First Elections Observer Delegation

In 1994 CISPES worked with other solidarity groups to bring hundreds of international observers to El Salvador for the first democratic elections following the 1992 Peace Accords.  Established parties proved far more effective as running campaigns than the newly established FMLN party, which won a much smaller share of municipalities and legislative seats than it had expected, while losing the presidential election to the right-wing ARENA candidate.  Still, having only recently converted from a guerrilla army to a political party, the ’94 election provided much needed experience for the FMLN, which would go on to fair much better in subsequent elections.  Meanwhile, CISPES established solid credentials as international observers and has continued bringing delegations to every single Salvadoran elections since 1994.