El Salvador, Part 2: The Thoughts

By: Alex Welsh

The war of 1980-1992 between the government and the leftist coalition (FMLN) was not your normal war, even as far as civil wars go. There were bombings by the government and battles between fronts, but most of it was the constant undercurrent of vigilante death squads, punitary expeditions, vendettas and tortures, which targeted the population even in times of relative calm. Some fighting units never even faced an armed enemy, “specialising” instead in civilian targets. El Salvador is scarred not as much by violence as by terror.

The real scars are in the psyche. The Salvadorians are friendly but many are somewhat quiet. They seem to be often happy, but it feels like the happiness of relief. They are disciplined and tough, they didn’t dwell on the wounds, they just went straight to work and rebuilt the country.

Those who were killed were buried. The rest have agreed that it is time to forgive. There seems to be a pact of silence, I didn’t see a single animosity. Two 30 year-old brothers cuddling a 10 year-old sister, a generation of war between them. Amputees, disabled, orphans, the most heart-breaking street kids you have ever seen.

What was it about? We have our theories and we operate with concepts of right and wrong. But many Salvadorians simply don’t know. Francisco, a boatman with 7 years of fighting and three bullet holes in him, is not pondering the philosophy of righteous and unrighteous wars, when he says he has no idea. “They recruited me and send me to shoot the other guys. If I hadn't they would have killed me.” In many places 13 was the recruitment age, and both sides did it.

But one thing where the trauma of the terror is still apparent is their obsession with security. The English talk about weather, the French about wine and the Salvadorians about violence. All the time.

The violence did not finish with the war. Unemployment, devastation and proliferation of weapons drove huge numbers onto the streets. Things have got a hell of a lot better recently, it’s just… everyone is so used to talking about it.

There are shotguns every 50 yards. Half of the nation is employed as security guards. There aren’t even enough uniforms for everyone, a white shirt means a good guy, like in a spaghetti western. And they all kept asking me if I can help them find work in UK. I had to repeat over and over again that the demand for skilled shotgun workers is currently low there.

Security is a commodity everywhere. And it works. I am not even talking about house alarms and garden walls. Even a club night flyer will say: “International DJs, discounts on drinks, light show, secure site with security guards”.

Perhaps El Salvador is by no means safe, but neither is Guatemala, yet families go there all the time. I saw more violence in both Guatemala and Mexico, yet I spent less time in the two of them put together than in En Salvador. Old habits die hard and I really think the habit is mostly all there is to this fame now. It was nice to see that holiday resorts are becoming more popular with foreign families.

In particular, it is popular with Americans, perhaps due to another striking effect of the war - how Americanised the country has become. I had never seen so many US fast food chains, shining shopping malls and advertising boards in one place. The perception of prosperity and affluence perhaps doesn’t reflect the reality of rural EL Salvador, but it certainly is easier to navigate for a tourist.

While this is the stuff that drives Castro, Chavez and Morales insane, there seems to be no grudge in El Salvador. First, I think there is an element of gratitude. US involvement in the war might have been controversial, but they also accepted masses of refugees. Many are well settled and the links are strong. And the US did invest in the post-war reconstruction.

Secondly, this migration has almost made the country the States’ little cousin. With so many families communicating over the borders and visiting each other regularly, there is almost a sense of belonging. It’s not uncommon to hear “New York” when you ask a Salvadorian where he is from. Neither it is uncommon to hear “Hey, man, got a nickel or a dime?” from a beggar on the street. If your Spanish is bad, this is one of the easiest countries in the region to travel in.

I found it to be a beautiful country with beautiful people, with only one thing missing – acceptance by everyone that security has become sufficient to receive tourism.