Word: salvadore
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
Behind Reagan's orchestration of the congressional praise was the hope that the impressive though imperfect Salvadoran display would rally Senate support for a compromise package of $62 million worth of proposed emergency military aid for El Salvador. Without the funds, insisted Reagan, the 30,000-member Salvadoran army would soon be unable to defend the country against the guerrillas, whose unity is sometimes debatable but whose destructiveness is beyond dispute (see box). The Senate gave tentative approval to the aid, but, chiefly through the efforts of Democratic Senator Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts, a promised formal vote...
...told, the U.S. spent nearly $7 million to help organize the balloting and guarantee its fairness. Unfortunately, some of that aid contributed to the chaos that cast a pall over the vote. Determined to ensure a truly honest and foolproof election, El Salvador's central election commission ignored U.S. embassy warnings against the installation of high-tech computer voting procedures for a low-tech electorate (more than 40% of the eligible voters are illiterate). Summed up Jorge Rochac, the U.S.-educated consultant who served as overseer for the intricate voting system: "We have three miles of dirt road...
...first major indication of trouble came when guerrilla commandos blew up power lines leading into the capital of San Salvador. The blackout began as election commissioners were handing out numbered ballots and ballot boxes for distribution to the local polling stations. Many officials simply left for the polls without their election materials. When delivered ballots failed to match up with local voting lists, both became useless. To top off the confusion, the election commission had delayed explaining the balloting system to voters until 72 hours before election...
Typical of the confusion was the scene at Flor Blanca stadium, the only location in San Salvador assigned to voters who had been uprooted by the civil war or who otherwise could not cast ballots in their local towns and villages. To find their proper polling table, voters were required to consult posted lists; few were able to find their names, even with the help of poll officials. As voters wandered back and forth in 100° temperatures, tempers flared. "This shows disrespect for the people," said Antonio Meléndez, a bearded mechanic who spent five hours...
...Miguel, posters warning of land mines were planted on the road, watched over by rifle-bearing rebels. Overall, the guerrilla attitude toward the election was summed up by their spokesman, Guillermo Ungo, who declared, "Votes are not the source of power, because there is no democracy in El Salvador...