Funes testifies in trial of son's murderer

El Salvador's president-elect, Mauricio Funes, testified emotionally today in the trial for the murder of his son Alejandro in October 2007. The
BBC reports:
The president-elect of El Salvador has made an emotional statement at a trial for his son's murder in Paris.

"I am a man who is not seeking vengeance... only the truth," said Mauricio Funes. He wept in court.

Alejandro Funes, 27, a photography student in France, died in October 2007 from stab wounds on a pedestrian bridge near the Louvre Museum.

Mohamed Amor, the main suspect, has asked the family for forgiveness. The motive of the attack is unclear....

President-elect Funes's brother was shot dead at the beginning of El Salvador's civil war in 1980 and safety had been a factor in Alejandro leaving the country, plagued by gang violence, to study in France.

"We thought he would be safer here.. I would never have imagined that he would be beaten to death here," said Mr Funes, unable to stop himself from crying as he spoke.

The left-wing leader, who takes office in June following his electoral victory in March, paid tribute to his son.

"We shared the same ideals, the same life projects and the desire to transform El Salvador, to convert it into a just society that would put an end to violence," Mr Funes said.

Funes will be inaugurated as El Salvador's first left-wing president next Monday, June 1.

Comments

Anonymous said…
wow, it sucks when people who are not a threat to society die
10:46 PM
Anonymous said…
The senseless murder of a decent young man with so much future to look forward is a tragedy beyond words, and my most sincere condolences go out to Mauricio Funes and to his family on the loss of their son. All parents with children join the family in their unimaginable grief.

Salvadoran society as a whole has long been subjected to an unchecked and cruel criminal wave of violence, murder and disrespect for the rights of others. This scourge of unbridled lawlessness has converted the country into one of the most violent places on earth.

Hopefully some small measure of good will result from this terrible tragedy. We all know that God works in mysterious ways. With the unexpected and terrible loss of a beloved son, President Elect Mauricio Funes joins those many thousands of grieving Salvadoran families who have been victimized by the criminal wave of violence and terror that runs rampant throughout El Salvador.

Let's pray that the Mauricio Funes administration will energetically confront crime and lawlessness head-on. El Salvador needs to restore a climate of peace and tranquility that will bring only benefits to the entire Salvadoran family. Go Mauricio!
10:23 AM
Anonymous said…
Indiscutiblemente que Tony Saca tiene a los ARENEROS completamente a la deriva depues de su vergonzosa derrota presidencial.

En el otro lado de la moneda, el Presidente Electo Maruicio Funes sigue ganando adeptos, y goza de un apoyo general envidiale. Funes sigue adelante a paso firme y esta formando un gabinete de "lujo" compuesto de profesionales con mucha trayectoria y de capacidad demostrada.

El Salvador con Fuenes hacia el bienestar general.
11:45 AM
Anonymous said…
ll decent salvadoreans grieve with our President-elect for the loss of his beloved son...
Some time ago, a co-worker of mine said that her son had been Alejandro Funes' classmate and that he was such a fine and intelligent young man (at the tinme he was still alive and living en France)...

Mr. Funes: we are very sorry that your son has died and we are sure that, in his honor, you are going to do your best to be the best president we have ever had.....
I know the challenges are great, but the people who love you are with you, to help you, to support you....

May God bless you always!!!!!

mireya
6:08 PM
Anonymous said…
The most infamous criminal gang organizations in El Salvador are now asking for dialog with President Elect Mauricio Funes, who himself recently suffered the loss of his own son at the hands of murderous street thugs.

Ironically, at his son's trial in Paris, Funes declared that he had sent his son there precisely because of the alarming levels of violence in El Salvador. Though we all feel saddened by the loss of funes' son, there are untold thousands of Salvadoran families who have also been victimize by the hideous wave of lawlessness and violence that affects each and every Salvadoran family.

