In April, Latin American solidarity activists from across the nation and the hemisphere gathered in Washington, DC for a vibrant week of resistance to US militarization organized by School of the Americas Watch (SOAW). Activists participated in a number of movement-building activities, including a direct action training camp and a conference entitled “International (In)Security.
At the conference, CISPES teamed up with the long-time Guatemala and Honduras solidarity organization, Rights Action, to give an interactive workshop on the US War on Drugs in the Americas. After establishing how US-funded policies fail to stop the flow of drugs and actually increase regional violence, facilitators gave an update on the latest US War on Drugs initiative - known as the Central American Regional Security Initiative, CARSI – underway in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras.

The week culminated in a rally, march and civil disobedience at the US Capitol building to close the SOA, followed by Congressional lobbying. FMLN DC Coordinator Efrain Merino took the stage along with other solidarity and labor rights activists to condemn US intervention and celebrate international resistance. The spirited march, led by a 30-ft puppet dragon of resistance, converged on the Capitol where 13 people were arrested in protest of the SOA.