On Sunday, September 9, the eight members of the General Health Workers Union (SIGEESAL) were released from police detention after the union leadership mobilized legal support for the detainees. The unionists had been arrested a week earlier under charges of public disorder and damages to private property for their participation in a July 6 protest against corruption and privatization in the public hospital system. Although there had been damages to property during the protest some graffiti with protest messages got painted on hospital walls in the days after the protest the unionists agreed with the hospital officials to repair any damages. The unionists themselves repainted the hospital walls long before they were arrested for those damages. The unionists will face trial in approximately three months, meanwhile the prosecution has time to investigate and look for evidence against them.s national convention later this year.

The Salvadoran Union Front (FSS) believes that these arrests represent another threat from the government to unions and other progressive groups mobilizing against the Saca administrations privatization plans, against the high level of corruption and the deterioration of the national public health care system. The Salvadoran Union Front is also continuing their support for the eight unionists with legal support and pressuring for the charges to be dropped. The SIGEESAL arrests come just two months after the attack on the Suchitoto protest against water privatization. The terrorism trial against those protestors is scheduled to move forward in early October, when the state will present its evidence in a hearing. If a judge rules there is sufficient evidence at that point, the terrorism trial will move forward as soon as October.

FMLN launches Social Open Dialogue initiative

This past Monday September 10, the political commission of the FMLN held a public event to present their draft Government Program 2009-2014 to various social organizations. The purpose of the event was to open up dialogue with various social sectors so their input can be incorporated into the partys government platform for the 2009 elections. The public consultation process is expected to last a year, with different sectors of society consulted through a series of meetings, assemblies, public tribunals, and workshops.

The event was widely attended by social movement organizations such as the Salvadoran Union Front, the National Vendors Movement, youth and campesino organizers, church and womens organizations. Well respected journalist and potential FMLN presidential candidate, Mauricio Funes, was also present at the event. Many organizations took the opportunity to express their support for Funes. Over the course of the past month there have been a series of public conferences and meetings in which social organizations have called on the Political Commission of the FMLN to offer the presidential candidacy to Mauricio Funes. Just this past week, there were 5 events in which various social and community organizations held public events showing their support for the possibility of a Mauricio Funes presidential candidacy. In response, Funes assured that for as long as there is a demand from the social organizations, groups of professionals, intellectuals, communities and political parties, it is an opportunity to which I am open. The FMLN will officially decide on its candidates at the party