Leaving El Salvador 1980 Final

The following document summarizes how events dictated the final decision: “Summary of Events Leading to the Withdrawal of Peace Corps Volunteers from El Salvador”

(DNSA/GWU:Collection: El Salvador, The Making of U.S. Policy 1977-1984, Item Number: ES00332)

In early January, PC Deputy Director William Sykes and LAC Regional Director Paul Bell traveled to El Salvador to assess the situation. After much dialogue with PCVs, PC staff, American Embassy and GOES officials, the recommendation was given to Peace Corps Director Richard Celeste not to withdraw the PCVS. (My note: there is an attachment referenced describing the reasons behind this recommendation. I could not locate it. It is cited as ” Attachment I, Appendix A.”).  It was hoped that the second Civilian military junta…would be able to stabilize the situation in El Salvador… However, violence continued to escalate.  On January 31, 1980, PC Director Celeste made the decision to pull the volunteers out of El Salvador by February 28^th.

Peace Corps did not return to El Salvador until 1993. Today, Peace Corps is again monitoring operations in that country.

Thank you, again, to the Digital National Security Archive at George Washington University and Dr. Mary Curry for all the work in making these public documents available.