The multi-union delegation, Women Building Power in Central America, was launched in January 2024 to strengthen solidarity links between Canadian unionized workers and their counterparts in Latin America. CoDev extended an invitation to Canadian partners to join this significant journey. The last maquila tour, organized by the human and labour rights program in 2019, saw the multi-union delegation visit Nicaragua and Honduras. However, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the CoDev dynamic for almost five years. 

With great hopes, Deanna Fasciani and I started thinking about the visit to our partners in Central America. In January, we invited the Canadian partners to visit El Salvador and Honduras. This multi-union delegation included El Salvador to see our long-standing partners, The Salvadorian Association for Inter-community Health and Social Services APSIES, whose last gathering was in 2014, and Honduras to join the Honduran Women's Collective CODEMUH and The Central American Network of Women's Organizations in Solidarity with Maquila Workers REDCAM.

For weeks, CoDev and our Central American partners diligently prepared the activities and logistics for the delegation's visit. Our Canadian partners also made internal processes to elect the delegates joining the trip.  Despite facing challenges, five delegates were selected to visit Central America. Members from BCGEU, CUPE BC, and HSA registered for the delegation; however, two had to drop out at the last minute due to unexpected issues. The good news is that CoDev's president, Julia Macrae, decided to take her vacation to join the delegation and meet our historical partners in Central America.

The CoDev delegation primarily aims to strengthen the solidarity links between Canadian unionized workers and working people in Latin America. We have realized that delegates become great International solidarity ambassadors in their local, regional, and national unions. Feeling the struggle of our Latin American partners helps to embody the meaning of solidarity and create a link between the struggles here and there.

The delegation started in Canada with two workshops where we discussed logistics and took the opportunity to get to know each other better. In the second workshop, we reflected on the contexts of our respective countries and the solidarity work that has been developed both locally and internationally.

The second phase of the delegation involved travel to El Salvador and Honduras, where we participated in activities organized by our partners. Finally, we will hold a debriefing session in which the Canadian delegates will share their reflections and action plans to support international solidarity projects in Central America.

On Sunday, November 17, we began the trip from Vancouver to San Francisco and arrived in San Salvador in the evening around 9 p.m. On Saturday, we had been alerted to bad weather in the region due to Tropical Storm Sara, which had hit northern Honduras a few days before. The weather looked more stable for Sunday, so we moved on and flew to San Salvador.

At the Saint Oscar Arnulfo Romero y Galdamez airport in San Luis Talpa, Moises, the executive director of APSIES, welcomed us.  It was raining, but it was warm.  I love that feeling of humidity and the warm and shiny green of the trees of the tropical zone.  We had our first dinner in Salvadorian land and enjoyed well-prepared food with delicious natural juice.  During our stay, we were hosted at a charming small hotel located near the University of El Salvador.

We noticed that El Salvador's living costs are quite high, since the economy was dollarized in 2001. The prices at regular restaurants are comparable to those in Canada.

On November 18, the delegation met with members of the Health National Forum (FNS), who gave us a historical perspective on the popular struggle for public health in El Salvador. The Health National Forum was established in 2010 as a platform for community participation in the decision-making process regarding health policies.

During our meeting, we learned about the 2010 health reform driven by grassroots movements that established a universal health framework focusing on primary care. The health system is structured based on the Bismarck model, which includes a social security subsystem for formal sector workers, funded by contributions from employers, employees, and the State.  In addition, there is a public subsystem, financed by the Ministry of Health, for informal workers and marginalized groups facing chronic underfunding and a private subsystem that offers services for those who can pay.

During the meeting with FNS, we learned about the increased privatization of the health system since Bukele took power in 2019, along with the loss of social participation spaces created by the health reform in 2010. The most concerning issue we discussed was the heightened repression faced by trade unions in the public sector, including mass layoffs and persecution of union activists, which have been facilitated by the erosion of the checks and balances system and the State of exception imposed by the Bukele government since 2022. Under this State, the police can arrest individuals without evidence and can hold them in detention for up to two years.

In San Salvador, we had the opportunity to meet Antonio Pacheco and Saul Rivas, members of the Association for Social Development in Santa Marta (ADES), who were unjustly imprisoned from March 2023 to November 2024. Our conversation was profoundly touching.

Antonio shared his historical perspective on the Santa Marta community's struggle, detailing their experiences during the civil war, exile, and return to their territory in the 1980s. His insights into the theory and practice of education and critical thinking highlighted the ways these have empowered the Santa Marta community to resist the metal mining exploitation that has polluted and destroyed their water sources.  This collective development has enabled them to plan for the future while continuing their fight for social justice.  Below, Antonio Pacheco and Saul Rivas, members of ADES.

In the afternoon of November 18, the delegation visited the Canadian Ambassador to El Salvador, Mylene Paradis, who carefully listened to CoDev's Salvadorean partners and delegates. She learned more about the role of international solidarity among working people promoted by CoDev. It was the first meeting with grassroots organizations as the new Canadian ambassador, and our discussions impacted her understanding of the issues.   

After the meeting with the Canadian Embassy, we joined the Movement of Laid-off Workers members. They shared their experiences regarding the recent repression faced by union members who participated in the White Rally on October 20. During this rally, social organizations and trade unions denounced the political and labour persecution by the state against union members and leaders who oppose the mass privatization of education and health services, as well as corruption cases and violations of labour laws by the current administration. The Movement warned delegates about planned cuts that will eliminate 15,000 public sector jobs in 2025 and requested the solidarity of the Canadian labour movement.

