VOLUME 1
Eneyclopedia of
U.S. Latin American
Wee ata eatelars
Thomas M. LeonardVolume
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF |
U.S.-LATIN AMERICAN
RELATIONS
Thomas M. Leonard, EDITOR IN CHIEF
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Romero, Archbishop Oscar
Arnulfo
Osear Aroulfo Romero (1917-1986), one of the twentieth
century’ most renowned advocates for socal justice and
human rights, served as the Roman Catholic Archbishop of |
Salvador fom 1977 until his assassination in 1980.
Romero vas made & bishop in the Roman Catholic
Church in a ceremony attended by Salvadoran President
General Fide! Séncher Herninder in Jane 1970, The Roman
Catholic Church in Latin America was at that time experi
encing greet internal rnsion in the wake of changes stem=
ning ftom the Second Vciesn Council (1962-1903) and the
second Conferenee of Lavin American Bishops in Medellin,
Colombia, i» 1968, which denounced the extremely inequie
table distribstion of wealth inthe region and held, with the
new liberation theology thatthe Church belonged firmly on
the side of the impoverished and oppresed, Many Roman
Catholic clergy in El Salvador assed in the seule for lind
reform in the 19708
HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST
In Febraary 1977 Romero was appointed Roman Catholic
archbishop of El Salvador. He had a reputation as a cautious
and acquiescent man who generally deferred to government
officials and Church authorities. Romero assumed his position
as archbishop two dys after the announcement that Gen-
eral Carlos Humberto Romero (no relation), El Salvador’.
ininister of defense, would succeed Colonel Arturo Armando
‘Molina as president following, bltantly fraudulent election,
Immediately following the fiaud, tens of thousands of pro-
testers gathered in San Salvador’ Plaza Libertad to demand
honest election sesults. After three days of strikes and dem=
fonszrations, yowernmens troops fred on those who nefsed to
Jeave the plaza, The Salvadoran authorises admisted to killing
eight protesters, In early March 1977 the Roman Catholie
bishops of El Salvador composed a statement condemning the
{allings and the campaign of intimidation being conducted
by the Salvadoran government apainst its political opponents
Romer agreed to read the statement at the Sunday morning
:mass in San Salvador’: Roman Catholic Metropolitan Cathe-
ral on March 13,
The day before Romero read the statement, his friend
Rutilio Grande, 2 Jesuit priest involved in organizing land-
less peasants, was assasinated. Romero announced that the
Roman Catholic Church in Bl Salvador would boycott off
cial governmens events pending an investigation into Grande's
death. Meanwhile, responding to appeals by business lead-
cs and large landowners ¢o curb social unrest following his
fraudulent electoral victory, Humberto Romeso provoked a
Romero, Archbishop Oscar Arnulf 785
civil war by outlawing nongovernment unions and carrying
‘out a campaign of tertor through te Salvadoran military and
government-enlorsed extralega rightist death squads,
Romero became increasingly outspoken aguinst govern
‘mene persecution, evolving into a champion of the Salva-
doran poor and an impassioned human tights advocate who
proclainied that the promotion of socia}, political, and eco=
homie justice was afimdamensal part of the Roman Catholic
Church’ mission. He set up a commission t@ moniter and
document abuses of power by Salvadoran governmental and
military leaders, In his archdiocesan newspaper, Romero listed
the names of the governments many dissenters who had ise
appeared. Romero’ sermons, which were broadeast nationally
over the radio, denounced human rights violations, Romero
became internationally recognized for his huntan tights advo-
acy and gained the support of namerous religion-based
irassroots social service organizations in North America and
Western Europe. In February 1978 he received an honorary
tioccorate from Georgetown University in Washington, [LC
