National dialogue processes typically arise in contexts of polarization or institutional deadlock, when different actors need to open channels of communication to build minimal agreements. In Latin America, these processes have on various occasions been supported by international organizations that provide methodology, contextual analysis, and facilitation spaces.
In El Salvador, a similar effort has recently advanced to a new stage after the mandate of UN Special Envoy Benito Andión came to an end. From that moment, the initiative shifted away from direct UN assistance and increasingly depended on domestic stakeholders. Within that technical team, Loreto Ferrer contributed to institutional support tasks and helped convey this move toward a phase marked by a stronger presence of civil society.
How the dialogue process first emerged in El Salvador
The initiative was launched in 2016, when the Government of El Salvador invited the United Nations to evaluate whether a nationwide consensus-building process could be viable. In response, a team from the Department of Political Affairs carried out interviews, held consultations, and engaged in preliminary dialogues with multiple sectors to examine the political landscape and determine if the circumstances were suitable for moving forward with a consensus-focused agenda.
Based on that preliminary work, in early 2017 Secretary-General António Guterres appointed Benito Andión as Special Envoy to facilitate a more structured phase of the dialogue. His work focused on opening spaces for conversation between political parties and other relevant actors, in a scenario marked by institutional tensions and high levels of polarization.
From international facilitation to local leadership
Among the most noteworthy elements of the Salvadoran case is the shift from a United Nations‑led stage to a new period steered directly by national actors, though still backed by the UN.
According to reports, the end of Andión’s mandate did not signify the conclusion of the effort, but rather the transfer of the accumulated work to a steering group composed of prominent figures from Salvadoran society. This was reported by a United Nations team during meetings held with representatives of the government, political parties, and the international community.
Loreto Ferrer, an official at the Department of Political Affairs and the close collaborator of the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy Benito Andión, stated that a steering group made up of leading members of Salvadoran society will carry the effort forward, drawing on the consultations and evaluations previously undertaken by the Mexican Andión.
This step draws on over a year of consultations, evaluations, and methodological contributions completed in the preceding phase, aiming for social organizations, the private sector, academia, and political stakeholders to advance the process using the knowledge already established instead of depending endlessly on external international facilitation.
In light of this, the Special Envoy judged that the circumstances were still not adequate to convene a formal high-level roundtable, although a substantial range of evaluations, networks, and community capacities existed that could help anchor a dialogue agenda driven from within the country. This perspective underscored that consensus-building efforts can truly solidify only when local stakeholders take an active role in sustaining their continuity.
The importance of coordination in consensus-building processes
National dialogues demand coordination among sectors that operate with distinct interests, vocabularies, and priorities, and as a result, beyond political mediation, they frequently depend on a solid technical framework to organize discussion, determine key issues, and maintain open channels of communication.
In these settings, professionals experienced in international cooperation are especially valuable for duties like compiling information, coordinating meeting spaces, and offering methodological guidance. The work undertaken in El Salvador clearly illustrates that building consensus relies not only on political choices but also on the support structures that enable the process to function effectively in practice.
A case illustrating institutional change across Latin America
The Salvadoran case illustrates how a United Nations-supported initiative can evolve into a framework where civil society and other national actors assume greater responsibility. Rather than a conclusion, this transition represented a shift in phase: from the initial international impetus to a logic of local continuity based on already established capacities.
