“We are bringing CLACSO’s solidarity to the academic field of El Salvador”
On August 9 and 10, the Executive Director of CLACSO Pablo Vommaro He visited San Salvador, the capital of El Salvador, where he held meetings that generated valuable spaces for dialogue at a key moment for the regional promotion of the social sciences and humanities in a context of attacks and threats to democracy in the Central American country.
"There were primarily two goals, Vommaro argued. On the one hand, we wanted to express our full support and solidarity with the network of CLACSO Member Centers in El Salvador, and with the academic, intellectual, scientific, and even political sectors, which are going through a very difficult situation, facing intense persecution, harassment, and siege, threats, fear, and restrictions on civic spaces and academic freedom, as well as on intellectual and research pursuits. The second purpose was to strengthen the network in Central America, to engage in dialogue with the centers, not only in terms of solidarity and support, but also regarding greater integration into the CLACSO network. In other words, to jointly explore how our Council can have a much stronger presence in El Salvador and Central America.
In that context, on August 9, he met with the rector of the Central American University José Simeón Cañas (UCA), Mario Ernesto Cornejo, and with a group of academic and social outreach authorities from the University. “Your visit helps to strengthen ties with one of the most relevant academic networks in Latin America in the field of social sciences and humanities,” UCA stated after the meeting.
At the Central American University, a CLACSO Member Center, Vommaro also held meetings with faculty deans and with CLACSO researchers within the UCA, such as academics and students participating in working groups, in calls for proposals, as authors in CLACSO or in training proposals.
“With undergraduate and graduate students, we discussed CLACSO's proposals, the possibilities for integration and participation in the network. And, once again, we conveyed a message of solidarity and support in light of the reality they are experiencing, relating it to other situations such as those in Brazil under Jair Bolsonaro, or those currently unfolding in Argentina under Javier Milei, which have many similarities.” Pablo Vommaro elaborated. It also shows that participating in international networks can become a form of support, protection, a way to feel accompanied and that they are not alone in this struggle, but that there are others who are fighting it, that there are similar experiences in other countries that can strengthen them.”
Vommaro also visited the UES, the public university of El Salvador, where he met with top authorities, including the rector. Juan Rosa Quintanilla. “We talked about various projects and topics, about an important memory project they are undertaking, He explained. We also discussed the possibilities of resisting budget cuts like those currently being imposed on the UES by the Salvadoran government. The good news is that the UES is very likely to become a CLACSO Member Center soon; it is the only Central American public university that is not: Costa Rica, Panama, Honduras, and Guatemala are all members. In short, it was a meeting of camaraderie, an expression of solidarity, an opportunity to offer our support, to let them know that they can count on CLACSO in the face of any further attacks, and to bring them closer to our network as a CLACSO Member Center.
In turn, the UES emphasized: "We are taking a key step towards internationalization and academic innovation!" and he explained: “We welcomed Dr. Pablo Vommaro, Executive Director of the Latin American Council of Social Sciences (CLACSO). This strengthens our ties with the most important academic network in Latin America. We are opening opportunities for cooperation in research, critical thinking, and access to educational resources, promoting transformative projects in the social sciences and youth. The University of El Salvador (UES) requires regional support to protect its autonomy and social function in the face of historical attacks. Its survival as a public university is vital for critical education and the historical memory of El Salvador, as our Rector, Juan Rosa Quintanilla, stated during this meeting with Dr. Vommaro. Also present were: the Academic Vice-Rector, Dr. Evelyn Farfán; the President of the University General Assembly, M.Sc. Carlos Villalta; the Secretary General, Lic. Pedro Rosalío Escobar; and the Head of the Secretariat of National and International Relations, M.Sc. Néstor Hernández.”
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