More on the challenges facing Funes

Maria Elena Salinas, the journalist co-anchor on Univision, recently interviewed Mauricio Funes, and wrote about what challenges face Funes in her synidcated column:
Either way, this historical election begs the question of whose lead Funes will follow. Will he be a pragmatic leftist, such as Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, or a radical leader, such as Venezuela's Hugo Chavez?

Funes says neither one: "You never know — instead of an axis led by Lula or one by Chavez, maybe there will be a new Central American axis led by Funes that will be pragmatic but at the same time radical in facing the problems it will have to confront."

And Funes will be inheriting some pretty serious problems: A country marred by extreme poverty and a high unemployment rate. One of the highest crime rates in the world. The expansion of dangerous youth gangs. An increase in deportations of Salvadorans from the U.S. and a reduction in remittances.

As if that isn't enough, Funes will have to deal with the still-fresh scars from the bloody civil war that killed almost 75,000 people. Even though Funes lost his oldest brother in the armed conflict, he does not believe it is necessary to annul the amnesty law that was signed along with the peace agreement.

"I know exactly who ordered my brother's death," he claims. "With time, I have learned to forgive."

According to Funes, the families of the victims have a right to know the circumstances of their loved ones' deaths. To that end, he would consider opening new investigations. If he does, however, he could find himself in a bind. His vice president, a former rebel leader during the armed conflict, has been accused of war crimes himself.

During his inaugural address, the new president said his government is not allowed to make mistakes, and he is right. There is much at stake. With a new government that has never held power, a weak economy and a fragile democracy, there is very little room for error. The celebrity journalist-turned-president will soon know what it's like to be on the side of those he so often criticized.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Tim,
"The greater the challenge the sweeter the victory." for Funes and his cabinet, El Salvador has been given a new chapter in the pages of History, and this is the time for them to rise up in the mist of that challenge. The gangs, the violance, the crimes and the economic crisis is what's in Funes plate, and El Salvador has been given Funes and the FMLN five years to do something about it....If they can't deliever they will be vote out.
I personal appreciate Maria Elena Salinas for focusing in El Salvador, and keeping them in check.
Anonymous said…
As is well know,

"The taste of victory is responsibility"

But the real story here is yet to be told: "How long will the radical elements within Funes' party be willing to put up with him." Everyone knows he's an outsider.
Ungo said…
This reporter's commonplaces fail to go beneath the surface about the "bind" the Funes government faces.
Where was Salinas with her questions about war crimes prosecutions and death squad connections when all of these ARENA governments were in power?

She appears to be mapping an artificial middle, at the behest of her US State Dept. handlers.
Anonymous said…
Yeah you're right, she didn't ask even once about the systematic murders of so many backwater city mayors, the cold blooded killings, the murder of Roque Dalton, or the kidnappings and the outright terrorizing of the rural folks. . That so sick and utterly disgusting that I guess she didn't want to dwell on those awful things.

But then in these stories, there's always something humorous to laugh about and she missed that too. One really great ancedote was when ERP big shot, Joaquin Villalobos took off with all the terrorists illegal gains. He stole their entire war chest of cash and now lives happily ever after with his wife and kids. I guess a thief who steals from another thief has a hundered years of pardon.

Maria Elena Salinas did absolutely the right thing reporting on Salvador. There are so many millions of them here illegally, and we maintain that country with the monies they illegals send back home. So of course Salinas did the right thing.
Anonymous said…
And are we now expected to give more aid to a country whose leaders are known terrorists, and who harbor in their ranks the assassins of our unarmed Embassy Marine personnel?

