El Salvador
Business meetings tend to be formal with light suits and ties usually worn. Overall, Salvadoran business relationships and meetings are, at first, formal. It is expected to use proper titles, shake hands before and after your meeting, and not to use a person's first name until a relationship has been solidified. The official language is Spanish, but English is spoken by many Salvadoran businessmen.
Salvadorans commonly use titles such as Licenciado (meaning a college graduate), Ingeniero (engineering graduate), or Doctor (used both for physicians and lawyers). These are followed by the person's last name. El Salvador tends to be very much a business card society and it is important upon first meeting someone to exchange business cards with him or her. It would be a good idea to have a supply of business cards printed in Spanish.
More and more business in El Salvador is now being done over meals. Breakfast meetings are common and begin about 7:30 a.m. Lunches and dinners can become lengthy affairs (2-3 hours), so do not plan too tight a schedule around them. Dinners start late by North American standards, frequently at 8:00 or 9:00 p.m. Lunch is usually at 12:30 p.m. Office hours are normally 0800-1230 and 1430-1730 Monday to Friday.
Since the end of the civil war, the crime rate in El Salvador has risen to crisis proportions. El Salvador is currently considered to be a high-threat location for crime. Armed carjackings, truck hijackings, commercial armed robberies, burglaries, rape, kidnappings, and homicides occur at rates significantly above those of most countries. Foreigners are generally not specifically targeted by criminals, but are not exempt from their activities. Foreigners have been the victims of serious violent crimes both in urban and rural areas. In the capital of San Salvador, armed carjackings, home invasion robberies, rape, auto theft, burglaries and street robberies are the crimes which most foreign visitors or residents should be alert to.
Crime in rural areas is also a significant problem for local residents and visitors, as many rural areas are still without an adequate police presence. In addition, many criminals in El Salvador are heavily armed as a consequence of the civil war. It is not unusual for criminals to display military assault rifles, semi-automatic pistols and hand grenades while committing their crimes. Criminals also frequently use gratuitous violence when committing their crimes, appearing to act with relative impunity on many occasions.
Another disturbing trend is the continued presence and growth of youth gangs throughout El Salvador. Two Los Angeles, California-based street gangs, the "Mara Salvatrucha" and the "18th Street Gang" have established a presence throughout many cities within the country. The gangs have a number of members who have resided in the US and either returned to El Salvador voluntarily or have been deported by US immigration authorities. The gangs are involved in a variety of crimes, such as auto theft, armed robbery, narcotics trafficking, car-jacking, rape, extortion, and murder.
Recent changes to the criminal code establish stiffer penalties for many current criminal violations, and add new crimes to the books. Several of the reforms strengthen the legal protection afforded to children and the handicapped. New provisions of the criminal code mandate a 6-8 year sentence for individuals convicted of sexual aggression against minors or adults incapacitated by mental or physical condition. Another set of reforms toughens the penalties for theft and fraud, and criminalizes the receipt and/or transport of stolen property.
Accommodations in El Salvador vary from deluxe hotels to inexpensive guest houses.
The main hotels are:
Hotel Camino Real Boulevard de Los Heroes y Avenida Sisimiles San Salvador, El Salvador, C.A. Tel. (503) 260-1333; FAX: (503) 260-5660
Hotel El Salvador 89 Avenida Norte y 11 Calle Poniente Colonia Escalon San Salvador, El Salvador, C.A. Tel. (503) 263-0777; FAX: (503) 263-2583
Hotel Presidente El Salvador Avenida La Revolucion Colonia San Benito San Salvador, El Salvador, C.A. Tel. (503) 243-4444; FAX: (503) 243-2020
Hotel Princess, Zona Rosa, Colonia San Benito Tel. (503) 2984545; Fax: (503) 298-4500
Country code: 503 An inadequate local telecommunications network connects by microwave and satellite to international services. Many businessmen use cellular phones since it is extremely difficult to obtain new phone lines for homes and businesses. International telephone services available in El Salvador include: AT&T, MCI, and SPRINT. There are direct dialing, fax and telex facilities to most countries in the world. The official mail system is inadequate, but there are many private courier services. Post office hours are 0900-1600 Monday to Friday.
Electricity is 110 volts AC, 60Hz.
115 volts AC, 60Hz. El Salvador accepts five types of plugs; flat blade plugs, three round pins arranged in a triangle, two parallel flat pins with ground pin, v-shaped flat prongs and two round pins.
A,B,C,D,E,F,G,I,J,L
There are numerous Chinese, Mexican, Italian, French and local restaurants, plus several fast-food chains. National specialties:
• Rice, beans, meat and salad is a popular meal.
• Seafood.
• Corn tortillas.
• Iguana.
• Armadillo.
• Pupusa (a fried sandwich made of tortillas and filled with pork, cheese and sausage).National drinks:
• Coffee.
• Frescos (natural fruit drinks).
• Beer (Pilsner and Suprema).
• Tic tac and Torito (alcoholic beverages
made from distilled sugar cane).Tipping:
10 per cent in hotels and restaurants; 15 per cent is appropriate for smaller bills. Taxi drivers do not expect tips, except when the taxi has been hired for the day. Airport porters are usually tipped US$1 per bag.Nightlife
San Salvador has a few nightclubs and cocktail lounges with dinner and dancing, some of which require membership. There are many cinemas, some showing English-language films with subtitles; there are also some ‘jukebox’ dance-halls and theaters. The Teatro Cafe in the national theartre building, features a guitarist during the week and a variety of cultural events such as poetry and literature readings. If you like traditional Mexican style Mariachi music, head for the Boulevard de Los Heroes. Mariachi groups gather there nightly waiting for hired parties or other special occasions. Inexpensive restaurants fill this area and several Mariachi groups work the streets.
