Jennifer Casolo
Encyclopedia
Jennifer Jean Casolo is an American
citizen who was arrested on November 26, 1989 by Salvador
an government troops during the "Final Offensive" of the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front
(FMLN) in San Salvador.
However, in a 1989 report on El Salvador, Human Rights Watch
noted that the Casolo arrest came at a time when the Salvadoran police and army were arresting, jailing and expelling foreigners working with Salvadoran churches and relief organizations. These critics stated their belief that the government used the Casolo incident as part of an effort to threaten and discredit the entire foreign religious community in El Salvador. They also expressed their concern that it appeared to them that the U.S. Embassy staff in San Salvador and officials in Washington appeared to have already accepted the Salvadoran military's view that Casolo's guilt was an established fact. On November 27, 1989, White House spokesman Marlin Fitzwater stated that "there are indications of her involvement, that's for certain." Faced with criticism for what appeared to be a bias towards Casolo, Fitzwater apologized "to anyone who feels that they were offended by this."
(ICRC) was contacted by the FMLN and told that another American woman could be located at a specific location who was suffering from battle injuries. The ICRC picked up the woman, whose jaw had been destroyed by a bullet, and transported her to a San Salvador hospital. The evidence suggested that she had been moving with an FMLN unit when it clashed with a Salvadoran military patrol.
was pressed by both the Salvadoran military and outraged citizens, who demanded prosecution of a foreigner contributing to the violence in their country. However, Casolo was also supported by a wide number of critics of the Salvadoran government, who demanded that she be released immediately. Former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark
flew in to represent Casolo, as did a number of religious leaders.
After days of pressure, President Cristiani ordered Casolo released for lack of evidence and deported on December 13, 1989. After spending the Christmas holiday with her family in the U.S. Casolo undertook a nationwide public speaking tour to declare her innocence and denounce the Government of El Salvador and the United States' involvement in that country.
After her release, Casolo was asked to testify before a Congressional subcommittee on the conduct of U.S. Embassy officials in San Salvador during her detention. She later went to become a relatively well-known peace activist and is presently a PhD candidate in Geography at the University of California at Berkeley. On the Berkeley website, Casolo listed her research interests as "Gender, political ecology, development theory, Latin American indigenous cultures".
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
citizen who was arrested on November 26, 1989 by Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
an government troops during the "Final Offensive" of the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front
Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front
The Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front is, since 1992, a left-wing political party in El Salvador and formerly a coalition of five revolutionary guerrilla organizations...
(FMLN) in San Salvador.
Controversy
Casolo's arrest was related to some arms allegedly discovered at her rented house. An American official noted at the time, "It's a good bust.'"However, in a 1989 report on El Salvador, Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,...
noted that the Casolo arrest came at a time when the Salvadoran police and army were arresting, jailing and expelling foreigners working with Salvadoran churches and relief organizations. These critics stated their belief that the government used the Casolo incident as part of an effort to threaten and discredit the entire foreign religious community in El Salvador. They also expressed their concern that it appeared to them that the U.S. Embassy staff in San Salvador and officials in Washington appeared to have already accepted the Salvadoran military's view that Casolo's guilt was an established fact. On November 27, 1989, White House spokesman Marlin Fitzwater stated that "there are indications of her involvement, that's for certain." Faced with criticism for what appeared to be a bias towards Casolo, Fitzwater apologized "to anyone who feels that they were offended by this."
Context
During this time period, many American and Europeans, often under the auspices of church organizations, were believed to be assisting the FMLN in what they believed was a liberation struggle against the Government of El Salvador. In another incident during the 1989 offensive, the International Committee of the Red CrossInternational Committee of the Red Cross
The International Committee of the Red Cross is a private humanitarian institution based in Geneva, Switzerland. States parties to the four Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional Protocols of 1977 and 2005, have given the ICRC a mandate to protect the victims of international and...
(ICRC) was contacted by the FMLN and told that another American woman could be located at a specific location who was suffering from battle injuries. The ICRC picked up the woman, whose jaw had been destroyed by a bullet, and transported her to a San Salvador hospital. The evidence suggested that she had been moving with an FMLN unit when it clashed with a Salvadoran military patrol.
World Reaction
The Salvadoran government of Alfredo CristianiAlfredo Cristiani
Alfredo Félix Cristiani Burkard, popularly known as Alfredo Cristiani was President of El Salvador from 1989 to 1994....
was pressed by both the Salvadoran military and outraged citizens, who demanded prosecution of a foreigner contributing to the violence in their country. However, Casolo was also supported by a wide number of critics of the Salvadoran government, who demanded that she be released immediately. Former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark
Ramsey Clark
William Ramsey Clark is an American lawyer, activist and former public official. He worked for the U.S. Department of Justice, which included service as United States Attorney General from 1967 to 1969, under President Lyndon B. Johnson...
flew in to represent Casolo, as did a number of religious leaders.
After days of pressure, President Cristiani ordered Casolo released for lack of evidence and deported on December 13, 1989. After spending the Christmas holiday with her family in the U.S. Casolo undertook a nationwide public speaking tour to declare her innocence and denounce the Government of El Salvador and the United States' involvement in that country.
After her release, Casolo was asked to testify before a Congressional subcommittee on the conduct of U.S. Embassy officials in San Salvador during her detention. She later went to become a relatively well-known peace activist and is presently a PhD candidate in Geography at the University of California at Berkeley. On the Berkeley website, Casolo listed her research interests as "Gender, political ecology, development theory, Latin American indigenous cultures".
Sources
- "Embassies Under Siege: Personal Accounts By Diplomats On The Front Line", edited by Ambassador Joseph G. Sullivan, 1995
- "Her Salvadoran ordeal over, Jennifer Casolo hits the road to end the war she left behind." People Weekly v. 33 (Jan. 22 '90) pp. 64–65
- "The Evidence Against Casolo", W.W. Terry, The Oregonian, April 20, 1990, page B5.
- "U.S. Woman Tells of Salvadoran Ordeal" Parle, Jason, New York Times January 8, 1990, Monday Late Edition - Final, Section A, p. 3
- "El Salvador's Cry: Tell The Truth", Accuracy In Media, March 8, 1990