El Salvador looks for new 'national reconciliation' law

SAN SALVADOR — El Salvador's president says he has begun talks with political parties on a new "national reconciliation" law after the Supreme Court overturned an amnesty covering crimes committed during the 1980-1992 civil war.

President Salvador Sanchez Ceren said yesterday the new law might allow investigations of human rights abuses, but would also allow those responsible to be granted forgiveness.

Earlier this month, the country's Supreme Court overturned the amnesty law enacted in 1993.

That ruling came five days after a truth commission report blamed the military for the vast majority of abuses during the war.

Sanchez Ceren has criticized the court's ruling. He was part of the command structure of the rebel Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front during the war and constitutional experts say he could theoretically face legal consequences.