Political mud slinging from the pulpit

Reporters on the Job: I enjoyed doing this story about Evangelicals as the key swing vote in Sunday’s elections in El Salvador (read the Monitor's report here) because I got to revisit a theme that is dear to my heart: the role of Evangelicals in Latin America.

But there was definitely an undercurrent of polarization here, which was different from what I’d seen among Evangelicals in Nicaragua, Brazil, Colombia, and Guatemala. There is a political battle going on between pastors who support the conservative Arena party and those who support the leftist FMLN. It includes all kinds of name-calling and wild claims about political parties and candidates. I felt as if I was watching a soap opera.

In a way it was a microcosm of the deep polarization in Salvadoran society, which is a major theme in this election.