In a rather expected but still disappointing development, the Salvadoran courts denied Spain's extradition request for thirteen former military officers allegedly involved in the massacre of six Jesuits and two women on the campus of the University of Central America in November 1989.
The case was brought in Spain by Judge Eloy Velasco, at the request of the families of five priests: Ignacio Ellacuria, Ignacio Martin-Baro, Segundo Montes, Armando Lopez and Juan Ramon Moreno. The five were of Spanish nationality.
According to the Supreme Court of Justice's spokesman, nine of the fifteen magistrates voted against extradition.
While the Salvadoran courts will not grant the extradition requests, the international arrests issued by Interpol will remain in effect. That means while the men will not be extradited to Spain they run the risk of arrest and extradition should they leave the country.
It's a shame that the Salvadoran people have been unable to find justice after so many years of war. Unfortunately, one can say the same thing about the United States. No American official has been held responsible for participating in the repression that occurred in El Salvador (and elsewhere) during the 1980s. Instead, we name airports after them and have leaders on both the left and the right trying their damnedest to inherit his legacy.
