Guardians of the past: Presidents and memory in El Salvador and Colombia

This study provides an analysis of presidential discourses, both domestic and international, that support or oppose transitional justice and historical memory in El Salvador and Colombia. Its aim is to explore how narratives of past conflicts and peace agreements are embedded within elite discourse. Through political discourses, we examine how populism shapes historical memory, assessing its influence on accountability efforts. The corpus consists of 16 key texts delivered by the Presidents of both countries between 2014 and 2024. These texts span various contexts, including commemorative speeches, election victory addresses and legislative assembly speeches. This research highlights the distinct challenges each country faces in relation to memory, shedding light on the complexities of transitional justice processes. In El Salvador, the analysis reveals a populist reinterpretation of history, while in Colombia, recent presidents appear more focused on rhetorically framing peace than on addressing victims’ needs.