The land of many fears

On our way back from Suchitoto this weekend, I experienced Salvadoran corruption for the first time when a policeman along the highway demanded 60 dollars in bribe for not confiscating our car. The powerlessness, anger and frustration you feel when you’re in the hands of a (or actually two, one of them the boss) corrupted police officer is overwhelming. As a Swede you want to head to the nearest police station and announce it, but you never really know what will happen if you do. To fear the police is nothing strange here, and the incident once again made me think about how fear in many ways shapes the Salvadoran society.

Fear puts limits on people’s lives and is used by those in power as a tool for attracting and keeping the loyalty and trust of the people. It sounds dramatic, I know, but I’m certainly not the first one to draw this conclusion about the situation in many Latin American countries. I will try to explain better.

For example, I know people who have never went anywhere by bus. Those who can afford to have cars or have friends with cars simply never set foot on a local bus. Why? Do you get killed the minute you enter one of those? Do you get kidnapped? Robbed? Abused? The answer is: It might happen. Of course it might happen, and the risk is higher in El Salvador than in almost all other countries in the world. But still, ordinary people take the bus every day, and ordinary people are more honest than the policeman that used his power to bribe us on the highway. In the end, the probability that you end up without money in your pocket on a given day is equal whether you take the bus or stay in your “safe” car. When it comes to the aspect of physical violence, buses are probably less safe since drugged robbers with arms have better chances to enter. And it happens. However, the risk that you will end up dead or wounded walking down the street or in a car accident is higher than that a bus hijacker shoots you down.

This exaggerated fear is a perfect tool for anyone seeking power in the country. Scared people (NOT being the same as stupid or naïve!!) are easier to manipulate, they are desperately seeking a feeling of security and find comfort in anyone who can prove that measures are taken to fight the threats. The media, indirectly controlled by politicians, gladly inform the Salvadorans about the violent crimes committed during the past 24 hours, accompanied by happy news about the police arresting ten gang members (and pictures of the not yet formally judged criminals). The same strategy is used in order to increase people’s fear of an economic and societal disaster after the elections, would not the party currently in power win the presidency. I don’t prefer any of the two candidates, and I don’t say that El Salvador definitely won’t end up like Venezuela if the left-wing party FMLN would win the elections, but I believe that the Salvadoran people has the right to get proper and unbiased information. When I read the newspaper, I don’t know if I should cry or laugh at the obvious subjectivity. I actually don’t read the newspapers anymore, I’m tired of becoming upset about the propaganda. I’m asking myself how I’m going to survive as an election observer…

That’s all for the pessimism! Luckily, there are many reasons to feel hopeful about the future of El Salvador. Why? Because people may be scared, but they deserve the best and they will get it in the end.