American Academics for the Frente?

The Council on Hemispheric Affairs (COHA) today sent out an interesting, 4-point open letter signed by dozens of Latin Americanist university professors from US universities; the letter forewarns against US interventionism and the possibilities for fraud in the upcoming Salvadoran elections (legislative in January and presidential in March 2009)

The full letter and list of signatories can be viewed here. A cursory view of the list will reveal the political leanings of the majority, though the list includes enough well-respected and apolitical names not to be discounted.

Personally, I'm not quite sure what the context or impetus for this letter are -- does anyone know more details?

My initial thoughts are: ok, there is a new US administration coming in January, but (a) the four problematic issues laid out in the letter, while not invented, are a far cry from the sort of meddling we all know the US used to be involved with in Central America, and (b) the timing still seems off; the statements referenced are from months ago and there is no indication in there that now -- a month before the legislative elections (and 3 before the presidential) -- that there is any new cause for concern, or even if there were, that there is much that anyone in the US could do about it now.

In any event, all signs point to Mauricio Funes' becoming the first ever FMLNista president in El Salvador, though there remains a wide debate on the type of presidency and administration he will foster.

Sources: COHA, The Latin Americanist