This article originally appeared in El Faro, in reaction to President Bush's visit to El Salvador on the anniversary of Monsignor Romero's martyrdom, 3/24/02.

By: Elmer Menjívar

San Salvador held its breath for 5 hours. It was the 24th of March of 2002 and the civilian, military and ecclesiastical powers bent their heads all the way to their heels so that George W. Bush could raise his. And he raised it like a general reviewing a corner of his dominion.

In the capital, protocol held sway and [Salvadoran president Francisco] Flores caught the bouquet of artificial flowers [double entendre on "flores"] tossed to him by his friend, the Texan. Meanwhile, in Ciudad Romero, the solemn mass of the patronal feast of this small village of Zamorano was celebrated, in Jiquilisco, the in the Lower Lempa River region. The saint who presided over the humble solemnity was "Saint Romero of America", clandestine saint of the Salvadoran poor. Clandestine because his people stole the title "saint" from the Vatican to bestow it upon Óscar Arnulfo Romero, that bishop they killed on March 24, 1980.

The coincidence of the events has been emphasized by different voices, their shades have been traced and the irony always seems opportune and delicious. Who was where?

The chapel of Ciudad Romero was full. Two hours of mass tired neither the choir of young people nor the dozens of children who took care of, in their own way, the various parts of this peculiar Eucharist. The adults, in spite of the fact that many were standing, followed with devotion each of Father Miguel's invocations and belted out the popular song verses -- to be understood as calls and responses.

It was also Palm Sunday and there had been a procession earlier, but there had been no donkey nor a Nazarene [statue]. There had been palms and a welcome celebration, but the returning once again, like every day, was Monsignor Romero, smiling, with his glasses of a bishop, memorialized in the children's banners. In San Salvador, Jesus was not much seen on the jackass, nor were there many palms,
either. What there was were: flags of the United States of America being shaken while the dozens of armored vehicles bearing, triumphantly into the city, the head of the armies of this world. And there was no lack of jackasses.

But, Bush did not pass in Ciudad Romero unnoticed. During the prayer intentions in the mass, a woman of about 70, in an emotional voice and with severe face, prayed to God and Romero for the migrant brothers who live in the United States and work illegally so that people here, in Ciudad Romero, can survive. Now Bush sounded like pursuer, like Herod, Pilate and Pharisee: "Hopefully Bush's heart will be moved and he will not continue killing us with anguish over our children who work in his country"... "We beseech you, Lord".

Father Miguel also put Bush in circulation, when explaining to the people why the foreign corn is cheaper and how, if it enters the Salvadoran market, those of Ciudad Romero, will not be able to compete, because if they lower the price they will not make enough even to buy tortillas. The proposed [trade agreement between the U.S. and Central America] will be a sin because it steals, defrauds, lies and even kills. Romero also resounded in his homily of January 6, 1980: "A call to the oligarchy. I repeat to them what I said the other day: do not consider me enemy or judge. I am simply the Shepherd, the brother, the friend of this people who knows its sufferings, its hunger, its anguish; and in name of those voices I raise my voice to say: do not idolize your riches, do not horde them so that you let others die of hunger. It is necessary to share in order to be happy. Cardinal Lorscheider gave me a very colorful comparison: it is necessary to know how to take off your ring so that you do not lose your finger. I believe that it is a very intelligent expression. He that does not want to let go of his ring runs the risk of losing his hand; and he that does not want to give by love and social justice, exposes himself to have it snatched by violence..."

Ciudad Romero also told its history. Dramatic, incredible, human. Every year, "Saint Romero of America" receives a sincere, daily tribute here, as its patron saint. Not only those that live in the areas adjacent to the Lower Lempa region kept the appointment. Missionaries, neighbors, college students, politicians, and people in solidarity from everywhere paid tribute to Romero and to this city.

This 2002, the tribute began after the rooster sang announcing that the saint had been denied by the man of his church [prob. allusion to the fact that the official church celebration was moved to March 23 to accommodate President Bush's visit, and to St. Peter's denying Jesus before cock's crow]. Ciudad Romero did not deny Romero. This town turns its backs to Bush and its local yokels, lives like always its tribute: new, rich, young, worthy and salvific [double entendre on the word "salvador"].

Elmer L. Menjívar Q.

March 26, Ciudad Romero, Jiquilisco, Uzlután.

Opinion, EL FARO (Salvadoran daily), April 3, 2002

Translation by Carlos Colorado

Click here for original Spanish article