45 deaths boost Salvador toll

Press, 15 July 1980, Page 8

45 deaths boost Salvador toll

NZPA-Reuter San Salvador The police said yesterday (that at least 45 people were, i killed in politically-moti-vated violence during the week-end in El Salvador. I where peasants are holding ;the Costa Rican Embassy. The police said the bulletridden bodies of 31 people: were found in the country's' second city. Santa Ana. 6sokm west’of San Salvador. Seven more people were shot dead bx unidentified gunmen in San Salvador and five guerrillas and two pairon* were killed in an attack in a nightclub. A group of 90 peasants 'who occupied the Costa: Rican Embassy on Friday continued to bold the building yesterday after negotiaj lions’ to end the occupation ■were postponed. Leftist militants of the ’ Popular League of February 28 who masterminded the

seizure were to start talks with the ambassadors oi Mexico. Costa Rica. Venezuela and Panama today at the request of the envoys.: who asked for more time to: consult their home governments. The director oi El Salx ador's Roman Catholic Church has decried the' slay- ■ ings of two newspapermen and said reporters had a great social function to complete.” The bodies of the managing editor and a photographer of the Opposition dailv "La Cronica del. Pueblo” were found hacked with machetes. The authorities said they were kidnapped on Friday. No group claimed responsibility for the murders, but the men apparently were, victims of the Leftist-Right-ist power struggle that has claimed more than 3000 lives this year.