The countries of Central America are one of the most problematic regions of the New World. Throughout the XIX-XX centuries. bloody interstate and civil wars have repeatedly occurred here, and the political history of most Central American states was an endless series of military coups and successive dictatorial regimes. The small population, small area of the Central American states and their economic backwardness led to almost complete political and economic dependence on the powerful northern neighbor - the United States. Any attempts to free themselves from this dependence, undertaken by progressive politicians, led to military interventions - either directly by the American army or by mercenaries trained with the direct participation of the United States. Accordingly, the armed forces of the countries of Central America developed in close connection with the ongoing political events.
Recall that the countries of Central America include the Spanish-speaking Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama and El Salvador and the English-speaking Belize. Belize stands out among the seven countries of the region - due to the fact that it remained a British colony for a very long time, and its political history developed in a completely different way than its Hispanic neighbors. As for the other six states of Central America, their political and military history and economic situation are very similar to each other, although they have a number of certain differences. Therefore, it makes sense to start an overview of the region's armed forces with the army of Guatemala, the largest country in Central America. As of 2013, the population of Guatemala was 14,373,472, making the country the largest in terms of population in the region.
Guatemala: from militia to regular army
The history of the armed forces of Guatemala is rooted in the era of the struggle for national independence of the countries of Central America against the Spanish colonialists. In the colonial era, the military units of the Spanish army stationed in the territory of the Captaincy General of Guatemala, which existed in 1609-1821, were staffed either by immigrants from Europe or by their descendants. However, Captain-General Matias de Galvez, to protect the area from pirates, reinforced the troops of the colony and began to attract mestizos for service in military units. In the early years of the country's independence, the army was a militia without real military training. The strengthening of the army was hampered by constant internal conflicts between individual commanders and the almost complete absence of military discipline.
General Rafael Carrera (1814-1865) became the first president of Guatemala to attempt to modernize the country's armed forces. It was this state and military leader of the country, a native of the Indians, who in 1839 officially proclaimed the independence of Guatemala, completing the process of the country's withdrawal from the United provinces of Central America. Having served as president in 1844-1848 and 1851-1865, Carrera brilliantly repelled the attack of Honduras and El Salvador, which sought to restore the allied Central American state, and even captured the capital of El Salvador, San Salvador in 1863. Carrera set himself the task of transforming the Guatemalan army into the best armed forces in the region and for a certain period, as evidenced by his military successes, he fully achieved this goal. In the subsequent period of the history of Guatemala, a gradual strengthening of the army took place, a special role in which was played by the opening of the Polytechnic School, where future officers began to be trained. Thus, the foundation was laid for the formation of the country's career officer corps. According to the Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary, by 1890 Guatemala's armed forces consisted of a regular army of 3,718 soldiers and officers, and a reserve militia of 67,300. At the beginning of the twentieth century. a Chilean military mission was founded in Guatemala. The more militarily advanced Chile assisted the Guatemalan government in modernizing the country's armed forces. By the way, officer Ibanez del Campo, who later became President of Chile, served in the mission.
Beginning in the 1930s, when General Jorge Ubico y Castaneda (1878-1946) came to power in the country, the strengthening of the Guatemalan army began. In each province of the country, its political leader was at the same time a military commander, subordinate to whom was a company of regular infantry of about 100 soldiers and a company of reserve militia. At the same time, in the 1930s, cooperation between the Guatemalan army and the United States intensified, which was suspended after the coup of 1944, which overthrew the dictatorship of General Ubico and served as the basis for the patriotic reorientation of the country. Nevertheless, the new revolutionary government tried to reorganize the Guatemalan army on its own - for example, in 1946 an engineer battalion of the Guatemalan army was created - the country's first engineering unit. In addition, cavalry was eliminated as an independent branch of the army, 7 military districts and an army headquarters were created. In 1949, due to the further deterioration of American-Guatemalan relations, the United States refused to supply weapons to Guatemala. Nevertheless, in 1951, the Guatemalan army had already numbered 12,000 soldiers and officers, and even had its own air force with 30 old American aircraft. Before the famous 1954 invasion of Guatemala by CIA-trained mercenaries, the country's air force included 14 old aircraft - 8 light attack