Juan Romagoza Arce

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Romagoza and the second or maternal family name is Arce.

Juan Romagoza Arze (born 1960) is a Salvadoran surgeon, and current director of La Clínica del Pueblo.

Juan Romagoza Arze
Born	Usulután, El Salvador
Education	University of El Salvador
Occupation	Surgeon
Years active	1980–present

Early years

Romagoza was born in Usulután, El Salvador. In 1973, he enrolled to medical school at the University of El Salvador. During his surgeon rotation practice, Romagoza worked in poor and rural areas and witnessed violence and repression by government forces during the Salvadoran Civil War against the poor, church workers, and the medical personal that aid them.

Kidnapping and torture

In December 1980, while Romagoza was providing medical care at a church clinic in Santa Anita, Chalatenango, two army vehicles arrived to the clinic and opened fire on the people. Romagoza was shot in the foot, kidnapped, and jailed at National Guard headquarters in San Salvador for 22 days. There, Romagoza was interrogated and tortured three or four times per day by electric shocks, cigarette burns, sexual assault, water torture, and being hung by his fingers. In one torture session, he was in his left hand in presence of Carlos Eugenio Vides Casanova. Romagoza was released in January 1981 due to the detention he lost 80 pounds and lost his ability to perform surgery due to the injuries inflicted and had to be physically carried out by his uncle.

United States

Romagoza fled El Salvador and moved to Guatemala, Mexico, and lately to the United States in April 1983 was to become an American citizen in 1986 and was granted political asylum in 1987.

Central American Refugee Center

Ramagoza became active in assisting the refugee communities and co-founded the Central American Refugee Center (CRECE).

La Clínica del Pueblo

Romagoza worked at La Clínica del Pueblo, where he became executive director in 1987 and this was a second opportunity for Romagoza to serve free medical care to poor or low income people.

Ramagoza v. García

Ramagoza v. Garcia was a lawsuit filed by the Center for Justice and Accountability on behalf of survivors of torture during the Salvadoran Civil War. General José Guillermo García lost, and a judgment of over US$54 million was entered against him and his co-defendant, and upheld on appeal.

Clinic El Espino

In 2008, Ramagoza returned to El Salvador and founded the Clinic El Espino, Usulután, El Salvador, where he provides free medical treatment to the communities where he began his career.

External links

• La Clínica del Pueblo website