ARENA campaign sanctioned for slander

by CISPES

ARENA candidate Quijano’s campaign has been sanctioned more than any other. (Photo: VerdadDigital.com)

According to El Salvador’s electoral authority, the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE), the right-wing Nationalist Republican Alliance (ARENA) party has been sanctioned for violating electoral regulations more than any other party. Eugenio Chicas, President of the TSE, told the press, “The ARENA party has received 29 complaints and the UNIDAD Movement has around 7 complaints.”

Most recently, the TSE required that ARENA stop airing a TV commercial they determined slandered the leftist Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN) candidate Salvador Sánchez Cerén, who is also the current Vice-President of the country.

Supreme Court prohibits public functionaries from campaigning

by CISPES

This past Friday, the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court issued a resolution that prohibits public functionaries from participating in the current presidential campaign, regardless of whether they do it outside of work hours or not. In a statement, the judges said the participation of mayors, legislators, and ministers in the electoral campaign violates Article 218 of the Constitution which states public functionaries “cannot take advantage of their positions for partisan politics”.

Current president, Mauricio Funes, who had previously issued guidelines to his ministers to only participate in campaign events outside of work hours, has since instructed his officials to abide by the Court’s decision. It comes six days before the close of the official campaign period for the Feb 2 presidential elections, so is unlikely to greatly impact any party’s campaign at this point.  During the 20 years that the right-wing Nationalist Republican Alliance (ARENA) party governed the country (1989-2009), it was customary for presidents to use their political power to campaign. Ex-President, Tony Saca, as president toured throughout El Salvador to campaign for the ARENA presidential candidate in 2009.

First Lady calls on undecided voters to support FMLN

by CISPES

Photo: FMLN.org.sv

Yesterday, at the massive street rally marking the close of the leftist Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN) party’s electoral campaign, First Lady Vanda Pignato called on undecided voters to cast their ballot for FMLN presidential candidate Salvador Sánchez Cerén. “It’s the most sensible choice,” she told the crowd of 350,000.  Pignato, who is not an FMLN militant, took leave of her cabinet position as Secretary of Social Inclusion on January 19 when she endorsed the FMLN ticket and announced plans to join their campaign.