Letter from Fabio Castillo to López Vallecillos, 2 August 1972
Dublin Core
Title
Letter from Fabio Castillo to López Vallecillos, 2 August 1972
Description
Fabio Castillo, former rector of El Salvador's national university, has been driven into exile in Nicaragua after the university was invaded and occupied by the army on order of the military government in 1972. The military believed the campus was a hive of leftist political activity and kept it effectively closed until 1974, an event that was a milestone in El Salvador's march to civil war. In his bleak letter to López Vallecillos -- himself in exile in Costa Rica -- Castillo describes the tight restrictions on his movements under the Somoza dictatorship in Nicaragua. Castillo later became an important financial supporter for the FMLN guerrilla movement in El Salvador.
Creator
Fabio Castillo
Source
López Vallecillos Family Archive
Date
2 August 1972
Format
Paper
Language
Spanish
Type
Personal letter
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
Translation:
2 August 1972
Mr Italo López Vallecillos
San José, Costa Rica
Dear Italo and Silvia [his wife].
[…]
The situation does not show any signs of improving, because today bad news arrived in letters that some of the compañeros have received. It seems that the situation is tense and they say that the city [San Salvador] is deserted early in the evening and the people very frightened. Nonetheless we lack the necessary information to form a clear idea of the current situation. I doubt you have better information than us.
Nor is the situation clear here [in Nicaragua]. We do not know if we will be able to leave or when. Gabi and Rafael Menjívar were given authorization and documents that are a Central American immigration card. The rest of us have been told nothing. Several already have jobs and probably will stay here. With regard to me, I have not made any concrete plans and this is the first letter I have written anyone except the letters to my family that I sent with Juanita. In other words I have not made efforts anywhere to find a new job. The Rector of the University of Costa Rica sent word that I could go to San José, that immediately they would give me a job at the university, but the offer was verbal and rather informal. I'll write to him soon to seek more details.
Cordial greetings, a hug for the children.
Fabio.
I forgot to tell you that Juanita called tonight and told me that Domingo Mira has disappeared.
2 August 1972
Mr Italo López Vallecillos
San José, Costa Rica
Dear Italo and Silvia [his wife].
[…]
The situation does not show any signs of improving, because today bad news arrived in letters that some of the compañeros have received. It seems that the situation is tense and they say that the city [San Salvador] is deserted early in the evening and the people very frightened. Nonetheless we lack the necessary information to form a clear idea of the current situation. I doubt you have better information than us.
Nor is the situation clear here [in Nicaragua]. We do not know if we will be able to leave or when. Gabi and Rafael Menjívar were given authorization and documents that are a Central American immigration card. The rest of us have been told nothing. Several already have jobs and probably will stay here. With regard to me, I have not made any concrete plans and this is the first letter I have written anyone except the letters to my family that I sent with Juanita. In other words I have not made efforts anywhere to find a new job. The Rector of the University of Costa Rica sent word that I could go to San José, that immediately they would give me a job at the university, but the offer was verbal and rather informal. I'll write to him soon to seek more details.
Cordial greetings, a hug for the children.
Fabio.
I forgot to tell you that Juanita called tonight and told me that Domingo Mira has disappeared.
Original Format
Paper
Files
Collection
Citation
Fabio Castillo, “Letter from Fabio Castillo to López Vallecillos, 2 August 1972,” Italo López Vallecillos, Editor to the Revolution, accessed September 25, 2023, https://rogeratwood.georgetown.domains/items/show/7.