More dark history. San Salvador

Metropolitan Cathedral.San Salvador.

On 23th March 1980, Archbishop Romero, an alleged marxist delivered a highly controversial sermon where he called on Salvadoran soldiers to stop carrying out the government's repression and violations of basic human rights against fellow Salvadorians. (Good point, well made)

On the evening of 24th March Romero was celebrating Mass at a small chapel at Hospital de la Divina Providencia, a catholic-run hospital for the care for the terminally ill.

As he finished his sermon and stepped away from the lectern, taking a few steps to stand at the centre of the altar a red car came to a stop on the street in front of the chapel.

A lone gunman emerged from the vehicle, stepped to the door of the chapel, and fired one or two shots. One of which struck the priest fatally in the chest; the vehicle sped off.

On 30 March 1980, Oscar Romero was buried in the Metropolitan Cathedral of San Salvador. It was attended by more than a quarter of a million mourners from near and far. The cathedral was full as was the civic square outside

During the ceremony, there were explosions in and around the square near the cathedral and subsequently there were rifle shots that came from surrounding buildings, including the National Palace.

Many people were killed by gunshots and crushed in the panic that ensued as they attempted to flee.

Some witnesses claimed it was government security forces who threw the explosives into the crowd, backed up by army sharpshooters, who fired into the crowd from the balcony or roof of the National Palace, The truth has never been established. (Hmm!)

Romero's body was buried in the crypt beneath the sanctuary.

Though no one was ever arrested and convicted for the assassination, investigations by the Truth Commission for El Salvador concluded 10 years later that the order to undertake the assassination was given by Major Roberto D'Aubuisson, a Salvadoran military officer, neo-fascist politician, death squad leader and notably head of the country's intelligence agency, set up by the CIA to guard against communist infiltration encroaching its interests in the region.

The trigger man was a detective of the Salvadoran National Police named Óscar Pérez Linares.

Both managed to evade trial by conveniently dying.(Seriously? How convenient, bit like Diana Spencer's driver and bodyguard dying in a "road traffic accident" in a Parisian tunnel)

The US backed the right wing government and the CIA were aware in 1983 who the killers were. ( Shhhhhh don't tell anyone)

Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador,Guatemala,Haiti, Nicaragua, Panama, El Salvador,Venezuela.

Latin America destabilised by the Government of the USA in their quest to bring about regime change, replacing left wing governments with right wing governments in other independent Sovereign Nations.