aircraft, 4 transport aircraft and 2 training aircraft. By the way, it was a group of high-ranking Air Force officers, including Colonel Castillo Armas and even Air Force Commander Colonel Rudolfo Mendozo Azurdio, who played an important role in organizing the invasion. The fact is that a significant part of the country's military elite never welcomed the revolutionary reforms of the government of President Jacobo Arbenz and had close ties with the American special services, most often established precisely during the period of training in American military schools or cooperation with the American command. When the patriotic regime of President Jacobo Arbenz was overthrown in Guatemala as a result of the invasion, which bore the official name "Operation PBSUCCESS" (Voennoye Obozreniye had already written about it), Colonel Castillo Armas, who led the invasion, came to power. He returned all nationalized lands to the American company United Fruit, canceled Arbenz's progressive reforms, and restored Guatemala's military cooperation with the United States. On April 18, 1955, a bilateral military-political agreement was concluded between the United States and Guatemala. Since that time, the Guatemalan army has played a crucial role in maintaining the regimes of military dictatorships, repression against dissidents and the genocide of the Indian population of the country. Nevertheless, not all members of the Guatemalan army agreed with the policy pursued by the country's military elite. So, on November 13, 1960, there was a famous uprising in the central barracks, organized by a group of junior officers of the Guatemalan army. The rebels managed to occupy a military base in Sakapa, but already on November 15, units loyal to the government suppressed the uprising. However, some of the participants in the uprising left the country or went underground. Subsequently, it was these junior officers of the Guatemalan army that created and led the revolutionary communist guerrilla organizations that waged a long war against the central government. The most famous among them were Alejandro de Leon, Luis Augusto Turcios Lima and Mario Antonio Ion Sosa.
Throughout the 1960-1980s. Guatemala continued to develop military-political cooperation with the United States. So, in 1962, the country became a member of the Central American Defense Council (CONDECA, Consejo de Defensa Centroamericana). In 1963-1964. More than 40 American military advisers and instructors arrived in Guatemala to supervise the training of units of the Guatemalan army that fought the communist rebels. By 1968, the Guatemalan armed forces numbered 9,000, including 7,800 serving in the army, 1,000 in the air force, and 200 in the country's naval forces. The training of Guatemalan officers began in the US military educational institutions. The increase in the size of the army also continued - so, in 1975, the country's armed forces numbered 11, 4 thousand military personnel, as well as 3,000 employees of the national police. The ground forces, numbering 10 thousand people, included six infantry and one paratrooper battalion, the Air Force - 4 squadrons of assault, transport and training aircraft. The Guatemalan Navy had 1 small anti-submarine ship and several patrol boats. In addition, in December 1975, special anti-partisan formations of special purpose were created - "kaibili", which in translation from the Maya-Quiche language means "night tigers". By 1978, in connection with the need to further improve the effectiveness of anti-guerrilla warfare, the number of infantry battalions of the Guatemalan army was brought to 10, and the number of ground forces increased from 10 thousand to 13.5 thousand people. In 1979, the number of ground forces increased to 17 thousand people. The main focus in the 1970s - 1980s. was done precisely for the development of the ground forces, which, in fact, performed the police functions of fighting partisans and protecting public order. By the early 1990s. the army was armed with 17 tanks and 50 armored vehicles, and the strength of the armed forces was 28,000 people. In 1996, after the end of the civil war in the country, over 10,000 servicemen were dismissed from the army.
In 2010-2012. the armed forces of Guatemala numbered 15, 2 thousand servicemen, another 19 thousand people served in paramilitary formations. In addition, about 64 thousand people were in reserve. The number of Guatemalan ground forces was 13,440 troops. The ground forces included 1 special purpose brigade, 1 reconnaissance regiment, 1 presidential guard battalion, 6 armored, 2 paratrooper, 5 infantry, 2 engineering and 1 training battalions. In service were 52 armored personnel carriers, 161 field artillery guns (including 76 pieces - 105-mm towed guns), 85 mortars, more than 120 recoilless guns, 32 pieces. anti-aircraft guns M-55 and GAI-D01. The Guatemalan Air Force served 871 people, the Air Force was armed with 9 combat aircraft, including 2 A-37B attack aircraft and 7 Pilatus PC-7 light attack aircraft, as well as 30 training and transport aircraft, 28 helicopters. 897 sailors and officers served in the country's naval forces; 10 patrol boats and 20 small river patrol boats were in service. Later, the reduction of the country's armed forces was carried out. The structure of the armed forces of Guatemala is currently as follows. It is headed by the Commander-in-Chief of the Guatemalan Army, who exercises leadership through the Minister of National Defense, to whom the Deputy Defense Ministers are subordinate. The command of the country's land forces is carried out by the inspector general of the army and the headquarters of the army.
