Funes pulls from the military ranks once again

In a new sign of the militarization of public security in El Salvador, President Mauricio Funes recently named a new retired military general, Francisco Ramon Salinas Rivera, to head the National Civil Police (PNC). Salinas Rivera recently retired as vice minister of defense in order to sidestep a law that requires the country's police direction to be a civilian.

For now, my reaction to Salinas Rivera's appointment is basically the same as David Munguia Payes' appointment.

Funes does not appear to be someone who cares what the FMLN, civil society, the Catholic Church, and international solidarity activists say about his decisions. He has shown this in the past with his use of the armed forces on the streets of San Salvador and with Decree 743 that temporarily neutered the Constitutional Court. Funes does what he thinks is right. On the other hand, Munguía Payés' appointment could indicate that Funes does not have a deep group of individuals in which he places much trust. Funes might have felt that he had no option but to stick with Munguía Payés over the objections of much of Salvadoran society.

Personally, I think that Munguía Payés' appointment sets bad precedent. I am not worried so much about him as I am the fact that his appointment opens the door for additional appointments of former military officials to head state institutions. That's not a path that anyone wishes to see El Salvador travel down.

I don't necessarily have a problem with Funes removing FMLN loyalists from positions of authority. That's his prerogative as president. However, he needs to have some people outside of the military that he trusts, doesn't he? 

I was and still am a supporter of Funes. (Would you prefer the country run by a President Rodrigo Avila?) That doesn't mean that I am not disappointed and had hope for in nearly three years in office.