This is great news for El Salvador and ALBA. For the Washington Consensus, though, it’s a fatal setback. Considering how screwed El Salvador has been since the 1980s, though, it’s not as if this is bad news. Far from it.PS: File this under “heh”–Obama has called Mauricio Funes to congratulate him and offer unequivocal support for his government and the Salvadoran people. Hope ‘n’ change, baby.The newly-elected government of the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front in El Salvador is interested in strengthening ties with ALBA countries, FMLN Representative in Cuba Alfredo Elias said.According to Elias, El Salvador has already been benefitting from the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA) by getting oil, fertilizers and medical aid Venezuela and Cuba, ALBA’s two main pillars.“We should establish relations with all nations,” Elias said on Cuba’s national television.He also said reestablishing diplomatic ties with Cuba should be a priority for the future government.“For us, Cubans are blood brothers,” said the FMLN representative, who recalled Cuba’s solidarity to El Salvador.“In the past, Cuban hospitals were open to our war victims, while right now, many Salvadorans are having free eye surgery here, or are studying at Cuban universities,” Elias said.