We'd be a lot better off with McClain no doubt. But then, it's never the end of history and what we need to do now is pressure Obama protect our borders from these illegal intruders.
Anonymous said…
Let's see if Funes can muster a cabinet with the professionalism and experience to deal with this worldwide recession. Smaller countries are definitely more vulverable, and are like a leaf in a mountain stream.
Anonymous said…
Que barbaridad, eso de darle el puesto en Cultura al resentido social de Jose Luis Cea es una verdadera verguenza. Quienes conocen a Cea saben que ese tipo despide veneno hasta por los poros.
Anonymous said…
To the above post:

And who cares, what difference does something like that make to a place like Salvador.
Anonymous said…
I say, the FMLN make a 10% tax all monies being sent be Salvadorans here in the U.S.A. back to their families. It's the biggest influx of hard currency that Salvador has and the FMLN should grab some of that windfall.

Why should these family members to doing nothing except waiting for their monthly stipends and free ride. I like the Cuban idea of their 10% tax on all family remitances from the U.S.A.

We all know that only the FMLN could get way with a tax like this because they'd be following the Cuban model. So who's going to criticize.

And one last thing, if people are expecting monthly doses of dollars, they definitely won't be working. They'll just be sitting on their porches waiting for the mailman and passing gass.

Billy Martin
San Jose CR
Anonymous said…
Sounds like real progress!
Anonymous said…
Progress is a fine word... it fit in many different configurations and we all know that the enemies of freedom can twist and bend it to there convenience. So let them go for it.

Besides, if Cuba does it, then it can't be bad. Right. I love to see these enemies of all freedom loving people twisting and bending and slithering themselves out of their own contratictions.

When I walk through a beautiful park and all of a sudden I find that I've stepped on something and have gotten it all over my shoe, I think of these envious hate filled whatchamacalle'm. You see, that's what they remind me of, as in synonymous.
Anonymous said…
Venezuela,Brazil or cuba, Bull!

Funes will follow and be led by the nose by his extremist FMLN handlers, or else! That is precisely his delemna.

He steps out of line, and he gets squished like one of those cockroach's.
Anonymous said…
"RED LIGHT" warning to FMLN terrorists and Salvatrucho allies!

Attention, Attention, Joint Task Force Omega is the lead organization in the offensive against FARC, and other leftist rebels and their drug gang allies. JTF Omega is now confronting the core combat units of the FARC, the most reliable and effective of the leftist fighters.

Melgar and the other FMLN gun smugglers beware!
Anonymous said…
The biggest challenge facing Funes will be to still be there once the rats he's surrounded himself with decide to move into the presidential mansion and carry him out.

Good luck Mauricio Fuenes, just remember that the buzzards are lazily circling overhead.
Anonymous said…
More Challenges facing Funes is the understatement of the year.

Now the Salvatrucho gangs have declared state of siege in downtown Salvaodr, the murder capital of the world, and are extorting all businesses. Killing any and all who will not pay.

The entire country is out of control and now Funes wants to back out of the peace terms and turn the National Army onto the streets to restore order.

The mission of the Armed forces is to protect and guarantee that governments like the current on respects and abides by it, and to protect and guarantee the territorial integrity and national sovereighty.

It's the slack jawed Civilian Police, made up of ex terrorists who is supposed to maintain public order. Obviously way beyond their capabilities. But then let's remember that these were the terrorists who needed that public order be maintained against them.

Meanwhile the terrorists can get their hands into the cocaine corridor that runs through the cuntry on its way north, and also continue gun smuggling to the FARC in colombia. This was FMLN chief Melgar's little nitch wasn't it.
Anonymous said…
what's truly amazing is that VP and FPL commander, Salvador Sancez Ceren "Leonel Gonzalez" is still taking a back seat to Funes.

By now, I would have expected Funes to be old news. But I guess it's all in the timing, and these ex terrorists are the experts on knowing the prcise moment, so we'll just sit back and wait.
Nell said…
'Tim, you don't have the commenters you deserve.

I'd be interested in hearing from you or one of your more reality-based readers the factual basis, if any, behind Salinas' assertion that Salvador Sanchez Ceren has been accused of war crimes. By whom? When? What crimes? Him personally, or is a crime alleged to have been committed by someone in the FPL?

Just floating the statement out there is a cheap smear.