Torture school keeps funding, opposition gains support

On June 21, the U.S. House of Representatives again rejected a bill to reduce funding for the Army institution formerly

known as the School of the Americas. The SOA—renamed the “Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation” in 2001—has trained over 60,000 soldiers, including 11 military dictators, from Latin American countries. The school’s curriculum covers counterinsurgency techniques, like torture, extortion and abuse.

The bill only would have eliminated funding for scholarships to Latin American soldiers. It would not have affected the majority of the SOA’s funding.

This year, more representatives were forced to support the grassroots struggle to close the school than in previous years. A total of 203 voted to reduce funding, while 214 voted to maintain it. The increased support reflects the hard work of activists, led by School of Americas Watch, who organize protests and civil disobedience actions at the SOA each year.