Central America in the spotlight

Part 2:  Central America

Pieter J Wolvaardt, Ambassador, Mexico City, Mexico.

Meintjeskop Ditaba No II/1997

  PANAMA CITY, PANAMA

South Africa's Honorary Consul in Panama City, Mr Kenneth Darlington, and Ambassador Pieter Wolvaardt, during tile presentation of the ambassador’s credentials to President Ernesto Perez Balladares. 


Despite Central America's continuing problems, what has taken place over the last number of years, namely the achievement of relative peace in all these countries, can almost be compared with the miracle of transformation in South Africa.

When President Anti of Guatemala told me at the beginning of 1996 that a peace agreement would be signed by the end of that year between the Guatemalan Government and the Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity (URNG), to end a 30-year old bloody conflict leaving reportedly more than 100,000 dead, I must confess that I was not fully convinced; however it took place.

Nicaragua was impoverished first by the right wing Somozas, then a bloody civil war aided by the superpowers. The left wing Sandinistas did their fair share in this downward spiral towards the end of their reign and the earthquake inflicted terrible hardship. However, in January 1996 my wife and I attended the inauguration of President Aleman, elected in the first ever successive democratic elections in Nicaragua, with the Sandinistas being defeated at the polIs. Ex-president Violetta Chamarro left with grace and dignity.

  MANAGUA, NICARAGUA

Ambassador Pieter and Jill Wolvaardt say farewell to President Violeta Barrios Vda. de Chamarro of Nicaragua on her last day in office. This was the first time ever that a democratic government handed over power to a democratically elected government in Nicaragua.

In EI Salvador the erstwhile Farabundi Marti revolutionaries took part during February 1996 in democratic elections and, although defeated, gave the governing ARENA a good run for its money.

In Honduras, from where the American guided "Contras" launched their infiltration into neighbouring countries a relative quiet has descended.

Obviously, to state that all problems in Central America have been resolved would be stretching the truth, and in this regard Oscar Arias, a former President of Costa Rica and winner of the 1987 Nobel Peace Prize, recently observed that "... even as Central American countries have achieved important democratic advances, they are far from having won the fight for prosperity.

The danger of popular disenchantment with democracy, which could again make the region ungovernable or, worse, lead to renewed violence is a major concern. 

  SAN JOSE, COSTA RICA

Ambassador Wolvaardt presenting his credentials to President Jose Maria Figueres Olsen of Costa Rica.

Serious historical, economic and social imbalances will continue for many years to come, and sporadic flashpoints of discontent will probably spark up. Narcotic trafficking and related problems seem destined to become a bigger problem. I nevertheless believe that Central American leaders have come to the conclusion that growth is in general not possible without peace, an they should be commended for this, and supported. There are comparisons to be drawn with Africa

.

I have spent much of my 28-year career  in or dealing with Latin America. I t was and remains as stimulating as when I first arrived as a very callow Third Secretary in Rio de Janeiro in 1970.