The State of El Salvador: Human Rights and Violence in the Post War Era

During the Salvadoran Civil War (1979-1992), the government of El Salvador knowingly used forms of political violence such as disappearances and torture against the political opposition and other innocent civilians, including women and children. With the signing of the Peace Accords in 1992, El Salvador has since transitioned from an authoritarian regime to a democracy. This project focuses on how the change in regime type influenced the level of repression and respect for human rights in El Salvador. The research analyzes two conflict resolution mechanisms, the Peace Accords and Truth Commission, and the implementation of democratic practices such as elections to understand how these mechanisms influenced the respect and protection of Salvadoran’s physical security rights. The research shows that despite the introduction of democracy, violence remains prevalent in the form of criminal activity and people continue to fear for their personal security as they did during the war