By Mahdi Darius Nazemroaya
The Salvadorian corruption scandal involving Francisco Flores,
who was president of El Salvador from 1999 until 2004, has opened the
door for the diplomatic recognition of the People’s Republic of China by
the next government in San Salvador, which the FMLN failed to ascertain
under the term of President Mauricio Funes. The graft involving Flores
has created the appropriate political opportunity for El Salvador’s
Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN) to formally cut
diplomatic ties with Taiwan (formally known as the Republic of China),
if an FMLN president is elected in March 2014.
This diplomatic question additionally exposes the behind the scenes
coordination that is taking place between Beijing and Taipei. This
paints a picture of a cordial path towards Chinese unification between
Taiwan and mainland China and not one of rivalry. Neither Beijing nor
Taipei has put major obstacles in the other’s way, recognizing that
ultimately there will be one China.
Francisco Flores and the Salvadorian Oligarchy