“All government power comes from the people. We demand that our government follow the constitution.” – COFOA letter to the National Legislative Assembly
On September 23, Communities of Faith Organizing for Action (COFOA) delivered a letter signed by 1,656 grassroots leaders calling on the Salvadoran National Assembly to respect democracy and stand against corruption by following constitutional requirements in appointing magistrates to the Supreme Electoral Tribunal.
Ten times this year, between 600 and 1,500 leaders gathered at the Presidential house or the Legislative Assembly to raise their voices and demand legislation to deliver property deeds, public investment in community infrastructure, and the appointment of judges who honor the constitution.
Behind these national events – which have garnered hundreds of news stories – are 2,235 grassroots leaders from 145 communities who met weekly. COFOA community teams have identified water, roads, schools, and other needed infrastructure projects valued at $22,706,646. COFOA leaders from 80 housing developments have continued to organize to win title to their land, meeting regularly with national Housing Minister Michele Sol to press her to require the country’s largest developer deliver deeds to tens of thousands of families.
In the spring, 300 COFOA leaders observed elections as part of an effort to protect democracy in El Salvador, and last month, 649 COFOA leaders met at the National Assembly to demand that Supreme Court and election judges be fairly appointed to protect democracy.
This story is being repeated in Honduras and Guatemala, where an increasing number of local residents are organizing for change in their communities and beginning to reshape the future of their countries.
