Ignacio Martín-Baró

Spanish scholar, social psychologist, philosopher and Jesuit priest.

Martín-Baró was a renowned scholar who had studied in Europe, the United States, and Latin America; a prolific writer of five books and more than 100 articles; and a gifted speaker. Working and living among the Salvadoran people, he dedicated his life to the cause of human rights, equality, and social justice in El Salvador. Recognizing the devastating impact of U.S. policy toward his adopted country, he visited and spoke before many U.S. organizations, stressing our obligation to speak out against our nation’s collusion with the Salvadoran oligarchy and military. He had a profound influence on a wide range of academics, activists, and others in the United States.

On 16 November 1989, Martin-Baró was murdered by the Salvadoran government’s elite Atlacatl Battalion at the Central American University in San Salvador. At the time of his death, he was the Vice-Rector of the University and the Director of the University’s Center for Public Opinion.