US Welcomes El Salvador's Moderate Leftist President

Lachlan Carmichael
Sydney Morning Herald
June 3, 2009

Mauricio Funes has become the President of El Salvador at a ceremony witnessed by the US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, as Washington seeks to work with a moderate Latin American left.

Mrs Clinton, who earlier hailed a "peaceful transfer of power" from a string of US-backed rightist governments to a party of former Marxist guerillas, attended Monday's inauguration in San Salvador that included both moderate and anti-US leftists.

Mr Funes, the first leftist president elected in the country in 20 years, has said he seeks full diplomatic relations with Cuba, making El Salvador the last Latin American nation to normalise relations with Havana.

President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela cancelled his attendance, his office said.

Also present were Presidents Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil and Michelle Bachelet of Chile. Chris Sabatini, an analyst with the Americas Society, said the pair, along with Mr Funes, were pragmatic leftist leaders whom Washington wanted to promote as a new moderate leftist "pole" in the region.

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