Memory and Politics in El Salvador

Abstract: The Civil War in El Salvador impacted more than the economic and political structure of the tiny Central American nation. Every Salvadoran citizen who endured the conflict was affected personally by the conflict. This effect is demonstrated through memory, and is manifested in the political spectrum. Memories of the war diverge along political lines, and narratives of past events are continually reinforced by the country’s two major political parties, who each played the dominating roles as opposing forces in the conflict. This study examines the manner in which memory of the Salvadoran Civil War has been reconstructed by politics, using informal communications with Salvadoran citizens in the rural community of La Cuchilla present during the war to demonstrate the political effects of memory in El Salvador.