The PNC claims that vendors are involved in child pornography and extortion, an allegation that the Movement categorically denies.

The work of market vendors were criminalized last December when the right wing in the Legislative Assembly, pressured by the U.S. Trade Representative, pushed through dozens of reforms to bring El Salvador into compliance with the U.S.-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA).  

“We defend the work and food of 60,000 people that are able to live from this activity. The Government defends the interests of a couple of transnational corporations,” said Martin Montoya, leader of the Movement, at yesterday’s downtown street protest. “The government’s negotiation is a farce; they don’t want to talk about real solutions,” he added.  

The Salvadoran government has attempted to divide the movement by sponsoring a parallel Association of Vendors. This Association also took to the streets yesterday afternoon, but their protest ended in the burning of a bus. The Movement denounced this today as a tactic to de-legitimize its peaceful protest.

In Washington D.C., CISPES Executive Director Burke Stansbury praised the Salvadoran vendors’ struggle during a press conference about CAFTA implementation on Tuesday. “Thousands of poor people are being denied their right to make a living in the informal sector because of the implementation of CAFTA. This is one of the reasons that we opposed the ratification of the agreement and continue to challenge its implementation.”

The full monitoring report “DR-CAFTA in Year One” is available at

http://www.cispes.org/cafta/CAFTA_Monitoring_sept12.pdf

Despite riot cops, community wins water de-privatization

On September 8, Salvadoran riot police violently dispersed a peaceful protest in the Santa Eduviges community, which had taken over the Carretera de Oro, one El Salvador’s main highways, in the city of Soyapango.

The community was demanding that the state-run water company ANDA take over the administration of the water system since the privately-run system was failing and the community had not received water in more than two months.  

The riot police attacked the community with tear gas, despite the presence of children and the elderly, and later riot police sprayed pepper gas at community members who sat down in civil disobedience. Five people were beaten, captured and threatened with trials for public disorder.

The community occupied the space around the highway for 3 days. Finally on Monday the 11th, ANDA agreed to take over the administration of the system, and all five community leaders were released from prison.  Said Efren Mejia, one of the community leaders released on Monday, “Although the action was successful, we fear repression from the businessman who owned the water system, since not only have we cut off his profit but we also demanded mitigation projects for the eleven communities that have been affected by his unregulated construction projects.”

The battle in Santa Eduviges is one of many over water in El Salvador, and the struggle against water privatization promises to heat up this Fall.

CISPES - Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador www.cispes.org