Broadcasting the Civil War in El Salvador: A Memoir of Guerrilla Radio (LLILAS Translations from Latin America)

During the 1980s war in El Salvador, Radio Venceremos was the main news outlet for the Frente Farabundo Martí para la Liberación Nacional (FMLN), the guerrilla organization that challenged the government. The broadcast provided a vital link between combatants in the mountains and the outside world, as well as an alternative to mainstream media reporting. In this first-person account, "Santiago," the legend behind Radio Venceremos, tells the story of the early years of that conflict, a rebellion of poor peasants against the Salvadoran government and its benefactor, the United States. Originally published as La Terquedad del Izote, this memoir also addresses the broader story of a nationwide rebellion and its international context, particularly the intensifying Cold War and heavy U.S. involvement in it under President Reagan. By the war's end in 1992, more than 75,000 were dead and 350,000 wounded-in a country the size of Massachusetts. Although outnumbered and outfinanced, the rebels fought the Salvadoran Army to a draw and brought enough bargaining power to the negotiating table to achieve some of their key objectives, including democratic reforms and an over-haul of the security forces. Broadcasting the Civil War in El Salvador is a riveting account from the rebels' point of view that lends immediacy to the Salvadoran conflict. It should appeal to all who are interested in historic memory and human rights, U.S. Policy toward Central America, and the role the media can play in wartime. Map 1......Page 9 Contents......Page 10 Map 2......Page 13 Preface......Page 14 List of Acronyms......Page 16 Introduction......Page 18 1980......Page 66 Tearing Your Heart Out......Page 67 Off to War with a Priest......Page 70 On the Way to El Escondido......Page 73 Rafael: Morazan, a Strategic Project......Page 74 1981......Page 82 Licho......Page 83 The Sky is Taken by Assault......Page 86 The Resurrection of Altagracia......Page 90 The Pain of Calixtro......Page 92 The Massacre at Junquillo......Page 95 Damn! La Guacamaya Never Gives Up!......Page 97 Monsignor Romero in La Guacamaya......Page 98 Jonas......Page 99 Calle Negra, Almost Certain Death......Page 101 Villa del Rosario......Page 106 El Zapotal......Page 110 A North American in the War......Page 111 Juan Ramon, from Bus to History......Page 112 Eighty Devils Set Loose......Page 114 The Torogoces Are Born......Page 116 Benito......Page 118 Alejandro Peluna's Flying Mule......Page 119 Chiyo and Pajarillo......Page 121 Loving Marcela in the Midst of War is Another War......Page 123 Tancho......Page 125 Perquin, Road of Embers......Page 128 Fifth Front......Page 131 Victorino, the Light Within......Page 132 Operation Hammer and Anvil......Page 135 Toni, Montalbo, and Javier......Page 136 Monterrosa Captures Radio Venceremos......Page 139 Radio Venceremos Goes to the Sea......Page 141 Return to Morazan......Page 144 The El Mozote Massacre......Page 146 1982......Page 154 The Cave of Passions......Page 155 The Fortress of Happiness......Page 158 Hell in Poza Honda......Page 161 The Battle of El Moscarron......Page 165 The Incredible Return of Colonel Castillo......Page 172 Ana Guadalupe......Page 174 Manlio, Your Guitar's Beating......Page 176 The First Prisoner Exchange......Page 177 Freedom for Perquin......Page 178 Lesbia and the Idols of Pensacola......Page 180 Every Last One of Us Danced, Colonel......Page 182 Rogelio's Sense of Humor......Page 184 1983......Page 186 Shutting Down Transportation......Page 187 Oswaldo Escobar Velado......Page 189 El Quinto Piso de la Alegria......Page 193 Paty's Memories......Page 197 The Swearing in of the BRAZ......Page 199 The Defeat of the Belloso Battalion......Page 201 The Amatillo Bridge......Page 203 La Antena Is Taken......Page 205 Monterrosa and His War Trophies......Page 207 Atilio and the Smell of Ink......Page 208 Diana the Huntress, an Assassin Sent by the CIA......Page 212 The Bells Toll for Carlos......Page 213 Attack on the Third Brigade......Page 214 El Pedrero......Page 217 We Capture the Butcher......Page 219 El Cheje, the Godfather......Page 221 The Military School in San Fernando......Page 222 General Command in Morazan......Page 226 Sesori......Page 227 Morazan Has a Name: Commander Quincho......Page 230 1984......Page 234 The Legend of El Chongue......Page 235 The Colonel's Logic......Page 238 The Exchange of Colonel Castillo......Page 241 The Trickster is Tricked......Page 242 Nolbo versus the Gringos......Page 245 A Piece of Deerskin, and El Calihuate is Reborn......Page 246 A Stradivarius Violin......Page 248 It Wasn't the Siguanaba......Page 250 Lety......Page 251 Ana Lidia......Page 252 The Carpenter Who Destroyed an Empire......Page 254 A Meeting in La Palma......Page 257 Operation Torola IV......Page 259 To Die Like a Dog......Page 261 The Gringos' Man......Page 262 The Trojan Horse......Page 264 The Sword of Mars of the Mirror of Venus?......Page 269 The Tenacity of the Izote......Page 276 Epilogue, 1992......Page 282 Epilogue, 2003......Page 288 Epilogue 2009......Page 290 Index......Page 292 A riveting account of the 1980s civil war in El Salvador from the rebels' point of view, written by the man who directed the main news outlet for the guerrilla organization that challenged the Salvadoran government