In November 1978 the British Parliament nominated hint
for the Nobel Peace Prize. At the third Conference of Latin
American Bishops, held in Puebla, Mexico, in 1979, Romero
supported renewing the Roman Catholie Church’ eommit=
ment (0 social justice in Latin America, which bad begun a
decade earlier in Medellin, Colombia
ROMERO AND THE CARTER
ADMINISTRATION
US. President Jimmy Carter, who took office in Janary
1977, initially criticized the Humberto Romero adininisers=
tion for its abuses of human rights, Carter hoped ro encour-
age a transition to democracy in El Salador, which had been
ruled by military strongmen since the 1930s, but events in
neighboring Nicaragua encouraged the Carter administra-
sion to place a higher priority on maintaining the strength
of the Salvadoran military. As 2 Marxist-inspired insangency
challenged che long-standing rule of Nicaraguan dictator
Anastasio Somoza Debayle the Carter administration hoped
to install a centrist opposition, Instead, Somoza and his
associates fled the country, allowing Daniel A. Ortega and
the Sendinista National Liberation Front to take contol of
Nicaragua in July 1979,
The Carter administration wanted « legitimate pro-Us,
overnment in EI Salvador, one that was wader civilian eon-
tool yet willing to work with the military t0 suppress leftist
Salvadoran rebels, who eventually received aid fron the San=
dlinista government in Nicaragua. Despite a coup that ousted
Humberto Romero in October 1979 and government prom=
ises to hold free elections and establish che rule of lay, brutal
attacks on the peasantry and members of popular civil society
‘organizations continued. In January 1980 the civilian members
Of the ruling junea resigned in frustration over their inability
to stop killings by the Salvadoran military and its death squad
alliesThat year, unrestrained security forces oper
governmental authority killed more thin nine thousand Sal-
vvadorans, most of them unarmed civilians
outside786 Roosevelt, Franklin D.
[At the insistence of the Carter administration, the Salva-
doran military asked the Christion Democratic Party to rep=
resent the civilian sector in a new junta, which depended
fon US, aid and assistance, The Christian Democrats quickly
divided into faetions. The most conservative Christian Demo-
rats, fal by José Napoleén Duarte Fuentes, agreed to remain
in the junta, Despite receiving many death threats, Archbishop
Romero continued co criticize the Salvadoran government
and implored Salvadoran soldiers to put down their arms. In
February i980 Romteto angered the Vatican by writing a let=
ter to Carter unsuccessfully requesting the cestation of US.
rnibtary aid to the junta
‘On March 24, 1980, Romero was assassinated while cel-
ebrating Mass in the chapel of the Hospital of Divine Provi-
dence, which he had established in San Salvador to care for
‘cancer patients. The following week, tens of thousands of
mourners atwended Romero’ fimeral ae the Metropolitan
Catheciral. Gunfire exchanged between progovernment forces
and antigovernment demonstrators resulted in several deaths
uring the faneral ceremony Romero’ body lies entombed
in a crype in the Metropolitan Cathedral, and it has become a
place of pilgrimage for Salvadorans as well as foreign vistors
See also Bishops Conference, Medellin, 1968; Cater, inony;
Cental American Wears, 1980s; Conference of Latin American Bish-
ops (CELAM); Duarte Fuentes, José Napoleén; EI Salvador, U.S.
Relations with; Liberation ‘Theology; Nicaragua, U.S. Relations
with; Ortega Saavedes, José Daniel; Sandinista Navional Liberation
Front (PSLN) (Nicaragua); Savino, Angusia César
DAVID M, CARLETTA
REFERENCES AND FURTHER READING
Bre, Edn T."The Aerts of Grsooe Religions Groups 29 Change
‘US Pole tomas Cente Anercn The Methoi, Succes ant
Fike Jounel of Chichi Sie 36,0. (Run 19 795-796
Brockan, Jase 1. Rane Life Maryell, NY Orbit oaks, 2008
{Casanagh Wiliny T“Doying forthe Bachar or Being Kiled by he?
omer Challeng Fis Work! Cine” Theale oy $800.2
(uly 3000) 17-18.
