EL SALVADOR
San Salvador
El Salvador is often mentioned as the most Americanized country in the Americas. In fact, one third of its population lives in the USA. El Salvador has also the highest number of murders per capita in the world. Violence stems from the brutal civil war and the gangs, which were started in the US.
In fact, when peace accords were signed in 1992 the US deported many Salvadorians back to El Salvador: this was the start of the gangs 'Mara Salvatrucha' and '18'. Salvador's economy is heavily dependant on remesas: money that Salvadorians in the US send to their families in El Salvador. Primaeval forests are being decimated, the landscape pockmarked with craters and poisoned with mercury. Villages grow into cities, which in turn attract new migrants: gold dealers, shopkeepers, prostitutes, and yet more gold seekers.
The Tabernaculo Biblico Bautista, Amigos de Israel is one of the new evangelist churches in San Salvador. The church is hugely popular: it has four services every Sunday which each seats 10,000 people. The parking garage has eight floors. All services are broadcasted 24 hours a day on the private channel of the church.
