Nationalist Republican Alliance
Encyclopedia
The Nationalist Republican Alliance ( or ) is a conservative
political party
in El Salvador
. It was founded on September 30, 1981, by Roberto D'Aubuisson
, in order to oppose the reformist military junta that was ruling El Salvador at the time. In the peaceful post-civil war environment, the party functions as a normal right-wing party, in the same way that the leftist Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front
(FMLN), the former guerrilla group, known for opposing the government during the Salvadoran Civil War, is now the main left-wing party in the country. ARENA controlled the presidency continuously since 1989, before losing the 2009 presidential election
.
in 1980; its founder is generally considered responsible for Romero's killing, but died before he could be charged. (For more information, see the article above on d'Aubisson.)
The party arose in response to the insurgency of the Frente Farabundo Martí for the National Liberation, FMLN, of communist ideology, which tried, through the arms, to demote the government and to install a state regime inspired by the governments of revolutionary Cuba
and sandinista Nicaragua
..
By its strong anti-communist line, ARENA had the support of some members of the Republican Party of the United States, like the ex- American senator Jesse Helms
, who supported Roberto D'Aubuisson
in the process of development of the party. The ideology the party affirms to believe in is a system of democratic and representative government, emphasizing the individual rights, the family like nucleus of the society and the respect to the private property.
In February 2007, three ARENA politicians were murdered in Guatemala, including Eduardo D'Aubuisson, the son of party founder Roberto D'Aubuisson.
In 2009, ARENA took out a full-page ad in a Salvadorean newspaper calling on President Mauricio Funes
to recognise the interim Honduran government of Roberto Micheletti
installed after the military had expelled President Manuel Zelaya
.
The highest authority of the party ARENA is the Comité Ejecutivo Nacionalista (COENA), which consists of 13 members. The members must be ratified annually through the General Assembly Ordinaria that is integrated by ARENA members of all the country and they have the power to ratify or nonmembers of the COENA, mainly the President.
After the COENA, there are 14 Directors in Chiefs, each one for each department in the county and Departamental Councils called "Juntas Directivas Conjuntas" are those that coordinates political work in their respective department. In each department a director is chosen and it works with an enclosed a member of COENA . Since its beginning, director´s role is to organize and coordinate electoral campaigns and take part with the councils into forming more similar estructures in each departamental "municipios", sort of counties and make periodical visits to all of them to get in touch with the people.
, held on March 16, 2003, the party won 32.0% of the popular vote and 27 out of 84 seats in the Legislative Assembly
. ARENA's successful candidate in El Salvador's 2004 presidential election was Antonio Saca
. On March 21, 2004, Saca defeated Schafik Handal
, the candidate of the left-wing Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front
, by a margin of 58% to 36% with 70% turnout. He was sworn in as president the following June 1.
In the 12 March 2006 legislative election
, the party won 39.4% of the popular vote and 32 out of 84 seats. At the January 18, 2009 legislative elections
, the party received 38.55% of the vote, and again won 32 of the 84 seats.
On March 15, 2009, ARENA candidate Rodrigo Ávila
lost the presidential election to Mauricio Funes
of the FMLN.
After elections, the party president was changed to Alfredo Cristiani
.
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in El 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...
. It was founded on September 30, 1981, by Roberto D'Aubuisson
Roberto D'Aubuisson
Major Roberto D'Aubuisson Arrieta was the Salvadoran Army officer and political leader who founded the Nationalist Republican Alliance , which he led from 1980 to 1985...
, in order to oppose the reformist military junta that was ruling El Salvador at the time. In the peaceful post-civil war environment, the party functions as a normal right-wing party, in the same way that the leftist 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), the former guerrilla group, known for opposing the government during the Salvadoran Civil War, is now the main left-wing party in the country. ARENA controlled the presidency continuously since 1989, before losing the 2009 presidential election
Salvadoran presidential election, 2009
A presidential election was held in El Salvador on 15 March 2009. The main candidates were Rodrigo Ávila and Mauricio Funes . Funes won the election with 51.3% of the vote.-Polls:...
.
History
ARENA was founded shortly following the assassination of Oscar RomeroÓscar Romero
Óscar Arnulfo Romero y Galdámez was a bishop of the Catholic Church in El Salvador. He became the fourth Archbishop of San Salvador, succeeding Luis Chávez. He was assassinated on 24 March 1980....
in 1980; its founder is generally considered responsible for Romero's killing, but died before he could be charged. (For more information, see the article above on d'Aubisson.)
The party arose in response to the insurgency of the Frente Farabundo Martí for the National Liberation, FMLN, of communist ideology, which tried, through the arms, to demote the government and to install a state regime inspired by the governments of revolutionary Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
and sandinista Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
..
By its strong anti-communist line, ARENA had the support of some members of the Republican Party of the United States, like the ex- American senator Jesse Helms
Jesse Helms
Jesse Alexander Helms, Jr. was a five-term Republican United States Senator from North Carolina who served as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee from 1995 to 2001...
, who supported Roberto D'Aubuisson
Roberto D'Aubuisson
Major Roberto D'Aubuisson Arrieta was the Salvadoran Army officer and political leader who founded the Nationalist Republican Alliance , which he led from 1980 to 1985...
in the process of development of the party. The ideology the party affirms to believe in is a system of democratic and representative government, emphasizing the individual rights, the family like nucleus of the society and the respect to the private property.
In February 2007, three ARENA politicians were murdered in Guatemala, including Eduardo D'Aubuisson, the son of party founder Roberto D'Aubuisson.
