Why a March for Peace in Central America?
In January, 1983, representatives of Panama, Mexico, Colombia, and Venezuela decided to take a big risk: the active promotion of a Latin American, negotiated alternative to President Reagans contra war against Nicaragua. Their over-riding concern was to prevent a U.S. invasion of Nicaragua, and the region-wide conflict that would certainly result from such an invasion. The four countries became known as the Contadora group, after the Panamanian island on which they met. Later, the Contadora four would be supported by the Lima Support Group — Brazil, Peru, Uruguay, and Argentina — and their efforts to build a regional peace plan would be hailed around the world. Quoted material following is from various Christian Science Monitor (CSM) reports on the Contadora peace process. The Contadora group’s earliest plan was a three-tier approach that may offer something to all sides: * A twin set of bilateral talks (Nicaragua-Honduras and Nicaragua-US). * A trilateral meeting (Nicaragua-Honduras-S