The armed forces of Guatemala have military ranks characteristic of many Spanish-speaking states: 1) divisional general (admiral), 2) brigadier general (vice admiral), 3) colonel (fleet captain), 4) lieutenant colonel (captain of a frigate), 5) major (captain of the corvette), 6) prime captain (lieutenant of the fleet), 7) seconds-captain (lieutenant of the frigate), 8) lieutenant (alferes of the fleet), 9) sub-lieutenant (alferes of the corvette), 10) sergeant-major (master- major), 11) technician-sergeant (master technician), 12) first sergeant (master), 13) second sergeant (counter-master), 14) corporal (first sailor), 15) first class soldier (second sailor), 16) second class soldier (third sailor). As you can see, the rank "alferes", which in many Hispanic armies is the lowest officer rank, is retained in Guatemala only in the navy. The training of officers of the Guatemalan army is carried out at the Polytechnic College, which is the oldest military educational institution in the country with more than a century of history. College graduates are awarded a Bachelor of Technology and Resource Management degree and the military rank of lieutenant. The training of reserve officers of the Guatemalan army is carried out at the Adolfo V. Hall Institute, which trains students of Guatemalan universities in the basics of military knowledge. Graduates of the institute receive the rank of lieutenant in the reserve of the ground forces and a bachelor of arts and sciences or sciences and literature. The institute, founded in 1955, received its name in honor of Sergeant Adolfo Venancio Hall Ramirez, the hero of the Battle of Chalchuapa. The training of officers of the country's air force is carried out at the military aviation school.
Guatemalan "night tigers"
The most combat-ready and elite formation of the Guatemalan army continues to be the legendary "kaibili" - the "Night Tigers" special purpose brigade, founded in 1975. It is used for special operations, reconnaissance, and the fight against terrorism. At the request of the UN, 2 companies of "night tigers" took part in peacekeeping campaigns in Liberia, Congo, Haiti, Nepal, Cote d'Ivoire. Back in 1974, the Center for Training and Special Operations of Guatemala was created, in which commandos were to be trained to participate in the fight against communist partisans. In 1975, the center changed its name to the Kaibil School, to which instructors from among the American Rangers were sent to improve the training system. In 1996, after the end of the civil war in the country, the President of Guatemala, Alvaro Arzu Irigoyena, announced his decision to keep the "kaibili", but in a new capacity - as a special unit to fight the drug mafia, terrorism and organized crime. American military instructors continued to train the Kaibili. Foreign military experts call the "kaibili" "terrible killing machines" because of the brutal training and tactics used. This name fully reflects the essence of the special forces, which still does not hesitate to show cruelty, unacceptable for the military of many other states, towards civilians during special operations. It is also known that many former special forces "kaibili", demobilized from the armed forces, do not find themselves in "civilian life" in impoverished Guatemala and prefer to join the drug mafia, which uses them as bodyguards for their bosses or killers to eliminate competitors.
Salvadoran army
El Salvador is one of Guatemala's closest neighbors. It is the most densely populated country in Central America: over 6.5 million people live on an area of 21 thousand km². Almost the absolute majority (over 86%) of the country's population are mestizo, the second largest are white Creoles and Europeans, the Indian population is extremely small (about 1%). In 1840 El Salvador became the last state to leave the Central American Federation (United Provinces of Central America), after which this political entity ceased to exist. The history of the armed forces of this small country began with the withdrawal of El Salvador from the United Provinces. Initially, the armed forces of El Salvador consisted of several detachments of light cavalry, performing both military and police functions. By the 1850s. the country's army increased significantly in number, dragoon squadrons, infantry units and artillery were created. By the 1850-1860s. the officer corps of the Salvadoran army is also formed, initially almost entirely consisting of Creoles of European origin. To reform the Salvadoran army, the French military mission was opened in the country, with the help of which an officer's school was soon created, which was later transformed into the Military Academy of El Salvador. The development of military science and weapons demanded the discovery in the early 1890s. and the School of Sub-Officers, which trained NCOs in the Salvadoran army. Military instructors began to be invited not only from France, but also from the USA, Germany and Chile. By 1911, El Salvador's army began to be recruited through conscription. In parallel with the improvement of the system of manning and training of the Salvadoran army, its internal structure was also strengthened. So, in 1917, a cavalry regiment was created, stationed in the capital of the country, San Salvador. In 1923, the Washington Conference was held, at which representatives of the Central American countries signed the "Treaty of Peace and Friendship" with the United States and the "Convention on the Reduction of Arms". In accordance with this convention, the maximum strength of the armed forces of El Salvador was set at 4,200 troops (for Guatemala, as a larger country, the threshold was set at 5,400 troops). From 1901 to 1957 the organization of training and education of the Salvadoran army was engaged, as in neighboring Guatemala, the military mission of Chile.
