Duarte Refuses Truce for Christmas
President Napoleon Duarte refused Friday to order a Christmas truce in the eight-year-old Salvadoran war against leftist rebels despite a plea from Archbishop Arturo Rivera y Damas.
“It isn’t worth it because in the last three years the guerrillas have not respected the truce,” Duarte said during a graduation ceremony for new recruits at the Gerardo Barrios military school.
Last year, both sides agreed to a Christmas truce, but the rebels did not respect it and attacked military bases, Duarte said.
“Nor can we agree to a unilateral truce, because during the 20-day November cease-fire, the guerrillas continued to attack military bases,” Duarte said.
A negotiated cease-fire is called for in the Central American peace plan signed by five of the region’s presidents in Guatemala on Aug. 7.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
