Demonstrators Protest Salvadoran Ambassador

A small but determined group of demonstrators stood in the rain outside the Harvard Faculty Club Saturday afternoon to protest a conference on El Salvador at which Rene Leon, the Salvadoran ambassador to the U.S., was speaking.

The sound of cars on the wet pavement of Quincy Street mingled with the chanting of the Boston branch of the national Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador (CISPES).

To protest the “Salvadorans in the World” convention, the small group rallied with cries of “Leon, escucha!” “Escucha” means “listen” in Spanish.

The protestors, who had gathered with a list of varying demands, hoped that their efforts did not go to waste.

“We want to increase awareness here in Boston around specific issues related to El Salvador and the ARENA party,” said demonstration organizer Shane Stewart.

The ARENA party is El Salvador’s conservative Nationalist Republican Alliance Party, headed by El Salvador president Tony Saca. According to Stewart, Saca—who was originally slated to speak at Saturday’s convention but failed to appear—came to power under controversial circumstances.

“Last year, the U.S. government played a significant role in undermining [El Salvador’s] elections,” Stewart said. “We want the U.S. to commit to a policy of nonintervention in the election coming up in 2006. We want them to respect the results of that election.”

CISPES had a number of other specific demands for the convention, in particular the removal of El Salvadoran troops from Iraq. While holding a large banner lettered with the message “U.S. and Salvadoran Troops out of Iraq,” demonstrator Alexis Stoumbelis said that she is “extremely concerned about the military and the fact that [Saca] feels the need to send troops to Iraq just to stay in favor of the U.S. government.”

“The government of El Salvador is very much in league with the U.S. government, and is working with Bush to suppress Salvadoran people,” Stewart said, elaborating on Stroumbelis’ comments. One of the examples Stewart cited is the Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), which he said “only benefits rich corporations.”

The “Salvadorans in the World” convention was a panel-style conference featuring politicians and speakers from the Salvadoran community.

“The conference claims to represent 500,000 Salvadorans living in the U.S.,” said demonstrator Sofia Hasenfus, “but it costs $50 per person to attend the panel. Do they really think immigrants have that kind of money to pay?”

The Salvadoran population is the fastest growing Latino population in Massachusetts, with a 137 percent growth since 1990. According to the City of Boston’s 2000 New Bostonian Demographic Report, there are a little over 5,300 Salvadorans living in the Boston area.

“Harvard is one of the main employers of Salvadorans in the Boston area,” Stewart said.

According to Hasenfus, 17 percent of El Salvador’s gross domestic product is a result of money sent home to relatives by workers in the U.S. “Even if they’re just cleaning toilets, they’re able to send money home to their families,” she said.

Despite the small size of the protest, demonstrators said they felt the event was a success. “Giving the conditions outside, turnout was significant,” said Stewart. And this protest won’t be the last one.

“CISPES will be sure to address issues important to the people of El Salvador,” Stewart said. “The group will respond to events in El Salvador as they occur, and there will definitely be more demonstrations.”