Abstract
We argue that present-day El Salvador is still enmeshed in a memory struggle over the meanings of the civil war (1980–92). With the United Nations (UN) Truth Commission having failed to address the roots of the civil war and initial postwar amnesty avoiding prosecution and investigation of war crimes, a consensus about the past is yet to be created. Instead, maintaining prewar power constellations and the increased importance of the military make us think of El Salvador as a durable disorder and a low-intensity democracy at best.
Highlights
In July 2016, the Supreme Court of El Salvador reversed the postwar amnesty law issued in 1993 (Renteria, 2016), allowing for prosecution of crimes committed by the military and the guerillas during the civil war (1980–92)
We argue that the peace accords have not significantly altered the economic and political reality of the country
We explore post-peace accord politics and how they almost guaranteed a continuous deadlock of the different political forces from the get-go
Summary
In July 2016, the Supreme Court of El Salvador reversed the postwar amnesty law issued in 1993 (Renteria, 2016), allowing for prosecution of crimes committed by the military and the guerillas during the civil war (1980–92). Introduction In July 2016, the Supreme Court of El Salvador reversed the postwar amnesty law issued in 1993 (Renteria, 2016), allowing for prosecution of crimes committed by the military and the guerillas during the civil war (1980–92). Our analysis emphasizes the continuation of the postwar military structure, the military’s increasing power in policing the country, its self-understanding, and its relations with paramilitary forces.
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