Size: 3.5cm./1.3inch.

Button made in the Netherlands by a El Salvador action group. The text on the button says:”Free El Salvador” and below:”Remove The Junta (Militairy Dictatorship)”. The button is made in the early 80’s.
In the 1970s, the people, which had been ruled by one junta after another for decades, started to stir more and more. Personal freedoms were an illusion and elections were shams. Rebellion arose, mainly inspired by Marxism. In 1979 civil war broke out between the junta and Marxist rebels. A group of young officers overthrew the regime with support from the United States. A government junta was established, in which Christian Democrats, Social Democrats and even Communists took part.
In 1980, however, the government resigned due to skewed power relations. A bloody battle in which death squads were active broke out. The US government, which had experienced “a threat of communism” from South America since the 1970s, backed El Salvador’s military rule behind the scenes. The military and police were trained in the United States and provided with weapons to stay in power. The United States had learned from Vietnam to operate behind the scenes; officially, American involvement was limited to advice. A total of 75,000 people were killed.