Left poised to win in upcoming elections in El Salvador and Costa Rica

by CISPES

Supporters of the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN) participate in a political rally for the closing of the presidential campaign with their candidate Salvador Sanchez Ceren in San Salvador, El Salvador on January 25, 2014, prior to the presidential election to be held on February 2, 2014. AFP PHOTO/ Jose CABEZAS

The Tico Times has published an English-language article comparing the two upcoming elections in El Salvador and Costa Rica, both to be held on February 2nd.  In both countries, the left is poised to possibly win.  The article quotes Salvadoran political analyst Roberto Cañas: “I don’t think the U.S. is thrilled. Neither [of the leftist parties] are members of the Central American business elite, who have globalized their interests and access. They invest in political parties and expect payoffs later.”

According to the Tico Times piece, in El Salvador the leftist Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN) is ahead of the right-wing Nationalist Republican Alliance (ARENA) party in the polls, while in Costa Rica the race between the leftist Broad Front Party and the right-wing National Liberation Party is very close.  In Costa Rica, a leftist victory would be an historic first.  In El Salvador the FMLN seeks re-election, following their 2009 victory which marked the first time in Salvadoran history that a leftist party took power.