In El Salvador, hundreds of people gathered in the capital San Salvador on Saturday to mark this week’s thirtieth anniversary of the killing of Catholic Archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero. The so-called “voice of the voiceless,” Romero was a prominent advocate for the poor and leading critic of the then-US-backed Salvadoran military government. He was killed while delivering mass at a hospital chapel, reportedly on the orders of the US-backed death squad leader Roberto D’Aubuisson. At the ceremony, Salvadoran President Mauricio Funes apologized on behalf of previous governments that refused to investigate Romero’s killing.

Salvadoran President Mauricio Funes: “For the last thirty years, the official position has ignored this, ignored this act and the prophetic words of Monsignor Romero. Now, this government, under my presidency, is amending this historical error and publicly recognizing the legacy of Monsignor Romero. As the government of the republic, the government needed to support this national effort.”