In such a context, 25,000 people participated on Saturday October 1, in the 2nd Meeting of the Salvadorean Grassroots Movement under the slogan “building popular awareness to advance social change”.

Representatives of CLOC-Via Campesina, of the trade union movement, cooperatives, informal workers and neighborhood leaders participated in the event. The meeting coincided with the celebrations of the 31st anniversary of the FMLN ahead of the municipal elections in March of 2012.

Carlos Rodriguez, leader of the National Council of Countryside Workers (CNTC), spoke with CLOC-Via Campesina’s correspondent for the show La Voz de los Movimientos. He vindicated the struggle of the rural popular movement in the past three decades and remembered the martyrs of the left-wing party.

“The creation of the FMLN as a political organization is the result of an organization of the grassroots movements, we always need to remember that”, said Rodriguez. He highlighted the work done by La Via Campesina in the recent years.

Meanwhile, Francisco Garcia, a leader of the Salvadorean trade union movement, explained in conversation with Colatino newspaper that the conclusions of the meeting will be presented to the FMLN and the government to “advance social change”.

“ARENA (right-wing government), in its 20 years in office favored the big oligarchy, the Salvadorean state favored the oligarchy and destroyed the country’s productive model”.

Edgardo Garcia, leader of the Rural Workers’ Association of Nicaragua was also in El Salvador. He congratulated the Salvadorean people “for having been a school” in terms of grassroots organization.

“We recognize and appreciate their experience. The current government has been the result of the grassroots organization’s drive and of the FMLN’s organization and leadership”, said Garcia.

Photo: http://www.cloc-viacampesina.net