On Friday May 2nd, Hector Antonio Ventura was assassinated in the community of Valle Verde, Suchitoto. Ventura was the youngest of the 14 political prisoners captured in Suchitoto on July 2nd, 2007. According to preliminary reports, Ventura was stabbed to death. Another victim, who was with Ventura, was attacked but survived. Reports say that […]
Since the 1980’s, Sister Cities has built people-to-people solidarity relationships between the United States and El Salvador. These relationships are the foundation upon which we work for human rights, social and economic justice, and cultural exchange. This important work only happens through hundreds of dedicated volunteers in cities around the United States who maintain sister city relationships […]
CRIPDES and Suchitoto 14 Family Members Hold Salvadoran Government Responsible for July 2nd, 2007 A week after the Suchitoto 14 were finally cleared of all charges, Salvadoran communities and family members of the Suchitoto 14 are calling on the Salvadoran Government to be held responsible for their nine month wrongful prosecution. In a recent […]
Members of broad social movement networks from Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama and El Salvador have been meeting in San Salvador for the past 3 days to collectively strategize against the EU-Central American Association Agreement (ADA). According to Government negotiators, the ADA agreements would liberalize trade of goods and services, promote cooperation on such […]
April 17th 2008 The Cojutepeque court has rejected the appeal that Government prosecutors filed on February 27th asking to re-open the trail against the Suchitoto 13 for public disorder and aggravated damages. The 13 defendants, who had been granted ¨Definitive Liberty¨ by the Suchitoto Court on February 19th, are now free from further processing under […]
Prosecution Appeals Definitive Liberty of Suchitoto 13, Seeks to Resume Trial for Public Disorder and Aggravated Damages March 6, 2008 The Prosecuting Attorney’s have appealed the decision by a court in Suchitoto to grant definitive liberty to the 13 people captured on the 2nd of July 2007 in Suchitoto. Last Tuesday February 27th […]
Court Delays Decision on Prosecution’s Appeal in Suchitoto 13 Case April 12, 2008 More than a week after the legal deadline for a decision, a Cojutepeque appeals court continues to delay its decision on an appeal by the Salvadoran government prosecution to reopen the Suchitoto 13 case. According to the Suchitoto 13 defense lawyers, the […]
From the Fair Trade Delegation, March 2008: Woven into many of USESSC’s sistering relationships are ‘sisters’ working in the North to promote the goods created by co-operatives in our sistered communities in El Salvador. Such co-operatives are a natural part of daily life in the organized communities of CRIPDES, part of an economic model that […]
From the Madison-Arcatao Sister City Project, Madison, Wisconsin: This spring, in collaboration with several Madison churches, the Madison Arcatao Sister City Project (MASCP) presented “Stations of the Struggle,” a traveling art exhibit during the 2008 Lent season. The Stations of the Struggle exhibit honors the fact that the people of our sister city of Arcatao, […]
February 19th at an Initial Hearing scheduled in Suchitoto under the new accusations of “Public Disorder” and “Aggravated Damages,” the Judge dropped all charges and set the 14 defendants free! Preliminary reports describe that the Attorney General’s office neglected to present official accusations and sufficient evidence, and district attorneys were not present at the hearing […]