In 2009, ARENA took out a full-page ad in a Salvadorean newspaper calling on President Mauricio Funes
Mauricio Funes
Carlos Mauricio Funes Cartagena is the President of El Salvador. He won the 2009 presidential election as the candidate of the left-wing Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front political party and took office on 1 June 2009.-Biography:Funes is married to Dr. Vanada Pignado, who was involved in...
to recognise the interim Honduran government of Roberto Micheletti
Roberto Micheletti
Roberto Micheletti Baín is a former de facto president of Honduras who served as a result of the 2009 coup d'état. The Honduran military was ordered by the Supreme Court to forcefully detain President Manuel Zelaya once the Court stated he was violating the Honduran constitution; Zelaya was exiled...
installed after the military had expelled President Manuel Zelaya
Manuel Zelaya
José Manuel Zelaya Rosales is a politician who was President of Honduras from January 27, 2006 until June 28, 2009. The eldest son of a wealthy businessman, he inherited his father's nickname "Mel," and, before entering politics, was involved in his family's logging and timber businesses.Elected...
.
Structure
ARENA is divided by 8 sectors: Agricultural, Professional, Femenine, Youth People, Workers, Peasants, Private Enterprise and Expats.The highest authority of the party ARENA is the Comité Ejecutivo Nacionalista (COENA), which consists of 13 members. The members must be ratified annually through the General Assembly Ordinaria that is integrated by ARENA members of all the country and they have the power to ratify or nonmembers of the COENA, mainly the President.
After the COENA, there are 14 Directors in Chiefs, each one for each department in the county and Departamental Councils called "Juntas Directivas Conjuntas" are those that coordinates political work in their respective department. In each department a director is chosen and it works with an enclosed a member of COENA . Since its beginning, director´s role is to organize and coordinate electoral campaigns and take part with the councils into forming more similar estructures in each departamental "municipios", sort of counties and make periodical visits to all of them to get in touch with the people.
Electoral record
At the legislative electionsSalvadoran legislative election, 2003
The 2003 Salvadoran legislative election took place in El Salvador on 16 March 2003 to elect 84 deputies to the Legislative Assembly for a term of three years. The main opposition party, the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front , won the most seats in election at 31...
, held on March 16, 2003, the party won 32.0% of the popular vote and 27 out of 84 seats in the Legislative Assembly
Legislative Assembly of El Salvador
The Legislative Assembly is the legislative branch of the government of El Salvador.The Salvadoran legislature is a unicameral body....
. ARENA's successful candidate in El Salvador's 2004 presidential election was Antonio Saca
Antonio Saca
Elías Antonio Saca González is a Salvadoran politician and was the President of El Salvador. He was elected President in 2004 to serve a five-year term that ended in 2009....
. On March 21, 2004, Saca defeated Schafik Handal
Schafik Handal
Schafik Jorge Handal was a Salvadoran politician. Born in Usulután, he was the son of Palestinian Arab immigrants.-Biography:...
, the candidate of the left-wing 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...
, by a margin of 58% to 36% with 70% turnout. He was sworn in as president the following June 1.
In the 12 March 2006 legislative election
Salvadoran legislative election, 2006
A legislative election was held in El Salvador on 12 March 2006. The Salvadoran people elected 84 deputies to the Legislative Assembly for a term of three years.-Election results:...
, the party won 39.4% of the popular vote and 32 out of 84 seats. At the January 18, 2009 legislative elections
Salvadoran legislative election, 2009
A parliamentary election was held in El Salvador on 18 January 2009. The leftist Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front was widely expected to win the most seats for the first time against the nationalist conservative Nationalist Republican Alliance...
, the party received 38.55% of the vote, and again won 32 of the 84 seats.
On March 15, 2009, ARENA candidate Rodrigo Ávila
Rodrigo Ávila
Rodrigo Ávila is a Salvadoran politician. He stood as the then ruling political party ARENA candidate for the presidency of El Salvador in the March 2009 presidential election. Upon his nomination, Ávila also became the President of ARENA. He has since resigned as President of the ARENA party...
lost the presidential election to Mauricio Funes
Mauricio Funes
Carlos Mauricio Funes Cartagena is the President of El Salvador. He won the 2009 presidential election as the candidate of the left-wing Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front political party and took office on 1 June 2009.-Biography:Funes is married to Dr. Vanada Pignado, who was involved in...
of the FMLN.
After elections, the party president was changed to Alfredo Cristiani
Alfredo Cristiani
Alfredo Félix Cristiani Burkard, popularly known as Alfredo Cristiani was President of El Salvador from 1989 to 1994....
.
ARENA Presidents of El Salvador
- Alfredo CristianiAlfredo CristianiAlfredo Félix Cristiani Burkard, popularly known as Alfredo Cristiani was President of El Salvador from 1989 to 1994....
(1989–1994) - Armando Calderón SolArmando Calderón SolArmando Calderón Sol was President of El Salvador from June 1, 1994 to June 1, 1999, representing the Nationalist Republican Alliance .-Biography:Armando Calderón Sol was born in San Salvador, on June 24, 1948....
(1994–1999) - Francisco Flores PérezFrancisco Flores PérezFrancisco Guillermo Flores Pérez is an ex president of El Salvador. He led the country from June 1 1999 until June 1 2004 as a member of the conservative Nationalist Republican Alliance .-Background:...
(1999–2004) - Antonio SacaAntonio SacaElías Antonio Saca González is a Salvadoran politician and was the President of El Salvador. He was elected President in 2004 to serve a five-year term that ended in 2009....
(2004–2009)