Home | Business News | Browse by Publication | N | NotiCen: Central American & Caribbean Affairs

EL SALVADOR''S RULING PARTY: A PURGE AT THE TOP.

Article Excerpt
The humiliating defeat that El Salvador's ruling Alianza Republicana Nacionalista (ARENA) party suffered in recent countrywide elections has reportedly resulted in the most profound internal purge and reorganization in its 21-year history. The changes represent the first time that leadership has been chosen by rank-and-file members. The base chose to oust nearly all the party's leadership group, the Consejo Ejecutivo Nacional (COENA), at an Extraordinary General Assembly attended by 2,275 delegates. They named Antonio Salaverria Borja (see NotiCen, 2001-09-20) party president and replaced 12 of COENA's 13 members.

Amid the jubilation and expectations accompanying the sweep, President Francisco Flores reminded the party that there had been changes before. He called for unity and an end to the tendency to blame COENA for every adverse political result. He recalled that, during the last eight years, the same fate had befallen COENA under the leadership of three other chiefs before the most recent ouster of Archie Baldocchi.

"When Juan Jose Domenech presided, they said the hard-liners were better, and they called upon Gloria Salguero; then they said the young ones were better, and they called on Walter [Araujo]; then they said they were too young, and called upon the businessmen (see NotiCen, 2001-10-18)," said Flores.

It was these last, the businesspeople, who were just thrown out.

The new leader, Salaverria, is a coffee magnate and an ARENA deputy in the Asamblea Legislativa (AL). He said he would seek special...

View this article FREE - Now for a Limited Time, try Goliath Business News
Free for 3 Days!