New Brunswick Social Forum 2008

SALVADORIAN DELEGATION TO THE NEW BRUNSWICK SOCIAL FORUM 2008
Fredericton, Sept 27 – 28, 2008

Chico Montes, Community Leader and Lourdes Palicio, FMLN Congresswoman

Antonio Pacheco (Chico Montes) - Chico Montes has worked in El Salvador with campesino communities. Chico joined the Salvadorian popular movement in 1977. He has worked as a popular educator, communication worker and organizer. He is founder of ADES -- Santa Marta’s Social and Economic Development Association. Chico has worked actively with local communities to stop the advancement of Canadian mining companies. ADES is a non-profit, non-governmental organization, founded April 15, 1993. It was created to attend to the economic and social needs of marginal communities in El Salvador, particularly the communities of repatriated war refugees in of the department of Cabañas. The organization is centered in Sensuntepeque, El Salvador. ADES works to improve the quality of life and to develop the organizational bases to empower the communities for social and economic development strategies. The objective of ADES is to contribute the integrated development of communities in the department of Cabañas for the purpose of improving the quality of life and developing the organizational bases to empower the communities for social and economic strategies.

Chico Montes visit to Canada – 2008 :
Chico Montes is coming to Canada to participate at the NB Social Forum that will take place in Fredericton, September 27-28. Chico is looking forward to meeting with Canadians during his visit to Atlantic Canada (September 25-October 3).

Lourdes Palacios, MP – Community leader, anti-privatization organizer (water, health and public services national campaigns). Lourdes is now an FMLN Congresswoman at the National Assembly El Salvador, member of the multiparty Health and environment commission.
At an early age Lourdes joined the Salvadorian popular movement. She has worked extensively in community development programs both in urban and rural areas. Lourdes has worked hand in hand with communities to put pressure on the streets and from the national assembly to make sure life and rights of people are put first before quick profits and environmental damages caused by mining operations in El Salvador. Lourdes is working actively now with the FMLN's presidential campaign January and March 2009), She'll meet during her visit to Canada with a group of maritimers that are planning to go to El Salvador as electoral observers in early 2009. El Salvador General elections 2009: The social movement and FMLN are solidly united behind the candidacy of Mauricio Funes for president and Salvador Sanchez Ceren for vice president. Salvadorians are fed up with the right-wing ARENA party’s exclusionist economic program. Recent polls show the FMLN ahead by anywhere from 7 to 21 points. Meanwhile ARENA, the ruling party, is using varied program of dirty tactics in a desperate effort to hold onto power. ARENA has refused to implement recommendations of the Organization of American States to reform the electoral process, they have threatened serious restrictions on the activities of international electoral observers and they have removed ballot-counting regulations that prevent ballot box stuffing.

Lourdes Palacios visit to Canada - 2008:
Lourdes Palacios is coming to Canada to participate at the 2008 New Brunswick Social Forum. The event will take place in Fredericton, September 27 and 28, 2008. Lourdes is looking forward to meet with Canadians during her visit to Atlantic Canada (September 26 – September 29).

For more information on Chico or Lourdes’s visit to the Maritimes call Ronald Chavez at at: 902. 495 7067 chavez17s@yahoo.ca