Rather unexpectedly, Schafik Handal, 75, El Salvador’s top communist guerrilla, and the leader of the FMLN has died of a heart attack, just as he got back from Evo Morales’ presidential inauguration in Bolivia. A Palestinian-Salvadoran, same as Conservative President Tony Saca, Handal brought years of war to El Salvador in the 1980s. However, he took part in the peace process at the end of it and today, Salvador is a nation on its feet, with Handal’s FMLN part of the picture, many of its denizens now local mayors in and around El Salvador.

This should raise some questions about the future of the far left in Salvador, and maybe, Central America as a whole. Will Handal’s death give way to a new generation of leftwing leaders in El Salvador? Or will this movement die off with him, in these revolutionary new days of El Salvador which is now on the rise with the passage of CAFTA? Daniel Ortega is not getting any younger and Fidel Castro declined to go to Morales’ inaugural, a strange thing, given the significance of taking Bolivia is for him. He too is in ill health.

While far-leftwingery takes on a fierce new vigor in some parts of South America – read: Bolivia and Venezuela, in general, most guerrillas have turned in their rifles in favor of social democracy. As for Handal, well, he got to see Morales inaugurated so I hope he died happy.

Tim’s El Salvador Blog doesn’t have any commentary up yet, but keep an eye on him, he might soon, would be interested in what he thinks.

UPDATE: Tim’s El Salvador Blog has some very fascinating commentary, describing who the man was and what his contributions were. Tim probably leans left but he has a good detached analysis on the outlook for Handal’s movement which is quite useful and interesting to anyone reading with an open mind, with plenty of things there that I did not know. Be sure to check it out here.