[Peace-discuss] FMLN DECLARES VICTORY!

[Ricky Baldwin]

Wow!

That's 10 left or center-left gov'ts in Latin America now, I believe.  Not a majority, but enuf to cause some molar-grinding at various places in Virgiania and Marlyand, I'd guess. ;-)

  The NACLA Report has a good, short piece in this month's issue about solidarity, criticism without Northern imperialism vs. uncritical support, thinking about the election as it was approaching.

It's not available online yet, but it's a follow-up to a round table discussion they ran in the prev issue, which was also good: 

http://nacla.org/node/5392?editionnid=5385&issuename=Not%20Just%20Change,%20But%20Justice:%20Taking%20on%20Policy%20in%20the%20Obama%20Era&issuenum=1&volume=042&issuemonth=January/February&issueyear=2009&lilimage=files/covers/421coverlo.jpg

Hey Dave - you owe Bob $20! :-)

 Ricky


"Speak your mind even if your voice shakes." - Maggie Kuhn




________________________________
From: Robert Naiman <naiman.uiuc at gmail.com>
To: John W. <jbw292002 at gmail.com>
Cc: Peace-discuss List <peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net>
Sent: Monday, March 16, 2009 7:00:02 AM
Subject: Re: [Peace-discuss] FMLN DECLARES VICTORY!

It's official.

Salvadoran ex-rebels win presidency for first time
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090316/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_el_salvador_elections

SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador – A leftist television journalist has won El
Salvador's presidential election, bringing a party of former
guerrillas to power for the first time since a bloody civil war and
ending two decades of conservative rule.

Mauricio Funes, a moderate plucked from outside the ranks of the
rebel-group-turned-political-party Farabundo Marti National Liberation
Front, became the latest leftist to rise to power in Latin America at
a time of uncertainty over how President Barack Obama will approach
the region.

With 90 percent of the vote counted late Sunday, Funes had 51 percent
compared to 49 percent for Rodrigo Avila of the ruling conservative
Arena party, said Walter Araujo, president of the Supreme Electoral
Tribunal.

Avila, accompanied by current President Tony Saca, conceded defeat and
wished Funes luck.

Funes reported on the 12-year war that ended 17 years ago with 75,000
people dead, and he later hosted a popular interview show. He promised
to unite the country after one of the most polarizing campaigns since
the conflict.

"This is the happiest night of my life, and I want it to be the night
of El Salvador's greatest hope," Funes said. "I want to thank all the
people who voted for me and chose that path of hope and change."

Jubilant, red-clad Funes supporters poured into the streets of San
Salvador, whooping, clapping, blowing whistles and waving large party
flags. Colorful fireworks shot up into the night sky.

Funes, 49, rode a wave of discontent with two decades of Arena party
rule that have brought economic growth but done little to redress
social inequalities. Fuel and food prices have soared, while powerful
gangs extort businesses and fight for drug-dealing turf, resulting in
one of Latin America's highest homicides rates.

Funes promised to crack down on big businesses which he says exploit
government complacency to evade taxes.

"The time has come for the excluded, the opportunity has arrived for
genuine democrats, for men and women who believe in social justice and
solidarity," he told a rally of roaring supporters early Monday.

Avila, 44, a former police chief, had warned that an FMLN victory
would send El Salvador down a communist path and threaten the
country's warm relations with the United States. He vowed Sunday to
lead "a vigilant opposition that would ensure that the country does
not lose its liberties."

Close U.S. ties saw El Salvador keep troops in Iraq longer than any
other Latin American country and become a hub of regional cooperation
with Washington against drug trafficking. The country's economy
depends on billions of dollars sent home by 2.5 million Salvadorans
who live in the U.S.

The Obama government has assured Salvadorans it would work with any
leader elected — a marked departure from the Bush administration,
which in 2004 suggested that an FMLN victory would hurt ties.



On Mon, Mar 16, 2009 at 4:58 AM, John W. <jbw292002 at gmail.com> wrote:
> Looks like you may have won a small but significant wager, Bob.  Though it
> looks like it's not quite official yet....
>
>
>
> On Sun, Mar 15, 2009 at 10:34 PM, Robert Naiman <naiman.uiuc at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> from the cispes election blog:
>> http://cispes.org/09electionsblog/
>>
>> FMLN DECLARES VICTORY!
>> March 15th, 2009 (14 minutes ago)
>>
>> The FMLN has declared victory! Mauricio Funes is giving his victory
>> speech as these words are being typed. ¡El Cambio es Hoy!
>>
>>
>> Second round of resutlts from TSE/ Segunda ronda de resultados del TSE
>> March 15th, 2009 (51 minutes ago)
>>
>> With 73.80% of votes counted / Con 73.80% de actas contadas:
>>
>> ARENA - 944,633 votes/votos - 48.40%
>>
>> FMLN-1,007,287 votes/votos - 51.6%
>>
>> FMLN with slight lead in early official results
>> March 15th, 2009 (1 hour ago)
>>
>> >From Supreme Electoral Tribunal press conference:
>>
>> With 33% of the vote counted:
>> FMLN: 51.28%
>> ARENA: 48.78%
>>
>>
>> --
>> Robert Naiman
>> Just Foreign Policy
>> www.justforeignpolicy.org
>> naiman at justforeignpolicy.org
>



-- 
Robert Naiman
Just Foreign Policy
www.justforeignpolicy.org
naiman at justforeignpolicy.org
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