Newspapers in El Salvador
The daily press in El Salvador has a relatively large distribution (28
newspaper excl. Per 1,000 residents, 2000). The largest of El Salvador's eight
daily newspapers is La Prensa Gráfica (founded in 1915, edition: 100,000 copies)
in San Salvador, designated as an independent conservative, and the independent
El Diario de Hoy (founded in 1936, about 115,000 copies). The liberal evening
newspaper El Mundo (founded in 1967) has an edition of about 60,000 copies.
El Salvador has about 65 commercial radio stations. Radio also plays a major
political role. The former left-wing guerrilla FMLN's stations Radio Venceremos
and Radio Farabundo Martí were legalized in 1992. Radio Verdad is a right-wing
radio that directs its broadcasts to the FMLN. A 1996 law prohibits local radio
and non-commercial broadcasters. Television broadcasts in one state and eight
commercial TV channels. Radio and TV have significant distribution with 478
radio and 201 TV receivers per 1,000 residents (2000).
Culture
The culture consists of a mix of the indigenous
peoples' culture and customs brought by the European
colonizers. But the influences from North America and
the rest of Latin America are also strong.
Outside San Salvador there are ruins and remains of
the people who lived in the country during the Spanish
conquest. Between the years 250 and 900 AD, great
achievements were made in architecture and art that can
be viewed in connection with the ruins and at the
Anthropological Museum in San Salvador. In a few smaller
communities - mainly Cacaopera, Panchimalco and
Ahuachapan - small groups of indigenous peoples try to
preserve their ancestral traditions, religions,
languages and cultures.
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Countryaah:
Latest population statistics of El Salvador, including religious profiles and major languages spoken as well as population growth rates in next three decades.
In San Salvador there is a small stage for domestic
theater and music.
The Salvadoran literature holds several poets of
importance. These include Alberto Masferrer (1868–1932),
Francisco Gavidia (1863–1955), Claudia Lars (1899–1974),
Roque Dalton (1935–1975) and Manlio Argueta (1935–). The
latter two started a literary circle in the late 1950s,
which played a central role in the resistance to the
military dictatorship. Other significant authors are
Claribel Alegría (1924–2018) Alvaro Menen Desleal
(1931–2000), Miguel Huezo Mixco (1954–), Horacio
Castellanos Moya (1957–) and Mario Bencastro (1949–),
who are also visual artists.
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Songaah: List and lyrics of songs related to the country name of El Salvador. Artists and albums are also included.
2018
November
Record in women's murder
November 15
El Salvador is found to have a macabre record:
relatively more femicidios are committed here -
murders of women just because they are women - than in
any other country in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The figure is over ten murders per 100,000 women. The
information comes from the United Nations Economic
Commission for the region, Eclac.
October
Former Archbishop Romero saintly declared
October 14
President Sánchez Cerén is in Rome to attend the
saintly declaration of Archbishop Óscar Romero, who was
El Salvador's archbishop when he was assassinated by the
military during a 1980 mass rally (see also May
2015).
September
Ex-president Saca gets jail
September 12
Former President Antonio Saca is sentenced to ten
years in prison for stealing $ 301 million from the
Treasury during his time as President (2004-2009). Saca
has pleaded guilty to fraud and money laundering,
thereby avoiding the maximum penalty of 25 years he
could otherwise have been convicted. Since he has been
incarcerated for two years (see October 2016),
he now only has to serve eight years in prison. Saca's
former private secretary is also sentenced to ten years
in prison, while two other people who served during his
presidency receive five years in prison. Saca is the
first former president convicted of corruption in El
Salvador.
August
Taiwan switches to China
21th of August
El Salvador establishes diplomatic relations with
China, thereby severing relations with Taiwan. The
country is following a trend as fewer and fewer
countries in the world maintain diplomatic ties with
Taiwan. Foreign Minister Carlos Castaneda calls it a
"strategic decision". Among countries in the region,
Panama and the Dominican Republic have recently switched
to China.
June
Detention order for ex-president
June 8
The state prosecutor issues a warrant for former
President Mauricio Funes and some 30 of his government
members and close associates. Fune's government is
accused of embezzling $ 351 million. Funes, who was
president from 2009–2014, has been living in exile in
Nicaragua since 2016 (see also November 2017).
May
Primary choice in FMLN
May 27th
Following the stinging defeat in the parliamentary
and municipal elections in March, the ruling FMLN has
decided to hold primary elections ahead of the February
2019 presidential election. In an opinion poll a few
days before the primary election, the FMLN is far behind
the two leading candidates: former San Salvador Mayor
Nayib Bukele, who broke with the FMLN, and Arenas Juan
Carlos Calleja.
March
Setback for the government in parliamentary
elections
4th of March
Elections are held for Parliament and municipalities.
The result is a setback for the ruling party FMLN, which
backs from 31 to 23 seats, while the largest party Arena
progresses from 32 to 37 seats. Gana receives 11 seats,
PCN 8, PDC 3 and the other 2 seats.
February
Murdered woman is released in attention abortion
case
February 15
In an internationally recognized case, an unexpected
woman is released, Teodora Vásquez, who has been jailed
for more than ten years after being convicted of murder
under El Salvador's extremely harsh abortion
legislation. The Supreme Court unexpectedly changes her
sentence, just two months after another court ruled a
30-year prison sentence. Teodora Vásquez was arrested in
2007 and convicted of murdering her child despite
calling herself an ambulance when she suffered severe
pain in the ninth month of pregnancy. The child was
stillborn. Amnesty International and other human rights
groups have been pushing for the ruling to be lifted. In
March, another woman, 34-year-old Maira Verónica
Figueroa Marroquín, who was also sentenced to 30 years
in prison in a similar case, is released after 15 years
in prison. See also Social conditions.
January
Tens of thousands of Salvadorans are losing the
right to be in the United States
January 8
The United States decides to abandon the temporary
protection status (TPS) that Salvadorans received after
the two earthquakes that shook the country in 2001 (see
Modern History). TPS provides temporary residence
permits for citizens from severely crisis-hit countries.
The decision affects nearly 200,000 people who must now
leave the United States, if they fail to obtain a
permanent residence permit. In El Salvador, the message
is received with dismay - it will be very difficult for
the poor country if tens of thousands of US citizens are
suddenly forced to move back home.
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