Salvador Army Out In Force As Campaign Ends (Press, 26 March 1982)

Campaigning for elections in El Salvador concluded on 25 March 1982, with political party supporters distributing leaflets in the capital while government troops patrolled the streets. Leftist guerrillas have expressed their intent to disrupt the elections and have called for a general uprising to overthrow the United States-backed government, which they deem repressive and right-wing. The guerrilla radio station Venceremos reported that their forces engaged in ambushes against the military in eastern El Salvador, claiming to have inflicted heavy casualties. The army did not respond to these claims, but the guerrillas asserted that they had killed 14 soldiers and captured eight near the Cerro el Tigre mountains in the Morazán province while losing two of their own fighters. Sporadic clashes were reported on the outskirts of the capital, San Salvador, with guerrillas blocking main roads in the San Vicente province, although no significant casualties were reported. In response to the growing threat, the government heightened military presence in the capital, deploying the elite Atlacatl battalion to assert control. The election campaign was marked by minimal substantive debate among the six competing centre-right or rightist parties, with personal attacks being common. The Christian Democratic President Jose Napoleon Duarte became the frequent target of opposition parties, facing accusations of being a covert Communist and a homosexual from far-right factions who sought to rise in power by promising to eliminate insurgents. President Duarte expressed confidence in the electoral process, stating that he believed the upcoming poll would be fair and that the military would refrain from interference, unlike in the recent elections held in Guatemala. The political violence that has plagued El Salvador over the past two years has resulted in approximately 30,000 deaths, with guerrilla forces continually clashing with government troops who are supported by extreme rightist groups. The United States has staunchly backed the Salvadoran government, asserting that the elections represent the best opportunity to halt the violence.

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