It is extremely harrowing to see the pattern of US domination unfold in country after country, not only right the way across Central America but across the planet. But the purpose of this book is to expose the pattern. A pattern may not be inferred by US actions in one country so let us now travel south across the border into El Salvador.
1931 – U.S. backed Col. Hernandez Martinez takes power. And the following year, the “Matanza”. 10-30 000 peasants massacred while U.S. and Canadian Naval vessels sit off-shore and the Marines alerted on the border with Nicaragua. Population traumatised – local organisation subdued for an entire generation. Martinez remains in power until 1944, with continuing repression and corruption and open support for European and Japanese fascists in the ’30s. But he did build 300 houses a year for 10 years.
1961 – U.S. support military dictatorship to prevent democracy and the “distribution of propaganda”.
1963 – ORDEN, a rural paramilitary force and ANENSAL, the intelligence arm of the Death Squads, formed by General Medrano, a listed CIA agent, decorated by President Johnson for “exceptionally meritorious service”, described by President Duarte of El Salvador as “the father of the Death Squads, the Chief Assassin of them all.” El Salvador joins CONDECA to export its expertise to the rest of Central America.
1969 – Food production increases, as do starvation and misery for the locals. 300,000 (1/8 of population) in 10 years fled to Honduras to find food and work.
1972, 1977 – Elections – military intervention to abort elections and install military dictatorships.
mid ’70s – Beef exports double as local beef consumption declines by 38%. Economic growth for the exporters and starvation for the locals. Increasing GNP creating terrifying living standards.
1979 – Coup led by General Majano but removed the following year. Jose Napoleon Duarte installed as President. Carter’s “Matanza 2” starts. Church Human Rights tabulates 8062 political murders (including Archbishop Romero). World War 2 Italian fascist murderer Stefano delle Chiaie advises Major Roberto d’Aubuisson on anti-subversive tactics. Council on Hemispheric Affairs – El Salvador and Guatemala are the worst human rights violators in Latin America, replacing Argentina.
1980 – Rio Sumpul – In May, 600 civilians murdered in joint operation as they try to flee into Honduras. A true repetition of Nazi SS activities during the second World War. In June, San Salvador University attacked and destroyed, and in November, massacre of political opposition and destruction of independent media.
1981 – 30,000 civilians murdered by U.S. clients in the last two years, and 600,000 refugees created. Atlacatl battalion formed by dispatch of 15 specialists from U.S. Army School of Special Forces. Torturing peasants, castrating academics, disembowelling children, raping nuns, shooting archbishops at mass.
March 16, 1981 – the Lempa river massacre. In the previous week, 798 killed, of which 681 peasants killed by bombing and helicopter gunships. Duarte receives several hundred million dollars support from U.S. client dictator Louis Herrera Campins in Venezuela. In December 1981, the battalion kills over 1,000 in an orgy of murder, rape and burning.
1984 – U.S. bombing raids on villages and crops with napalm and white phosphorus, before attacks by ground forces and removal of prisoners to “Strategic hamlets” (concentration camps).
The same tactics were used in the Indian Wars and in Vietnam. Improved bombing accuracy co-incides with increase in civilian deaths. Reduces population by around 40% in the attacked zones for the year. Bombing of civilians gathering in Red Cross areas. At the university, 36 students and 10 teachers, including 2 deans, killed or disappeared in last 2 years.
Reagan advised to send military aid to “Latin-style fascists… regardless of how many are murdered… there are higher American priorities than Salvadoran human rights.”
Then it’s time for elections – Lord Chitnis of British Parliamentary Human Rights group – “an atmosphere of terror and despair, of macabre rumour and grisly reality.”
1989 – Rebel FMLN declare ceasefire during peace talks while the Government use the opportunity to step up repression and get names. Troops at the election observing transparent numbered ballot papers going into transparent ballot boxes. Army deserter Cesar Martinez (ex Special Forces First Brigade GC2 group) sees Joint Chiefs’ orders for 72 executions from April to July. Martinez takes part in 8 of these. People beaten to death during interrogation. Bodies dumped in secret cemeteries or the ocean. Active officers at the time include now Vice-Minister of defence and Commander of the Beloso Battalion. Students at the university attacked by fragmentation grenade. 15 wounded as perpetrators depart through gate guarded by 1st Infantry Brigade troops. Troops fire on students protesting military presence at university and for release of professors and students held by the army – 10 wounded.
1990 – Deserter testifies that the rich are immune from conscription. Teenagers are rounded up for conscription from slums and refugee camps. Made to kill dogs and vultures by biting out their throats and twisting off their heads. Made to watch while suspected dissidents were tortured and killed – tearing out finger nails and cutting off heads and limbs. Conscripts were told that these tasks “make you more of a man and give you more courage”.
Death Squad murders showed several characteristics – decapitation with heads placed on pikes; severed genitalia put in mouths of victims; raped women with wombs cut out used to cover the victim’s face; children dragged over barbed wire until the flesh falls off while parents forced to watch. Killing isn’t enough. Terror must be instilled as General Mola observed on behalf of Franco’s fascists in the Spanish Civil War.
1989-2009 – Elections, fair or otherwise (see above), keep the right wing ARENA Party, founded by Major Roberto d’Aubuisson, in power. In 2009, the people tire of the endless corruption. The FMLN candidate, journalist Mauricio Funes, is elected but has to share power with another right wing Party. And so corruption remains uninvestigated. 40 years on from massacres in 1981, investigations remain stalled.
As with Guatemala, we hope but certainly do not expect the pattern to have changed by the time that you read this. In 2020, Human Rights Watch summarise … “El Salvador has one of the world’s highest homicide rates, partially due to corruption and impunity. State security forces have committed egregious abuses, including extrajudicial executions, sexual assaults, and enforced disappearances. They have failed to investigate crimes and collaborated with gangs.” The US continue to control the Military and the Institutions. Funes and his successors are on the liberal end of the FMLN and have little effective power in a very divided country. Business may continue as usual.
The pattern is emerging but we are looking to establish conclusively that there are not significant disparities in the way the US controls client States. And so we travel east into Honduras.