Political Violence and War as Causes of Psychosocial Trauma in El Salvador

Abstract

According to an image widely circulated by U.S. Government spokespeople, El Salvador represents the best example of the new Latin American democracies that have emerged during the last decade, particularly in the Central American region, with the exception of Nicaragua. In support of this statement, the following points are made: 1. The Salvadoran Government was chosen in free elections, in accordance with a democratic constitution. 2. There is a growing respect for human rights among the country's population. According to the U.S. Government, 80% of the human rights violations that still occur are committed by the rebels. 3. The Salvadoran army has become increasingly professional and submits to civilian control. 4. Although there are still a few problems, for example, in the functioning of the judicial system, to a large extent this should be attributed to the situation created by the Marxist-Leninist groups practicing violent terrorism with support from Cuba and Nicaragua. Regrettably, this image of the country reflects little, if anything, of the real situation of El Salvador. The democratic character of a government does not depend- at least not solely- on the way in which it is elected, but rather on the forces that determine its day-to-day conduct.