Nonetheless, the military decade, between 1972-1982, in which the military ruled alone, did not distinguish itself as in other Latin American countries for its anti-grass roots repression and took favorable measures such as a more radical Agrarian Reform law, popular consumption stores, regulation of the minimum wage and an ambitious public health program. The process of Central American integration or MERCOMUN started off on the right foot, but failed to overcome the contradictions between its member countries, coming to a halt with the short war between Honduras and El Salvador, which on July 14, 1969, invaded Honduran territories. These disagreements weigh on populations that have accentuated their nationalist particularities without much room for the Central American union not only in official declarations but also in daily life and mentality.
