A Report Back from the 9th Annual CRIPDES Assembly

The annual CRIPDES Assembly took place on June 26^th at the historic Divina Providencia Hospital complex where Monseñor Romero lived until his murder in 1990. More than 250 community leaders from San Vicente, Chalatenango, La Libertad, Northern San Salvador, Cabanas and Cuscatlán attended the assembly. The national junta directiva of CRIPDES opened the assembly by honoring two recently deceased community leaders, Gladis Magarin de Rodas and Sonia Evelyn Menjivar, who worked with Sister Cities in La Libertad.  Next FMLN congresswoman Lorena Peña presented an analysis of the Funes government and what the social movement can do to make sure the social programs the new administration has initiated are accompanied by changes to the economic model that makes survival in El Salvador so difficult.

One of the highlights of the assembly was the performance by the CRIPDES Sur youth theater group about the history of CRIPDES, presented by a group of about 15 very enthusiastic youth who have been training with the support of the Binghamton and Crystal Lake committees. After lunch, CRIPDES vice-president Bernardo Belloso presented the CRIPDES annual report detailing the various regions’ organizing, advocacy and sistering programs.

During the assembly the directiva describe the work of CRIPDES by saying, “Since 1984, CRIPDES continues to accompany thousands of families, with the organized participation of over 350 communities in the rural areas of our country, in seven of the 14 departments of El Salvador. We struggle together for respect for human rights, the reduction of poverty and democratic transformations…  We have achieved improved living conditions for the most vulnerable families…We invite everyone to unite forces and continue pushing forward structural transformations aimed at achieving a dignified life for the Salvadoran population.”

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