El Salvador/Romero Video
12 years of Civil War
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In 1970s & 1980 economic downturn….hurts economy even more, the poor in
Latin America are struggling even more.
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In El Salvador an oligarchy- 14 families- owned 95% of the land…plantations;
mines and had controlled the country for a long time.
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In the mid 1970s a military dictatorship was elected which supports the oligarchy
and ruling class. The Roman Catholic Church also supports the military
dictatorship and oligarchy.
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In the 60s & 70s popular support for Marxism and revolutionary movements
alarmed the Church leaders. In response Church leaders called for new efforts to
help the poor- build schools, clinics etc.
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Liberation Theology- some church members felt that those programs did not go
far enough. They called for the Church to take a more active role in changing the
conditions that contributed to poverty- to help the poor organize for change to
establish democratic governments.
Movie: Romero
Date: 1977- upcoming election in El Salvador
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In the beginning, Romero is chosen as the new Archbishop because the Church
officials believe he will support the military dictatorship and not the ideas of
Liberation Theology.
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Father Grande and other priest in the movie believe in Liberation Theology.
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The opening scene of the movie starts with a political rally for the upcoming
election. The poor want to support a democratic candidate and are at a rally
calling for change. Of course the military dictatorship wants to stay in power and
works to stop the poor for organizing for change/democracy.
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As more and more people rally to support democratic change the military
government responses with violence.
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Violence escalates; Military tries to eliminate all voices of opposition.
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In response to the violence by the military dictator, guerrilla movements (people
for change organize) to fight against the Military government. Both sides take up
arms and violence within the country get so bad it will become a civil war in the
future years- poor for democratic change against the military dictatorship and the
oligarchy.
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To make matters even worse, the military dictatorship establishes “death squads”
that kidnap torture and kill “guerrillas” and any civilians that support change. The
ruling military claims they have no connection with these death squads but of
course they help to establish these death squads.
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Due to these abuses by the ruling government, President Carter had cut aid to
military government for human rights abuses in the mid 1970s.
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President Reagan when he is elected and re-establishes aid to the military
governments in central America because he believes they are fighting
“communist”! Remember: U.S. is in Cold War and Reagan is very anticommunist, can’t let communist revolution happen so close to U.S.
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Over objections of U.S. Congress- Reagan pours $4 billion into El Salvador
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Conflict/ civil war continues with U.S. financial support from 1980 to late 80s.
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Based on reports of escalating violence in El Salvador and Human Rights abusestorture, closing of press, limitation of individual freedoms - US Congress finally
against Reagan’s wishes suspend military aid, peace process begins.
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In 1989- International monitored election to end civil war…but unilaterally
guerrillas (poor people who took up arms) agree to cease fire and military & death
squads tried one more time to stamp out the “rebellion”, continuation of massive
killings and resistance. But ultimately they cannot stop rebellion.
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Civil War finally ends! El Salvador has a democratic election and votes in a new
leader.
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Later it is determined that 85% of Human Rights violations had been committed
by government and death squads…
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75,000 citizens had been killed, 500,000 had fled and once economy was back to
1967 levels….poor economy