observing the elections in El Salvador

I went to El Salvador over the weekend of March 14 to observe the elections there. In addition to the US Embassy, observers were present from the UN, OAS and lots of local and international NGOs. Some were worried that there would be violence or dirty tricks, but I didn’t see any. We were told what to expect, and the official processes in place, and we simply went from polling place to polling place to watch for irregularities. Here is a photo of me at one of the voting tables.

My very first friend from A-100, David Epstein, is posted to El Salvador and we were sent out together to Suchitoto to observe together. We had a great time. Here is a picture of Dave observing his little heart out.

pupusas

My favorite Salvadoran food is the pupusa, which is made of corn or flour and stuffed with pork, cheese and beans and then grilled. Jim used to buy them for me when we lived in Adams Morgan, where you can find lots of Salvadorans and pupusas.

In every little town in El Salvador we saw little stands with ladies making pupusas. I was in heaven.

Voting and Counting in Suchitoto and environs

Various photos from election day.

1) Dave effectively observing and not interfering in our driver casting his vote.

2-3) Vote counting. Each voting table conducts its own count. The president of the table takes out the ballot, shows it to all assembled and declares if for one party or the other. The "vigilantes" from both parties are posted at every single table and it is their job to look out for their party's interests. You'll note that the ballot is very simple - it included nothing more than the symbols of the two parties (not even the names of the candidates) and the voters simply had to make a mark on the symbol of their choice.

4) A polling station made of cardboard. They are uniform throughout the country.

5) Getting a ride to the polls. Political parties offer rides to the polls for their partisans, like they do in the US. I have never seen it quite like this in the U.S. though....

public art in El Salvador

We saw a few reminders of the terrible civil war. Occasionally in parks we would see memorials made of downed helicopers or planes.

This was displayed in Suchitoto - on the left side of the scales is a bomb, on the right, pupusas. You see what wins.

Las Viejas

I love the little old ladies and their aprons. These are clearly dress aprons for wear outside of the house. Election days in Latin America are festive affairs – elections are held on Sundays, when most people don’t have to work, and the streets are full of people wandering around, seeing and being seen.

lady

I tried a fruit that I've never seen before and whose name I can't remember anymore. It was super, super bitter. But more to the point, don't you love the expression on the lady's face?

Jim B in his skin

In his cotinuing battle against El Sol, JB has bought a skin which is supposed to keep the sun off of his tender skin and give him time on the beach to do something else other than apply sunscreen. Poor boy, the first day he wore his skin, he forgot to put sunscreen on his hands and burnt them up. Poor blanquito!