DOCSLIB.ORG

EL SALVADOR 2019 Final Report

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
EL SALVADOR 2019 Final Report European Union Election Observation Mission EL SALVADOR 2019 Final Report [Flag of host Presidential Election 3 February 2019 Table of Contents I. Executive Summary and Priority Recommendations ......................................................................... 1 II. Introduction ........................................................................................................................................ 4 III. Political Context ................................................................................................................................. 4 IV. Implementation of Previous EOM Recommendations ....................................................................... 5 V. Legal Framework ............................................................................................................................... 6 A. International Principles and Commitments .............................................................................. 6 B. Constitutional Human Rights ................................................................................................... 6 C. Electoral Legislation ................................................................................................................ 7 D. Election System ....................................................................................................................... 7 VI. Election Administration ..................................................................................................................... 8 A. Structure and Composition of the Election Administration ...................................................... 8 B. Administration of the Elections.............................................................................................. 10 VII. Voter Registration ............................................................................................................................ 10 A. The Right to Vote .................................................................................................................. 10 B. Voter Registration Procedures ............................................................................................... 11 VIII. Internal Party Primaries, Registration of Candidates, and Political Parties ...................................... 12 A. Internal Party Primaries and Registration of Candidates ........................................................ 12 B. Registration and De-Registration of Political Parties ............................................................. 13 IX. The Election Campaign .................................................................................................................... 14 A. The Election Campaign .......................................................................................................... 14 B. Campaign Finance ................................................................................................................. 16 C. Voter Education ..................................................................................................................... 17 X. National and International Election Observation .............................................................................. 17 XI. Media and Elections ......................................................................................................................... 17 A. Media Environment ............................................................................................................... 17 B. Legal Framework for the Media............................................................................................. 18 C. Media Monitoring Findings and Campaign in the Media ....................................................... 19 D. TSE and the Media................................................................................................................. 21 XII. Political Participation of Women ..................................................................................................... 21 XIII. Political Participation of Persons with Disabilities ........................................................................... 22 XIV. Political Participation of the LGBTI Community ............................................................................. 23 XV. Political Participation of Indigenous Citizens................................................................................... 24 XVI. Electoral Justice ............................................................................................................................... 25 A. Electoral Justice ..................................................................................................................... 25 B. Overview of Electoral Disputes ............................................................................................. 25 C. Actions Taken by the Electoral Prosecutor’s Office .............................................................. 26 D. Petitions to the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice .............................. 26 XVII. Polling, Counting and Tabulation of Results ........................................................................... 27 A. Overview of Opening and Voting .......................................................................................... 28 B. Counting ................................................................................................................................ 28 C. Transmission and Publication of Preliminary Results ............................................................ 28 D. Tabulation of Final Results .................................................................................................... 30 XVIII. Results and Post-Election Environment ................................................................................... 30 A. Publication of Results ............................................................................................................ 30 B. Political Overview of the Election Results ............................................................................. 31 XIX. Recommendations ............................................................................................................................ 34 XX. Annexes............................................................................................................................................ 46 A. Annex A: EU EOM Media Monitoring Results ..................................................................... 46 B. Annex B: Election results ...................................................................................................... 59 i ACRONYMS ACHR American Convention on Human Rights ARENA Nationalist Republican Alliance (Alianza Republicana Nacionalista) ARPAS El Salvador Participative Radio Broadcasting Association (Asociación de Radiodifusión Participativa de El Salvador) ASDER Salvadoran Radio Broadcasting Associaction (Asociación Salvadoreña de Radiodifusores) AUPRIDES El Salvador Association of Private Universities (Asociación de Universidades Privadas de El Salvador) A-WEB Association of World Election Bodies CC Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice (Sala de lo Constitucional de la Corte Suprema de Justicia) CD Democratic Change (Cambio Democratico) CEDAW Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women CNPRE National Election Results Processing Centre (Centro Nacional de Procesamiento y Transmisión de Resultados Electorales) CONAIPD National Council for Persons with Disabilities (Consejo Nacional de Atencion Integral a la Persona con discapacidad) CRPD Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities DIGESTYC General Direction of Statistics and Census (Dirección General de Estadística y Census) DS Salvadoran Democracy (Democracia Salvadoreña) DUI National Identity Card (Documento Único de Identidad) EP Electoral Prosecutor’s Office (Fiscalia Electoral) EU EOM European Union Election Observation Mission FMLN Farabundo Martí National Liberation (Frente Farabundo Martí para la Liberación Nacional) FPS Patriotic Salvadoran Fraternity (Fraternidad Patriota Salvadoreña) FUSADES Salvadoran Trust for Social and Economic Development (Fundación Salvadoreña para el Desarrollo Social y Economico) GANA Grand Alliance for National Unity (Gran Alianza por la Unidad Nacional) IADC Inter-American Democratic Charter ICCPR International Convention on Civil and Political Rights ICESCR International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights IRI International Republican Institute ISD Social Initiative for Democracy (Iniciativa Social para la Democracia) ISDEMU Salvadoran Institute for the Development of Women (Instituto Salvadoreño para el Desarrollo de la Mujer) ii IT Information Technology JED Departmental Electoral Management Board (Junta Electoral Departamental) JEM Municipal Electoral Management Board (Junta Electoral Municipal) JRV Polling Station (Junta Receptora de Votos) LGBTI Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Intersex LTO Long Term Observer NDI National Democratic Institute NGO Non-Governmental Organisation OET Temporary Electoral Bodies (Organismos Electorales Temporales) PCN Party of National Concertation (Partido de Concertación Nacional) PDC Christian Democratic Party (Partido Demócrata Cristiano) PDDHH Human Rights Ombudsperson’s Office (Procuradoría para la Defensa de los Derechos Humanos) PSD Social Democratic Party (Partido Social Democrata) PSP Progressive Salvadoran Party (Partido
Load more

