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El Salvador GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS
Government: Under 1983 Constitution, elected
representative government divided into three branches. President,
vice president, and Council of Ministers (cabinet) comprise
executive branch. President directly elected for five-year term
and may not be reelected; also serves as constitutional commander
in chief of armed forces. Unicameral, sixty-member Legislative
Assembly constitutes legislative branch. Judicial branch headed
by Supreme Court of Justice; below Supreme Court are chambers of
second instance, courts of first instance, and justice of the
peace courts. Magistrates appointed by Legislative Assembly to
fixed terms. Governors of departments (states) appointed by
president; mayors and municipal council members directly elected.
Military exerts political influence, particularly on issues
relating to national security, but active-duty military personnel
constitutionally prohibited from seeking office.
Politics: Long characterized by military rule
supporting dominance of economic elite, in late 1980s political
system still adapting to demands for free elections,
representative democracy, and more open public discourse. Civil
conflict between government forces and Marxist guerrillas greatly
exacerbated political polarization rooted in historical dichotomy
between wealthy elite and impoverished and excluded majority. In
late 1980s, the two major political parties were the moderate,
center-left Christian Democratic Party (Partido Democrata
Cristiano--PDC) and the right-wing Nationalist Republican
Alliance (Alianza Republicana Nacionalista--Arena). As of late
1988, PDC held presidency, but Arena had one-seat majority in
Legislative Assembly.
International Relations: Mainly limited to Central
American region until 1980s, when civil conflict made El Salvador
focus of international attention. Relations with United States
became increasingly important during 1980s because of critical
contribution of United States economic and military aid to
survival of elected government, bolstering of war-ravaged
economy, and improved performance of armed forces. Government of
Jose Napoleon Duarte Fuentes participated actively in Contadora
process, a joint Latin American mediating effort seeking to ease
Central American tensions through diplomatic negotiations. Duarte
signed Central American Peace Agreement, product of unmediated
talks among the Central American states, in August 1987.
International Agreements and Membership: Party to
Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance Central American
Common Market, (Rio Treaty). Also member of Organization of
American States, United Nations, and several of its specialized
agencies: World Bank, International Monetary Fund, and InterAmerican Development Bank.
Data as of November 1988
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