In a new sign of themilitarization of public security in El Salvador, President Mauricio Funesrecently named a new retired military general, Francisco Ramon Salinas Rivera,to head the National Civil Police (PNC). Salinas Rivera recently retired as viceminister of defense in order to sidestep a law that requires the country's policedirection to be a civilian.
For now, my reaction to Salinas Rivera's appointment isbasically the same as David Munguia Payes' appointment.
Funes does not appear to besomeone who cares what the FMLN, civil society, the Catholic Church, andinternational solidarity activists say about his decisions. He has shown thisin the past with his use of the armed forces on the streets of San Salvador andwith Decree 743 that temporarily neutered the Constitutional Court. Funes doeswhat he thinks is right. On the other hand, Munguía Payés' appointment couldindicate that Funes does not have a deep group of individuals in which heplaces much trust. Funes might have felt that he had no option but to stickwith Munguía Payés over the objections of much of Salvadoran society.
Personally, I think that Munguía Payés' appointment sets badprecedent. I am not worried so much about him as I am the fact that hisappointment opens the door for additional appointments of former militaryofficials to head state institutions. That's not a path that anyone wishes tosee El Salvador travel down.
I don't necessarily have a problemwith Funes removing FMLN loyalists from positions of authority. That'shis prerogative as president. However, he needs to have some peopleoutside of the military that he trusts, doesn't he?
I was and still am asupporter of Funes. (Would you prefer the country run by a PresidentRodrigo Avila?) That doesn't mean that I am not disappointed and hadhope for in nearly three years in office.
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