San_Marino - San Marino
Foto: A pamphlet against the war in El Salvador (bron: Ronald van der Veer)
El_Salvador - The area around Perquin played an important role in the civil war in the 1980s between the resistance movement FMLN and the government. The resistance fought for the common man and against the wealthy families who controlled what happened in El Salvador. The FMLN resistance concentrated in the mountains around Perquin. In this region, heavy fighting took place between 1980 and 1992. The museum in Perquin dedicated to the civil war shows the history of the struggle. Felipe, a former fighter, guides me through the museum. He shows photos of the fighting and talks about the causes and progress of the war. I see old rifles and remains of shot-down helicopters. It is impressive to hear from him how the war unfolded. Eventually, in 1992, a treaty was signed and national elections were held in El Salvador. Just outside Perquin in the village of El Mozote, I visit a monument for the victims of the war. To force the resistance fighters to their knees, the entire village of El Mozote was massacred. One woman escaped and was able to bring the story outside. It is very moving to stand on the site where these atrocities took place. I let the history sink in during a local lunch in the village of Arambala. I point to dishes with eggs, meat, chicken, and rice in the display case until my plate is full.
Suchitoto and the Cascada Los Tercios
El_Salvador - About a hundred kilometers before the capital, I leave the highway and head north to Lago Suchitlán, where Suchitoto is located. Just after noon, I enter the town. A fair is being set up in the central square by the church. I see a rickety-looking Ferris ...