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El Salvador’s Funes Offers Apology For Civil War Abuses

January 18, 2010 By Andrew OReilly

Salvadoran President Mauricio Funes offered an apology Saturday for the crimes committed by the government during the country’s civil war, according to Reuters.

Funes, the first president from the FMLN party which was founded by Marxist guerillas who fought the government, said that government soldiers and security forces had committed many human rights abuses during the period of the civil war between 1980 and 1992.

“In the name of the state of El Salvador, I ask for pardon,” Funes said at an event marking the 18th anniversary of the end of the conflict, which left at least 75,000 people dead, according to Reuters.

Funes did not mention any abuses committed by leftist forces during the civil war, although members of his party speaking at another event on Saturday did acknowledge them.