El Salvador: Kidnaping the Mayors

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El Salvador's antigovernment guerrillas had warned Mayor-elect Lucio Rios not to take the oath of office in the small town of Nueva Esparta. Frightened, Christian Democrat Rios did not appear for the ceremony, but the insurgents kidnaped him anyway. Since May 1 they have seized 14 mayors and seem determined to abduct many more in contested municipalities where, according to the rebels, there is a "duality of power" between government and guerrillas. The rebels specifically link their campaign to the national guard's alleged capture of two women guerrillas, but the real aim seems to be to destroy local government structures.

The result has been anarchy and fear. "It is impossible to work in these towns," says an official in a district in which three mayors have been kidnaped and the remaining five have fled. Says a local missionary: "There is no authority here, just the people. Here we dance to whichever song is played."