The 'not so cordial' church-state relations in Nicaragua

World
May 11, 2009

MANAGUA, NICARAGUA

Facing allegations from top Sandinista officials that they’re trying to “destabilize” the Sandinista government, church leaders in Nicaragua have requested a meeting with President Daniel Ortega in an effort to salvage souring church-state relations.

The church’s ties to the ruling Sandinista party are “not so cordial” these days, as Granada Bishop Bernand Hombach put it. After clergy called for a recount amid allegations the ruling Sandinista party rigged elections in November 2008, the Sandinista government responded with verbal attacks and by withholding funds for faith-based education.

Progressive party wins in El Salvador

Mar 31, 2009

San Salvador, El Salvador -- Church leaders in El Salvador have welcomed the reconciliatory tone of El Salvador's leftist President-elect Mauricio Funes after he declared victory over the right-wing Nationalist Republican Alliance Party, known popularly as ARENA, which has ruled the country for 20 years.

After emerging triumphant in the returns March 15 with a 2.6 percent lead over opposing candidate Rodrigo Avila, Funes assured opponents that he will not use power to seek revenge.

Funes' Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN) party was founded by guerrillas who waged a war from 1980 to 1992 against ARENA, which enjoyed U.S. backing despite its links to death squads.

"Funes used sober, conciliatory, dignified language," said San Salvador's Auxiliary Bishop Gregorio Rosa Chávez.

Upon the FMLN's victory, leftist leaders invoked the figure of Archbishop Oscar Romero, who was slain during Mass in 1980.

Merardo González, FMLN secretary general, said the victory brought back memories of victims of the armed struggle he waged against the ARENA government as a leftist guerrilla commander in the 1980s.

Salvador president-elect offers a conciliatory tone

World
Mar 17, 2009

Church leaders in El Salvador welcomed the reconciliatory tone of El Salvador’s first leftist President-elect Mauricio Funes after he declared victory over the rightwing ARENA party, which has ruled the country for 20 years.

After emerging triumphant in the returns with a 2.6 percent lead over opposing candidate Rodrigo Avila, Funes assured opponents that he will not use power to seek revenge.

Funes’ FMLN party was founded by guerrillas who waged a 1980-1992 war against the outgoing ARENA party, which enjoyed U.S. backing despite its links to death squads.

“Funes used sober, conciliatory, dignified language,” said San Salvador’s Auxiliary Bishop Gregorio Rosa Chavez.

Upon the FMLN’s victory, leftist leaders invoked the figure of Archbishop Oscar Romero, who was slain during mass in 1980.

Merardo Gonzalez, Secretary General of the FMLN, said the victory brought back memories of victims of the armed struggle he waged against the ARENA government as a leftist guerrilla commander in the 80s.

“I think of all my slain brothers and sisters. I think of Archbishop Romero,” he said.