How did the 1992 peace accords change the military’s role in El Salvador’s politics?

The 1992 Chapultepec Peace Accords fundamentally transformed the role of the military in El Salvador by ending the civil war and mandating significant structural changes to the armed forces.1

Key changes included:

• Reduction of Forces: The agreement required a major reduction in the size of the country’s armed forces.23
• Transfer of Security Duties: Public security responsibilities were transferred from the military to a newly created civilian police force, the Policía Nacional Civil (PNC).23
• Accountability: The accords established a commission tasked with investigating human rights abuses committed by the Salvadoran Armed Forces and the FMLN during the conflict.23

These measures were designed to curb the military's long-standing dominance over governmental authority, which had persisted for nearly 50 years prior to the civil war. By shifting security to civilian control and subjecting the military to oversight, the accords sought to integrate the armed forces into a democratic framework and facilitate the transition of former combatants into civilian life.123