Honduras And El Salvador Agree To Define Boundaries In 18 Months

By DAGOBERTO RODRIGUEZ

President Ricardo Maduro and Francisco Flores from El Salvador met in Marcala La Paz with the purpose of settling an accelerated plan to define the boundary line between the countries, the process is intended to begin October 30 of this year. The presidential agreement considers that at least 10 kilometers would be marked every month. 178.6 kilometers are expected to be done by the next 18 months.

The General Peace Treaty of the border-line between Honduras and El Salvador is made up of 374.5 kilometers, from which only 195.9 have been defined, 34 kilometers from this Treaty are still to be defined and the remaining 144.6 are the ones the International Court of Justice sentenced to be marked. The process will begin October 30 and will require US$ 3.5 million on behalf of each government. 75 technicians will be involved in the process and will use conventional methods and satellite technology in the process.

October 30 is considered to be a symbolic day since that is the date the General Peace Treaty was signed in Lima, Peru. In a press conference, both presidents explained that the process will begin with the 12.6 kilometers in Tepanguisir, Ocotepeque because they make part of the sentence given September, 1992 by the International Court of Justice.
“Next October 30 will frame the first steady step for a monument will be placed here and we both will be here,” Maduro said. “I want to be clear and make notice that there is no effective conflict regarding the counties boundaries because a court sentence has already defined them in 1992.” He indicated that the borders definition will open up the quality of life for the inhabitants of the area have because from that moment on new business will be established and foreign investors will be attracted to the zone.

Unity is an important fact to us because at the time to negotiate international treaties of free commerce and deal with the aspects related to coffee pricing and the establishment of immigration policies these would be favorable to our citizens in other countries.
On his behalf president Flores considered the process to begin as a clear evidence of the political will that both countries have, contrary to the unstableness reflected in the past. “But now we should leave behind insecurity, confusion and conflicts” said Flores. “Defining the border is the key that leads our countries to prosperity.”

‘Independence Act’

‘National Palace of Guatemala’ September fifteenth eighteen twenty-one.’

Being public and indubitable the desires of independence from the Spanish government and that it has been expressed on paper and by word by the people of this City; in the last mail we have received different official letters from the Constitutional City Halls of Ciudad Real, Comitan and Tuxtla, on which they express to have proclaimed and sworn under such independence, and they encourage the same to be done in this City. Being true that the same official letters have circulated in other City Halls, it has been agreed with The Most Excellent Provisional Commission to deal with such a ponderous matter to meet in one of this Palace’s Chambers with the Illustrious Sir Arch-Bishop, the individuals that would depute, The Most Excellent Territorial Authority, the Venerable Mister Dean and the Ecclesiastic Commission, The Most Excellent City Hall, and the very Illustrious Cloister, the Consulate, the Attorney’s College, the regular Prelates, public functionaries and chiefs: all gathered in the same Chamber: read the expressed Official Letters: discussed and slowly meditated on the matter; heard the long live the independence hail continuously repeated by the people gathered in the streets, squares, courts, corridors and ante-chamber of this palace, it was agreed : by this commission to individuals of the most Excellent City Hall.

1.- That being the independence from the Spanish government the general will of the people from Guatemala and without prejudice to what the Congress to be might determine upon it, that the Political Chief have it published in order to prevent the consequences in the case that the people proclaimed it themselves.

2.- That the Official Letters arrive to the Province through an extraordinary mail service and that without any delay they proceed to elect their Representatives or Congressmen so they can come to this Capital to make part of the Congress that shall decide upon the independence act and that in case of agreement to establish to government form and the fundamental law that it shall obey.

3.- That in order to facilitate the election of the Congressmen, to proceed to settle an election board like the one they made to elect the last Congressmen for Cortes.

4.- That the number of this Congressmen be in the proportion of one to every fifteen thousand individuals, without excluding from the citizenship the African citizens.

5.- That the same Province Electoral Board settles the number of Congressmen or Representatives to elect based on the results of data the last population census.

6.- That in attention to the importance and urgency of the matter, the elections take place on March first of next year 1822, and the Congressmen to be gathered in this Capital.

7.- That the established authorities continue to carry out their respective attributions with the amendment made to the constitution, Agreements and Laws until the appointed Congress establishes the most righteous and beneficial to the people.

8.- That the Sir Brigadier Political Chief Don Gabino Gainza continues with the Supreme Political and Military Government.

9.- That the Provisional consults the Political Chief on regard of all economical and governmental matters that deserve his attention.

10.- That the Catholic religion we confess remain official to this generation and the ones to come.

11.- that the Official Letters may be passed on to the religious prelate communities.

12.- That peace in the City be kept under the City Hall’s responsibility.

13.- That the procedures taken by the government and its intentions may be published for the knowledge of the people.

14.- That all the authorities take the same oath of independence and faithfulness to the American government to be established.

15.- That the Political Chief assigns the day the people shall proclaim and take the oath the independence act expresses

16.- That the City Hall make orders the coining of a medal that shall remember in the coming centuries the day Guatemala proclaimed its independence.

17.- That this Act may be printed and distributed to all the authorities and people.

18.- That a thanksgiving mass be signed the day appointed by the Political Chief inviting all the authorities to be present, that a gun salute may be done and the city remain illuminated for three consecutive days.