tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9177745.post7136225694685048599..comments2024-03-28T11:30:20.005-05:00Comments on El Salvador Perspectives: Impunity violates human rights says Inter-American CourtTimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02452039674856298357noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9177745.post-74804277552267311872008-01-24T11:25:00.000-06:002008-01-24T11:25:00.000-06:00Larry, thanks for your insightful comments.I conce...Larry, thanks for your insightful comments.<BR/><BR/>I concede you obviously know more about this case than I do, so I've just ordered your book.<BR/><BR/>Still, one should use Hanlon's razor when analyzing this situation: <I>Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity.</I> <BR/><BR/>The larger point stands: because the government is so unfocused on the Justice system, mafiosi capos such as Vargas act with impunity and the government is unable to deal with them, other than, occasionally, by brute force or intimidation.El-Visitadorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08823897085882597971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9177745.post-38374585706241022382008-01-24T07:50:00.000-06:002008-01-24T07:50:00.000-06:00El-visitador's comments would make sense, except:1...El-visitador's comments would make sense, except:<BR/><BR/>1) It has been proven in a court of law that PNC/former PN agents were the material authors behind this case. "Zaldana" took part in this murder AND the death squad assassination of FMLN leader Francisco Velis.<BR/><BR/>2) During the several years that it took to bring this case to the courts, the Salvadoran government kept insisting and insisting that it was common crime and the police had nothing to do with it.<BR/><BR/>3) During the same time, the family suffered frequent threats and attacks. Nonetheless, the government insisted that they were just making it up. In fact, government officials referred to them (along with other victims' families, such as the Vilanovas) as "subversives" and "Communists" out to destroy the new police force and the nation itself.<BR/><BR/>4. It has been reported in Salvadoran papers that the family has testified in court that they believe General Mauricio Vargas--the man in charge of the implementation of the peace accords for the government--ordered their son's death in a dispute that arose from him growing marijuana on their property. Vargas has also been accused of corruption, narcotrafficking, and murder in the Lorena Saravia case.<BR/><BR/>5. See the character assassination piece that El Diario de Hoy did against its own heroic investigative journalist, Violeta Rivera (the reporter who broke the Vilanova case). The article does not even try to hide the fact that it is designed to discredit Rivera's accusations against Vargas. <BR/><BR/>6. Yes, most crimes do end in impunity in El Salvador. There are very few people--ANYWHERE, not just in El Salvador--that would have continued pressing for justice in the face of the threats faced by the Garcia Prietos. Most Salvadorans give up. Furthermore, the Garcia Prietos do not argue that there son is somehow special--they have argued that justice needs to be done in this case precisely because there needs to be a precedent for all of the other crimes in El Salvador.<BR/><BR/>7. El-visitador points to the inadequacy of the PNC and the judicial system. This is true, but the question is WHY is it so bad? Government failure to fully implement to the peace accords led to a corrupt, innefficient police force that focuses on using brute force to achieve "results" instead of investigating to identify the guildy party. Now, why did the government--including Vargas--do that?<BR/><BR/>LarryAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9177745.post-56575683123927592372008-01-23T21:25:00.000-06:002008-01-23T21:25:00.000-06:00"There is a long history of the Salvadoran governm..."There is a long history of the Salvadoran government's foot-dragging in this case, the case of the Serrano sisters, the case of Oscar Romero, and others where the finger of blame may point to important figures"<BR/><BR/>For this statement to be true, the government would have to solve <I>most</I> crimes, while leaving unsolved only those "pointing to important figures"<BR/><BR/>In point of fact, the government solves a minuscule portion of the 10 murders per day in El Salvador. 1% of all murders are solved and criminals punished, perhaps.<BR/><BR/><B>Therefore, it is delusional to think that there is some big bad conspiracy to not address crimes such as that of Prieto</B>. Sorry to have to be this blunt.<BR/><BR/>Crime forensics, prosecution, and punishment of criminals in El Salvador is simply beyond the rather primitive abilities of the Salvadorean government.<BR/><BR/><BR/><BR/>(And yet silly people keep asking the government to take more and more responsibilities, that is, to become even more unfocused, when the State canĀ“t even maintain basic law and order)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9177745.post-84305268890220878942008-01-23T06:17:00.000-06:002008-01-23T06:17:00.000-06:00Thanks for the plug!Thanks for the plug!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com