| ARENA privatizes and politicizes aid In response to this disaster, President Flores established the "National Solidarity Committee" (CNS) to coordinate relief and reconstruction efforts (and funds) and put Roberto Murray Meza in charge. Meza, a prominent businessman, is ARENA's 2004 presidential frontrunner. The CNS is composed almost entirely of ARENA members and private business people who are members of the National Association of Private Enterprise (ANEP). President Flores has stated that he will not allow any NGO or community to have a voice in the relief and reconstruction plan. There are already allegations that international aid is unaccounted for. Many of the hardest hit areas are municipalities governed by the FMLN and have received little aid because of their political affiliation. According to one report, municipalities governed by ARENA started receiving government aid immediately. Meanwhile, Santa Tecla municipal spokesperson, David Hern�ndez said, "We don't know what [the central government] is doing, whether it's out of negligence or incapacity, but the need here is immense and they have sent neither food nor medicines." The only aid reaching the 12,000 people in El Cafetal�n refugee camp comes from direct donations from non-governmental organizations (NGO's). The first official aid shipment to Santiago Nonualco was comprised of two mattresses, one pound of spaghetti, three pounds of salt, and one high-heeled, silver shoe. The FMLN mayor hung up the shoe with a sign: "Relief aid from our Minister of Interior." |