Governance
The Lenca is one of the Native American nations which has its own law. Since 1992, the hereditary chief has fulfilled his duty as the Manakaro (Lord of Law), enacting Acts to best steer the indigenous nation into the future. In the absence of national legislations in the nineties, the tribal authority proclaimed the laws that are in force. After a lengthy process or negotiations, in 2015, the republic of El Salvador reformed the constitution to include the recognition of the indigenous people and their rights. The Lenca law compliments the basic legislation of the contemporary republics, which have Lenca people within their jurisdiction. The Lenca law is the basic set of rights and responsibilities applied to the Lencas, wherever they live.
Among these Acts of Law are:
The Managuara Act
This is the official documents defining the territoriality of the Jaguar House
The Citizenship Act ( Acta de Ciudadania Lenca )
This is the official document that defines and governs the acquisition and loss of citizenship within the Lenca nation.
The Affirmative Protection Act
This Act was proclaimed at the time when Lencas had no rights under the domestic laws. It aimed at guiding their decisions criteria in terms of defense of heritage, natural resources and fleeing danger. The Act is still relevant today, as the risk of death is more present in some Lenca communities.
The Reclamation and Adhesion Act
This s the official document that regulates the process of incorporation and affiliation for those who descend from the specified ethnicities, so that they may acquire citizenship in the Lenca nation.
The UN Declaration of Indigenous Rights
This document issued by the United Nations Organizations norms the basic rights that all member states should afford to their indigenous people.
Declaracion de Derechos Inidgenas ONU
Constitutional Reform (Dictamen)
This are documents by the government of the Republic of El Salvador, which after 200 years of officially denying the existence of indigenous people within its borders, it has reformed its constitution, and recognizing the indigenous people.
Lenca Crown 