Hopefully, Funes will make the war on crime a priority high on his list of things that must be addressed immediately. El Salvador demands it.
8:20 PM
Anonymous said…
Can it be actually possible that the FMLN's newly nominated Minister of Public Safety is the same Jose Manuel Melgar, aka Rogelo Martineez, who planned the Zona Rosa terrorist murders of U.S. and Salvadoran citizens in late 1980, while the victims relaxed, enjoying the cool evening breeze at an outdoor cafe? Apparently this renown terrorist was captured by Salvadoran authorities, but was never put of trial for these murders because his case was on of those that fell under the 1993 Amnesty Law. In this our new Democratic El Salvador, the nomination of Manuel Melgar is definitely a bad choice, and it must have taken a lot of arm twisting by the FMLN radical geriatric old guard to convince Mauricio Funes otherwise. As has been said before, Funes has placed himself in a very precarious situation and now we're seeing more clearly the "zopilotes" circling above.
11:09 PM
Anonymous said…
After weeping for the dead, perhaps Funes will shed a tear for the victims of so much violence in Salvador. According to reports, the country is the most violent place in the Americas. Amidst the murders and filth, how can people live there and feel good about themselves. It's time Salvadorans start taking responsibility for their lives. Pres Obama offered to help, but first of all Salvadorans must help by put some effort into helping themselves.
11:21 PM
Anonymous said…
Yes, you're right that Melgar was involved in that terrorist attack and murder at Zona Rosa. U.S. law does not permit us to help a country who has poven assassins of U.S. citizens in it's government. To hell with them. The murderous terrorist scumbag Manuel Melgar should be in jail, not holding a Salvadoran government office.
7:23 AM
Anonymous said…
Now that the elections are over and ARENA got their asses kicked, Freddy Cristiani and other arenero big shots are coming out to expain what happened and what should be done now. Well, Freddy, we know what happened and you and the leadership had ample time to see the warning signs and do something constructive about it a long time ago. But when it mattered you did NOTHING, and now what I can say to you is, "where were you little man, so spic and span, when the shit hit the fan."
7:33 AM
Anonymous said…
And now with this terrorist leftist victory to contend with in El Salvador, I can only say to the crucified Savior, "Sufra nena, sufra." The only good thing in all this might be that now maybe we can erase Salvador from our handout list and save some much needed tax dollars right here at home. And we should send all those illegal Salvadorans back home. Why not, the ties are broken and we are free at last, free at last, thank God almighty we are free at last of them.
7:43 AM
Anonymous said…
Not so fast there, compadre, aren't you interested to see in what cabinet post the FMLN will put Jose Luis Merino, the international gun trafficker gun smuggler who was caught red handed making big bucks with the FARC terrorists in Colombia.

Check-out the zopilotes circling the Salvadoran skies...
7:59 AM
Anonymous said…
Our recent fact-finding mission to El Salvador returned last Wednesday and already shared with us their first impressions through the extensive collection of audio and video interviews they were able to compile while there. Their initial conclusions were very disturbing and not what we had expected. Where we had expected to find an joyous populous rejoicing the triumph of Democracy and Democratic principles, what we observe in many of these interviews is an angry and resentful people wanting to exact revenge and satisfy some unknown offense, which our interviewers determined was a projection of a collective psyche of envy of have nots toward those who have. If these ominouos conclusions are correct, then El Salvador has a lot of growing to do, and hopefully Mr. Funes will find the fortitude to show the way towards true Democracy. I'm happy to announce that Our study group voted unanimously to continue to assist the Salvadoran people who need to find their way to prosperity and progress through our Savior and Lord.
8:53 AM
Anonymous said…
Johnny, you're right on! This dude, Funes, sure put himself into situation I wouldn't put by worst enemy into. It's kinda like he's put himself into a glass cage full of vipers and scorpions. The guy must either be a masochist or he's got the complex of a Hindu fakir. I think he's nuts cause most people can make a bunch of screw-ups, but this guy can only make one. Thanks. Cya k.
9:36 AM
Anonymous said…
Mauricio Funes has put together a super cabinet that superior to anything in Central America. It's a working team that's way beyond all my expectations!

A great beggining and a super good omen for El Salvador.
6:59 PM
Anonymous said…
Mauricio Funes' first projects aimed to turn Salvador's economy around, will be to invest 425 million dollars to energize the economy and reactivate job creation.

With Barack Obama and Lula de Silva as models to follow, Funes has has chosen great examples for El Salvador to emulate. Good Luck Mauricio.

Br. Proculo y Meches Calixto.
8:54 AM
Anonymous said…
Funes's inaugural speech, could anyone ask for more. Democracy at last! Great!
11:50 AM
Anonymous said…
Que bonito estuvo la inaguracion de Mauricio Funes. Lastima que brillaron por su ausencia "El Quechua Peinado" Evo Morales, el chafarrote, Hugo Chavez junto con su fiel Monica Lewinsky, "El Trompudo" Daniel Ortega. Se perdieron unos buenos tragos y una suculenta comida.
12:25 PM
Anonymous said…
El que estuvo ausente fue el cara de peidra, Hugo Chavez. Aunque la verdad es que no hizo falta.

El que se ve que esta vergon hoy es el turco, Nicolas Salume, quien continua en la CEL ganando plata hasta por joder. Estos turcos son negociantes y saben invertir. Le presto su casa a Funes, y ahora le toca cosechar las ganancias. Le tocan un periodo presidencial completo para hacerse bien riquito.

Lupita Pereira
Ciudad Barrios
6:53 PM
Anonymous said…
Sigue el maiz a peso y mi nana fiando.
12:23 PM
Anonymous said…
I care about Funen' son just about as much as he'd care about mine.
10:15 AM
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