El Salvador - 1st election results: a view from the ground

As this goes to air Salvadorans are breathlessly waiting the final count on the vote for the Mayor of El Salvador - a surprisingly close result given that the FMLN incumbent Mayor was leading in the polls and ARENA was trailing. It now looks as though the ARENA candidate has a chance, and the surprise result feeds a widely held belief that ARENA has resorted to fraudulent tactics in a desperate bid to win.

The good news for the FMLN is that it appears they have won a majority of seats in the Legislative Assembly, in spite of the fraudulent tactics of the ARENA government candidates. Amanda Blake was on the spot as an official observer, and as part of a delegation from CISPES (Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador). She spoke with community radio as the first results started coming in, and gives her nervous prognosis for the Presidential round coming up on March 15

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Mexican Women Pt 2 (Norma Jiminez) - Julie Webb- human rights in Mexico (Spanish language)

(Interview in Spanish) Julie Webb interviews Norma Jiminez, one of the women who was arrested and imprisoned by Mexican police during anti-government demonstrations in Atenco. She suffered systematic torture and sexual abuse.

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Mexican Women Pt 1 (Mariana Selvas) - Julie Webb- human rights in Mexico (Spanish language)

(Spanish language). Julie Webb interviews the victim of police repression in Mexico. A harrowing account of harassment, human rights violations, and fascistic reactions to those who are willing and prepared to take a stance for human dignity and justice.

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SubCommandante Marcos - Julie Webb in Chiapas (Spanish)

Julie Webb was on the spot in Chiapas, southern Mexico, when SubCommandante Marcos broke a two year silence to address a Zapatista community. Among other things he condemns the Israeli attack on Gaza. Three Latin American countries have already broken diplomcatic relations with Israel in protest.

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El Salvador - Critical Elections, Winds of Change blowing

Burke Stansbury from the Washington office of CISPES talks with community radio about the first round of the El Salvadoran elections - Legislative and Municipal - to be held on January 17, 2009. Burke has is able to report that the chances of an FMLN victory (supported by a 10 to 15 point lead in the polls over the last year) are looking good, with the voting population shrugging off the scare tactics of the ARENA party's media blitz. There are still fears though, that ARENA, with a history of using violence, intimidation and terror (the founder of ARENA was also the head of the notorious Death Squads of the 1980s) may resort to more drastic tactics, before the Presidential elections in March. There is a loud call from the opposition FMLN party for international observers to be there to ensure the integrity of the elections.

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