Pekan, there, Reber Bland Kyle Markham. Mensur Roma
‘Woh fr he Tins Mion, Notre Dane IN: nner of Note
Dame Prew 2004,
Romeo, Onc Veo te Vise: Th our Postel Utes nd Osher
‘Stamens Taasted by Michel) Walsh, Marykil NY: Ors Boos,
Shortl ThodyRatieskonon of Religie Dikcoore in El Shader:
“The Case of Oxar A. Ramer” Silay of Ref 2,109 (SPINE
ect 10,
Swann To"A Ci Art: The Pease Moral Voice of Oscar Romeo”
oul of Rigi Ee 29s (Spring 200 27-4,
Wright, Sc. Oar wer aie Csr ft Seine A Bp
"Marykoel, NY: Orbis Books, 000,
2yrvo, Dasian,Aribiop Ouse Romer: 4 Diipe Wis Rove the Gly
1 Gad. Scraton, D8 Universty of ran Pres 201,
Roosevelt, Franklin D.
Franklin 1D, Roosevelt (1882~1945), a Democrat from New.
York, served as president of dhe United States from 1933 until
his death in 1945. The American people elected Roosevelt
to four terms, unprecedented in US. political history, Ree-
‘ognized for his New Deal policies and programs that sought
to end the Great Depression, Roosevelt also led the United
States as commander in chief during World War HL. His four
administrations, his policies and progeams, and his persona)
leadership changed the nature and power of the US. federal
government, stamping FDR's presidency as one of the most
significant in U.S. history.
FDR had a keen intesest in foreign policy.and he tended to
direct the flow of US. diplomacy ftom the Oval Office. One
cof Roosevelt’ key accomplishments in foreign policy surfaced
when he supported and enhanced the previous administra-
tion's commitment t0 a new Good Neighbor policy in Latin
‘America, Initially, he sawr the concept at a regional concern
signed to reduce the cynicism and anger in the hemisphere
toward heavy-handed US, intervention in the region, His
uncle, Theodore Roosevelt, had initiated an aggressive "big,
stick” interventionist policy, which both angered and fright-
‘ened Latin Americans. US. commercial involvement in the
area (often referred to 48 dollar diplomacy) farther convinced
‘observers in the hemisphere that the United States ceeated its
neighbors as second-clss citizens. To improve that image, for
booth business and political reatons, FOR. adopted the Good
Neighbor posture at his administration’ goa
THE GOOD NEIGHBOR POLICY
BBeginving with the administetion of Herbert Hoover, US.
policy in Latin America worked to create beter relations with
its neighbors. J. Reuben Clark (1871-1961), a assistant sec=
reary of sate, had written an analysis of US. policy ia Latin
‘America condemning the (Theodore) Roosevelt Corollary
to the Monroe Docerine that had undengirded the big-tick
interventionism employed since the turn of the century
President Hoover poblished Clark's Memoranduna in 1930
and began the process of altering US. policy.
President Roosevelt agreed with his predecessor. On March
4, 1933+im his Inaugural Address, he sated:
In the feld oF world policy 1 would dedicate this Nation
to the Policy of the Good Neighbor—the neigh-
bor who resolutely Respects himself and, because he
does, respects the rights of Others-—the neighbor who
respects his obligations and respects The sanctity of his
agreements in and with a world of neighbors. Rosen-
man, 1938)
In July 1934, FDR sailed on the USS Houston, a newly
commissioned destroyer, through the Panama Canal, the fist
US. president to do so. He visiced Haiti, Colombia, and Pan=
ama, pledging to remove US. Marines from Haiti, to build a
new relationship of friendship with Colombia, and to show
his appreciation for the work Panamanians had contributed to
building the Panama Canal
President Roosevelt also directed Secretary of State Cordell
Hull to attend a series of hemisphere conferences and meet-
ings beeween 1933 and 1940 to demonstrate US. commitment
to hemisphere friendship and solidarity The effort resulted in