Military cooperation with the United States began later than with Chile - in the 1930s, and reached its highest scale during the Cold War. It was then that the United States became seriously concerned about preventing the spread of communist ideology in Central America. To organize the opposition to the possible deployment of an insurrectionary struggle in the region, the United States took control of all issues of financing, armament, training, and organization of command and control of the Central American armies. However, until the early 1950s. El Salvador did not have a large army. So, in 1953, the number of the country's armed forces was 3000 people, and only in the event of the outbreak of war and mobilization was the deployment of 15 infantry, 1 cavalry and 1 artillery regiments envisaged. As in neighboring Guatemala, the army played a large role in the political history of El Salvador. In 1959, the military dictator of El Salvador, Colonel José García Lemus, and the dictator of Guatemala, Idigoras Fuentes, signed an "anti-communist pact" that provided for cooperation between the two countries in the fight against the communist threat in Central America. In 1962, El Salvador became a member of the Central American Defense Council (CONDECA, Consejo de Defensa Centroamericana). In parallel, the country's military cooperation with the United States grew. In July 1969, there was a short-term military conflict between El Salvador and its closest neighbor Honduras - the famous "Football War", the formal reason for which was the riots that broke out in both countries in connection with the struggle between the football teams of Honduras and El Salvador for reaching the final of the World Cup 1970 year. In fact, of course, the conflict had other reasons - El Salvador was the largest creditor to the economically weaker Honduras, the sparsely populated El Salvador attracted the lands of a territorially larger and less populated neighbor. On June 24, 1969, El Salvador began mobilizing the armed forces. On July 14, 1969, five infantry battalions of the Salvadoran army and nine companies of the National Guard invaded Honduras, while the Salvadoran Air Force began to strike at the country's most important strategic points. The war lasted 6 days and cost El Salvador 700 and Honduras 1200 lives. For strengthening the defenses of El Salvador, the war was also important, since it led to an increase in the size of the army. Already in 1974, the armed forces of El Salvador numbered 4, 5 thousand people in the ground forces, another 1 thousand people served in the air force and 200 people in the naval forces.
Civil war and the rise of the Salvadoran army
The internal political situation in the country also gradually worsened. Economic problems caused a political crisis and a series of military insurgencies and clashes. Rebel organizations of the radical left were formed. On October 11, 1980, a united National Liberation Front named after Farabundo Martí was created, which included: People's Liberation Forces named after Farabundo Martí (FPL) with its own armed formation "People's Liberation Army", the Revolutionary Party of El Salvador with its own armed formation "Revolutionary Army of the People", National Resistance (RN) with its own militia "Armed Forces of National Resistance", the Communist Party of El Salvador (PCS) with its own militia "Armed Forces of Liberation", Revolutionary Party of the Workers of Central America (PRTC) with its own militia "Central American Revolutionary Army of Workers ". The outbreak of civil war also demanded the strengthening of the Salvadoran government army. By 1978, the country's armed forces numbered 7,000 troops and 3,000 members of other paramilitary units. The ground forces consisted of three infantry brigades, 1 cavalry squadron, 1 paratrooper company, 2 commando companies, 1 artillery brigade and 1 anti-aircraft battalion. The Air Force had 40 aircraft, the Navy had 4 patrol boats. Already in 1979, the growth of the size of the armed forces began, at the same time the United States began to provide serious military assistance to the Salvadoran army. Initially, Salvadoran officers began to be sent for retraining to American military camps in Panama, as well as to the School of the Americas at Fort Gulik in the United States. 1981 to 1985 the number of the armed forces of El Salvador increased to 57 thousand military personnel, the number of police - up to 6 thousand people, fighters of the National Guard - up to 4, 2 thousand people, rural and customs police - up to 2, 4 thousand people. The combat effectiveness of army and police units also increased. Five airmobile rapid response battalions of 600 soldiers each were formed - Atlacatl, Atonal, Arce, Ramon Belloso and General Eusebio Brasamonte. They were directly subordinate to the general staff of the Salvadoran armed forces and were used in the fight against the partisans. The airborne battalion, 20 light infantry battalions "Kazador" ("Hunter"), 350 soldiers and officers each, were also among the combat-ready units of the army. A long-range reconnaissance company was attached to each army brigade, and another long-range reconnaissance company was formed as part of the El Salvadorian Air Force. In 1985, a battalion of marines "October 12", numbering up to 600 servicemen, was created as part of the country's navy. Also in the Navy in 1982.a long-range reconnaissance company was formed, transformed into a battalion of "naval commandos", which consisted of a guard company of a naval base, a commando company "Piranha", a company of commandos "Barracuda", a group of combat swimmers. The National Guard included a company of anti-terrorist operations in cities and countryside. The listed formations were responsible for the implementation of the main combat missions in the fight against the Salvadoran partisan movement.
