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September, 2008
Friends,

In this immensely important year for El Salvador, CISPES has been responding to human rights violations and supporting organizing in El Salvador leading up to the 2009 elections. But we've also maintained our commitment to building a movement in the U.S. by strengthening relationships and coalitions with other partner organizations fighting for social justice. This email highlights a few of our latest efforts:
· Representatives of CISPES from the Bay Area and Washington DC are participating in the CR10 conference this weekend, celebrating 10 years of Critical Resistance's movement to abolish the prison industrial complex. CISPES will be presenting a workshop titled "Cross Border Resistance to State Terrorism" on Friday, September 26. You can more info about the workshop here and more information about Critical Resistance and the movement to challenge the prison industrial complex at criticalresistance.org

The Latin America Solidarity Coalition, of which CISPES is a member of the coordinating committee, has begun pressuring the campaign of Barack Obama around his foreign policy relating to Latin America. The Coalition sent a letter to Senator Obama raising questions about his recent statements on the U.S. role in Latin America. According to the letter, "As you well know, the nations [of Latin America], their cultures, and their political-economic situations are complex. As you also know, over the years the US has made mistakes, many of which have threatened our own goals of helping to develop good feelings about our country among the people themselves, helping true democracies to develop, eliminating human rights abuses by the militaries that the US supports and trains, and encouraging strong economies and trade." The letter then lays out 11 points that the Coalition believes should be part of Obama's position towards Latin America, including the closing of the International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA) in San Salvador. You can download the letter at: http://www.lasolidarity.org/obama.pdf
Finally, CISPES is working with a national coalition of solidarity groups concerned about the upcoming elections in El Salvador. Along with the SHARE Foundation, US-El Salvador Sister-Cities, and Voices on the Border, we have started a Free and Fair Elections in El Salvador Blog. Check it out and expect more updates and information soon related to our campaign against US intervention in the 2009 Salvadoran elections.