Peace Accords that brought an end, 15 years ago, to a long period of armed conflict which had left death and destruction in El Salvador. The two former officials, who were on opposite sides of the table in the negotiation process, shared their experiences at the Lecture Series of the Americas, held yesterday at the Organization of American States (OAS).

It was on January 16, 1992, that the Salvadoran government and the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN in Spanish) signed the Chapultepec Peace Accords in Mexico City, ending a conflict that had lasted 12 years. At that time, Santamaría was Chief of the Government Negotiating Committee and coordinator of the implementation of the Peace Accords; Chávez Mena was leader of the political opposition and a participant in the peace process.

In welcoming the speakers, OAS Secretary General José Miguel Insulza stressed the importance of reflecting on the lessons learned and on the development of a new era that began in that Central American country after the signing of the agreements. “The OAS played a very important role in El Salvador’s peace process, along with other international organizations, in facilitating a dialogue between the government and the opposition by actively participating in the negotiations and by sending, in 1991, an electoral observation mission with more than 85 observers,” recalled Insulza.

In his remarks, Santamaría provided an overview of internal factors that led to a growing polarization of society and gave rise to the armed conflict, noting the “authoritarian and repressive political system, restrictions to fundamental liberties, systematic violations of human rights, continuous electoral frauds, social marginalization, economic injustice and the deterioration of mediation opportunities between civil society and the state.” He also talked about global ideological factors that resulted from the East-West confrontation.

Santamaría said the will of the conflicting sides was critical to the peace process, as was the mediation of the international community, especially the United Nations and the OAS, which was witness of honor in the process. He talked about the government’s initiative to make peace in the middle of the war and explained how it was possible to achieve a dialogue with the FMLN.

For his part, Chávez Mena said the success of the peace process in El Salvador was due to “the multilateral efforts to find a political resolution, which strengthened democracy and ended 80 years of military governments.” He noted the participation, in 1994, of a guerrilla movement in the democratic process, in the first elections held after the signing of the peace accords.

Although the accords brought an end to some problems, the people of El Salvador must continue working to address problems of violence, such as the growth of gangs, and social and family deterioration, which “leads to the disintegration of social capital,” Chávez Mena said. “At the heart of the foundation of democracy is the expansion of social capital,” he added.

Oscar Santamaría has a doctorate in jurisprudence and social science and a postgraduate degree in labor law. He has served as Minister of Justice, Minister of the Presidency, and Minister of Foreign Affairs. He headed the Governmental Negotiating Committee in peace talks with the FMLN (1989-1992) and was the Minister in charge of the Process of Compliance with and Execution of the Peace Accords. He has held the positions of Secretary General of the Central American Integration System (SICA), Secretary of the Legislation Committee of the Latin American Parliament (PARLATINO), and member of the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of SICA.

Fidel Chávez Mena has a doctorate in law, a master’s in economics, and a postgraduate degree in international business, and is a recognized expert in international politics. He served as Minister of Foreign Affairs under President Napoleón Duarte and as Minister of Planning. He took part in his country’s Peace Accords, as a representatives of the opposition, and was a founding member of the Christian Democrat party. He was a university leader, a consultant for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and for other international organizations. He was nominated as a candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize and was named a “Champion of Peace.”

Created by the OAS Permanent Council to promote principles and values in the countries of the hemisphere, the Lecture Series of the Americas invites internationally renowned speakers to address key issues such as democracy, human rights, social development, hemispheric security and the fight against poverty. The conferences are possible thanks to financial contributions from Peru’s San Martin de Porres University and the governments of France, Greece and Qatar.

Reference: E-048/07