National Guard and death squads
The National Guard played an important role in the civil war in El Salvador. This structure, similar to the gendarmerie in many countries, existed for 80 years - from 1912 to 1992. It was created in 1912 to protect public order and fight crime in rural areas, protect coffee plantations, but almost throughout its history, the most important task of the National Guard has been the suppression of numerous popular uprisings. Since 1914, the National Guard was part of the armed forces, but administratively subordinate to the Ministry of the Interior of El Salvador. When creating the National Guard, the structure of the Spanish Civil Guard was taken as a model. The strength of the National Guard was assigned to 14 companies - one company in each department of El Salvador. In the event of the outbreak of hostilities, as a result of the information of the companies, five battalions of the National Guard were formed. It is noteworthy that even the communists spoke with great respect about the first years of the existence of the National Guard of El Salvador - after all, at that time the National Guards, at the cost of huge losses, were fighting the rampant banditry in the countryside of El Salvador. But by the 1920s. The National Guard has in fact become a repressive apparatus. By the time the civil war began, the number of the National Guard was about 3000 people, later it was increased to 4 thousand people, and then, by 1989, to 7, 7 thousand people. In addition to the usual territorial units, the National Guard included: the September 15 battalion, which was on duty to guard the Pan American Highway and numbered at first 218 and then 500 troops; a company for conducting anti-terrorist operations in cities and rural areas; Presidential battalion. Also part of the National Guard was the Special Investigation Service, its own unit of political intelligence and counterintelligence.
The civil war in El Salvador lasted from 1979 to 1992. and cost the country 75 thousand dead, 12 thousand missing and over 1 million refugees. Needless to say, the economic damage from the civil war in the tiny country was colossal. In addition, there have been numerous cases of individual soldiers and even entire units going over to the side of partisan formations. Even a senior officer of the Salvadoran army, Lieutenant Colonel Bruno Navarette with his subordinates, went over to the side of the rebels, who on the radio of the rebel organization appealed to the armed forces to follow his example and support the armed struggle against the ruling regime. On the other hand, anti-communist forces used money from the United States and local oligarchs to form death squads, the most famous of which was the Guatemalan-Salvadoran Secret Anti-Communist Army. The direct organizer of the death squads was Major Roberto d'Aubusson (1944-1992), who began his service in the National Guard, and then became an intelligence officer of the General Staff of the Armed Forces. A former extreme anti-communist, Aubusson founded the right-wing radical organization "Union of White Warriors" in 1975, and in 1977 he became a co-founder (from the Salvadoran side) of the Secret Anti-Communist Army. The CAA launched terrorist attacks against the Salvadoran left forces, as well as the country's political leaders, who, according to the right circles in the army and police, constituted a threat to the existing order. Back in 1981, US President Ronald Reagan proclaimed El Salvador a "battlefield against international communism," after which the United States began to provide enormous financial support to the Salvadoran government, amounting to billions of dollars. As is quite understandable, the bulk of these funds went to strengthen, train and equip the armed forces, national guard and police forces of El Salvador, as well as to maintain non-governmental anti-communist armed groups. Each of the six army brigades of the Salvadorian ground forces had three American military advisers, and 30 CIA officers were deployed to reinforce El Salvador's security agency. In total, about 5 thousand US citizens participated in the civil war in El Salvador - both as military advisers and as instructors, specialists, civilian personnel (propagandists, engineers, etc.). Thanks to strong support from the United States, left-wing forces have failed, unlike neighboring Nicaragua, to win the civil war in El Salvador. Only in 1992, after the end of the civil war, did the gradual reduction of the armed forces of El Salvador begin. Initially, they were reduced from 63 thousand to 32 thousand people, then, by 1999, to 17 thousand people. Of these, 15 thousand people served in the ground forces, 1, 6 thousand people - in the Air Force, 1, 1 thousand people - in the Navy. In addition, 12 thousand people remained in the Salvadoran police. The National Guard of El Salvador was disbanded in 1992, and a special military security brigade was created in its place. After a general reduction in the armed forces, the number of Salvadoran marines was also reduced. The 12 October naval battalion was reduced to 90 men. Currently, it is a unit of the airborne special forces used for combat operations in coastal waters, combating crime, and supporting the population in emergencies. The training of the Marine Corps personnel is currently carried out by Argentine military instructors.
