Central America timidly celebrates 200 years of independence from Spain

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Central America commemorated on Wednesday, September 15, the 200th anniversary of its independence from Spain without massive events – due to the Covid-19 pandemic -and with calls for unity and the defense of democracy in a region plagued by high levels of poverty and violence that drive thousands to emigrate.

The Act of Independence of Central America – Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua – proclaimed on September 15, 1821, the dissociation of the captaincy general of Guatemala from the Spanish monarchy, in a meeting of its deputation presided over by its highest political leader, Gabino Gaínza.

The mass celebrations were suspended because of Covid-19, which hit Guatemala and Costa Rica with new waves, although opposition groups or indigenous associations took advantage of the date to protest.

In Costa Rica, President Carlos Alvarado highlighted his country’s democratic and human rights legacy and its leadership in environmental matters. However, he acknowledged a great challenge to provide internet connection and technological equipment to all students.

In Honduras, President Juan Orlando Hernández said that “Central America must be a zone of peace” and that “today more than ever we must advance in the Central American union’s gradual and progressive construction”.

In El Salvador, thousands of people took advantage of the anniversary to protest against the government of Nayib Bukele for decisions such as the adoption of bitcoin and the “authoritarian” drift of the president, according to different sectors.

In a national evening address, Bukele said that his country “is living a historic moment,” that “we are the generation that broke the ties with the past” that fights for “true independence”, towards which Salvadorans took the first step two years ago when they elected him as president and put an end to a bipartisan hegemony.

In Guatemala, where on Tuesday in Congress President Alejandro Giammattei called for “unity” in his country, thousands of peasants demonstrated on Wednesday to denounce that these 200 years have been of “calamity” for the native peoples “due to plundering, corruption, racism, and repression”.

In Nicaragua, President Daniel Ortega criticized the “country sellers” who, in his opinion, want this country to return to being a “colony of Spain” or England or of the United States. However, he also said that they want to have “good relations with all the world countries”.

International organizations and several countries have denounced the violation of human rights and that democracy is in danger in Nicaragua, where dozens of opponents have been imprisoned and are being prosecuted for economic crimes or treason when there are only weeks before the November elections in which Ortega will seek new reelection.

For its part, the Spanish government on Wednesday congratulated Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua on the bicentenary of their respective independence, recalling “the rich shared past” and the renewed Spanish “commitment” to the Central American region.

A CENTRAL AMERICA IN SOCIAL AND PRODUCTIVE CRISIS

The State of the Region Report 2021 pointed out that after 200 years of independent life, the general balance is negative for a Central America that is sinking in the worst crisis of the last three decades since the pacification of the region took place.

The coordinator of the report, Alberto Mora, affirmed in an interview with Efe that despite the achievements in the “production of electric energy with renewable sources, the certain increase in the levels of coverage of education and public investment in social matters, the advances are insufficient and with enormous asymmetries between the Central American countries.”

“What is fundamental right now is an obvious and very energetic call from societies as a whole and those in leadership positions, for the restoration of democracy and human rights in the region, because without that we cannot achieve the economic stability we need,” explained Mora, who spoke of an “institutional deterioration” in Nicaragua, a country mired in a socio-political crisis since April 2018, and El Salvador.

Among the main challenges facing the region, Mora pointed to improving the population’s educational level, as this becomes a barrier that prevents economies from moving towards modernization and achieving higher levels of growth and productivity.