On November 19, the delegation began its journey to the East. Along the way, we posed numerous questions to Moises, who patiently explained everything from the town names' meanings to the region's main environmental conflicts. Unlike the western and central areas of the country, the East appears more rural, and we noticed fewer stores and fuel stations after crossing the bridge over the Lempa River.  APSIES focuses on food sovereignty and women's empowerment projects and is well aware of the water struggles and the climate crisis's impact on this region. New government geothermal energy projects threaten water sources and the conversion of coffee-growing areas into urban and tourism developments.

We arrived in Lolotique around 11 AM to meet with the APSIES Board of Directors. We were excited to hear Santiago discuss the foundation of the association during the intense repression of the military regime in 1986. The Health Science Association (HSA) was the first Canadian union to partner with APSIES in 1991. Santiago visited British Columbia in 1992 for an international solidarity event organized by CoDev and HSA. He emphasized the human aspect of the partnership and stated that friendship is essential, saying, "We are not alone; we have our Canadian friends."

In the 1980s, APSIES focused on providing health services in the region due to a lack of public investments and high morbidity and mortality rates among the population. Today, APSIES promotes social organizations to improve public health and social services. Other board members shared their journeys with APSIES, and the experiences of the women members were particularly significant. They described their empowerment journey, moving from domestic violence to becoming social leaders in their communities. Additionally, young people highlighted how APSIES' work has helped prevent migration to the USA by creating education and job opportunities.

In the afternoon, members of women's and youth organizations arrived at the APSIES office, where we enjoyed a delicious lunch of chicken and chipilin-vegetable soup. The representatives from the women's and youth associations discussed the essential role of APSIES as a coordinator between the community and public services, as well as its role as an educator for women and young people in the region. The guidance provided by APSIES has significantly contributed to the empowerment process of the rural population. As a result, the youth and women have decided to pursue their studies and remain in their community to initiate projects for the common good, actively discouraging irregular emigration to the USA. Community members expressed their desire to meet with us, the members of the organizations who have supported them for decades through international solidarity.

We visited the Nueva Guadalupe community, where the women's association manages a children's development center that was at risk of being closed by the government. Around 40 women and their children gathered to share their challenges and successes. The Nueva Guadalupe Women's Association participated in several training workshops and established a loan fund for women's productive projects with support from APSIES. As a result, single mothers have been able to support their children's education, and many members of the association now have sons and daughters attending university. Additionally, adults have improved their lives through health education and enhanced social conditions.

We ended the day by spending the night in Alegria, a beautiful small town located on a hill. There, we enjoyed exploring the craft stores and indulging in delicious pupusas. The following morning, we visited the El Triunfo Women's Association, led by Exaltacion, its president. There were around 15 women who showcased a variety of products they manufacture from their family farms, including shampoos, herbal and root teas, and handcrafted tote bags. They shared their journey of empowerment and discussed the importance of gender equity with their partners and children. It was particularly touching to hear the teenagers express their desire to join the Women's Association once they reach the age of majority. In the photo, they present us with tote bags that they learned to make during their first workshop organized by APSIES.

We travelled from El Triunfo to Estanzuelas, where a group of women welcomed us from at least four generations. The Estanzuela Women's Association is focused on agriculture.

They have worked diligently to produce food for their region and were recognized in a national competition for the exceptional quality of their crops. They proudly demonstrate to their community that women can also excel in organic agriculture.

We returned west from Estanzuela, making two important stops before heading to the airport to leave the country. Our first stop was in Cojutepeque, where we delivered a letter to the Appeal Court. In this letter, CoDev joined national and international efforts advocating for the freedom of the "Five of Santa Marta" and requested the court to reaffirm the innocence of the five Salvadoran water defenders: Teodoro Antonio Pacheco, Saúl Agustín Rivas Ortega, Miguel Ángel Gámez, Alejandro Laínez García, and Pedro Antion Rivas Laínez, citing the ruling from the Sensuntepeque Court dated October 18, 2024.  We navigated through a traffic jam in the town's central square to successfully deliver the letter. Unfortunately, days later, we learned that the Cojutepeque court accepted the appeal from the Attorney General's Office, reopening the judicial case against the Five of Santa Marta.

Our final stop was San Marcos, one of the first tax-free areas for the maquila industry in El Salvador. This region has an airport that facilitates importing and exporting raw and manufactured materials, exempt from taxes. The Salvadoran Women's Movement Association organized a meeting with a group of maquila workers at their children's development center, "El Jacalito," a daycare established to support the families of maquila workers.

Dora Pastor, the president of the SITSCES union at the Apple Tree maquila, led the workers. They expressed their anger over the dehumanizing treatment of the maquila owner, the high production targets, and the very low wages. Class struggle unions face significant obstacles in maintaining their legal status, and governmental institutions often take a long time to issue necessary certificates to executive board members. Without these certificates, unions are unable to take action. Leaders and rank-and-file members risk arrest if they promote street actions like rallies. Despite these threats, this group of women was organizing an action inside the factory for November 26.

We left El Salvador with a deep admiration for women's power. A delegate said, "This experience gives me hope that we can bring about change." Our next destination was San Pedro Sula, the center of the Maquila industry in Central America.