The current state of the Salvadoran army
Currently, the strength of the El Salvadorian armed forces has increased again to 32,000. The command of the armed forces is exercised by the President of the country through the Ministry of National Defense. The direct command of the armed forces is exercised by the State Joint Staff of the Armed Forces, which includes the chiefs of staff of the land forces, air force and naval forces of the country. The recruitment of the rank and file of the country's armed forces is carried out by conscription of males who have reached the age of 18, for a period of 1 year of service. Officers are trained in the country's military educational institutions - the military school "Captain General Gerardo Barrios", the military aviation school "Captain Reinaldo Cortes Guillermo". Graduates of military educational institutions are awarded the rank of lieutenant or equivalent ranks of the Air Force and Navy. In the armed forces of El Salvador, ranks are established that differ in the ground forces, the air force and the naval forces. In the ground forces, the ranks are established: 1) divisional general, 2) brigadier general, 3) colonel, 4) lieutenant colonel, 5) major, 6) captain, 7) lieutenant, 8) subleutenant, 9) brigadier sergeant major, 10) first sergeant major, 11) sergeant major, 12) first sergeant, 13) sergeant, 14) sub sergeant 15) corporal, 16) private. In the Air Force, there is a hierarchy of ranks similar to that of the ground, with the only exception that instead of a divisional general in the Air Force, there is the title of "General of Aviation". El Salvador's Naval Forces have their own ranks: 1) vice admiral, 2) rear admiral, 3) fleet captain, 4) frigate captain, 5) corvette captain, 6) fleet lieutenant, 7) frigate lieutenant, 8) lieutenant corvette, 9) master major, 10) first master, 11) master, 12) first sergeant master, 13) sergeant master, 14) sub sergeant master, 15) corporal master. Military ranks are the personal property of Salvadoran officers, which remains even after dismissal from the army - only a court sentence can deprive an officer of his military rank even after resignation. The Armed Forces of El Salvador take part in numerous military Olympics held in the countries of Central and South America, and the Salvadoran special forces demonstrate very high levels of combat training in competitions.
Currently, the army of El Salvador is increasingly used to combat drug trafficking and youth gangs rampaging in the cities of the country. The extremely high crime rate in the country, due to the low standard of living of the population, does not allow fighting crime only by the police forces. Therefore, the army is involved in patrolling Salvadoran cities. The main opponents of the Salvadoran military in the slums of the country's cities are members of Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13), the country's largest mafia organization, numbering, according to some media reports, up to 300 thousand people. Almost every young man in the slums of Salvadoran cities is connected to one degree or another with a mafia group. This explains the extreme brutality with which the Salvadoran military operate in slum villages. In addition, units of the Salvadoran army took part in a number of UN peacekeeping operations in Liberia, Western Sahara, Lebanon. In 2003-2009. a contingent of the Salvadoran army was in Iraq. Taking into account the rotation of personnel, 3,400 Salvadoran military personnel served in Iraq, 5 people died. In addition, Salvadoran soldiers took part in the fighting in Afghanistan. As for the military assistance of foreign states, in 2006 the Salvadoran leadership turned to Israel for help - the command of the Salvadoran army counted on the IDF's help in programs to improve the skills of officers and train reservists. The United States continues to provide the most significant military aid to El Salvador. It is the United States that currently finances educational programs for the Salvadoran army, provides weapons - from small arms to armored vehicles and helicopters.
