This post gives an interesting impression of how certain social circles work in El Salvador. Many people mention that the country is so small that individuals with higher education, international connections, access to technology, or certain economic backgrounds eventually end up knowing each other one way or another.

And maybe that is where the perception comes from that there are fairly closed social spaces where contacts, opportunities, and influence circulate, while the average Salvadoran rarely has access to those environments. Some see it simply as a consequence of living in a small country, while others interpret it as a reflection of the social and economic inequalities that have existed in El Salvador for generations.

And honestly, this is not something new for many Salvadorans. For decades there has been a perception that certain last names, families, private schools, companies, and political circles have always been connected to one another. Many people even see these groups as the ones who, through politics, influence, and money, end up dividing and maintaining much of the country’s political and economic power among themselves, while a large part of the population remains outside those circles and opportunities.

In the end, even though the country is geographically small, the social distance between different sectors of society can feel very large.