15 Injured in Political Clash in El Salvador

SAN SALVADOR (EFE) At least 15 people were injured before dawn last Saturday when militants of the governing conservative Republican Nationalist Alliance (ARENA) attacked a caravan of the opposition leftist FMLN party.

Luz Rodríguez, mayor of Apopa municipality and a member of the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN), said that ARENA brigades which go by the name of Liberty and D Aubuisson attacked two cars and a bus in the caravan in which some 50 members of her political party were traveling.

One 17-year-old FMLN sympathizer had to undergo surgery after being hit in the head with a rock.

The incident took place in the early hours before dawn at kilometer 10 on the major thorough fare Del Norte Highway, between the townships of Apopa and Ciudad Delgado on the outskirts of San Salvador, as the caravan was returning from a tribute to deceased FMLN leader Schafik Handal in the capital s downtown Civic Plaza (see separate story).

According to mayor Rodríguez, some 15 people were injured by stones thrown by youths perfectly identified with ARENA T-shirts.

According to ARENA s mayoral candidate Romero González, the FMLN caravan was the one that attacked ARENA S poster painting and placing group.

On March 12 some 3.8 million Salvadorans will elect 84 legislators for Congress, 20 lawmakers for the Central American Congress, and 262 mayors.