The Reagan administration hailed Duarte as a centrist reformer who would bring democracy to El Salvador. With Duarte in power, the US increasedmilitary aid to El Salvador, hitting a high of $197m in 1984.
But Washington turned a blind eye to the human rights abuses carried out by the military and allied death squads under Duarte’s watch.
At El Mozote, soldiers from the Atlacatl Battalion – an elite counterinsurgency unit trained, armed, and funded by the US – lined up, interrogated, tortured, and executed villagers. They started with the men before turning to the women and children, gang-raping women and girls.