Recommended publications
  • ECFG-El Salvador-2020R.Pdf
    ECFG: Central America Central ECFG: About this Guide This guide is designed to prepare you to deploy to culturally complex environments and achieve mission objectives. The fundamental information contained within will help you understand the cultural dimension of your assigned location and gain skills necessary for success (Photo: US Army infantry officer works with Salvadorans to complete a rope system spanning El Salvador’s Lempa River). E The guide consists of 2 parts: CFG Part 1 “Culture General” provides the foundational knowledge you need to operate effectively in any global environment with a focus on El Salvador Central America (CENTAM). Part 2 “Culture Specific” describes unique cultural features of Salvadoran society. It applies culture-general concepts to help increase your knowledge of your assigned deployment location. This section is designed to complement other pre-deployment training. (Photo: US Ambassador to El Salvador Jean Elizabeth Manes chats with a Salvadoran student during Friendship Day). For further information, visit the Air Force Culture and Language Center (AFCLC) website at www.airuniversity.af.edu/AFCLC/ or contact the AFCLC Region Team at [email protected]. Disclaimer: All text is the property of the AFCLC and may not be modified by a change in title, content, or labeling. It may be reproduced in its current format with the express permission of the AFCLC. All photography is provided as a courtesy of the US government, Wikimedia, and other sources. GENERAL CULTURE PART 1 – CULTURE GENERAL What is Culture? Fundamental to all aspects of human existence, culture shapes the way humans view life and functions as a tool we use to adapt to our social and physical environments.
    [Show full text]
  • The Political Influence of the Maras in El Salvador
    Analysis Paper 32/2020 14 October 2020 María Luisa Pastor Gómez The political influence of the maras Visitar la WEB Recibir BOLETÍN ELECTRÓNICO in El Salvador The political influence of the maras in El Salvador Abstract: The Salvadoran gangs and in particular the Mara Salvatrucha (MS13) have been acquiring more and more power within the country, until they have become a real political power. A power with wich all parties have negotiated covertly, either to reduce the high levels of violence in the country or just for electoral purposes, as it has been report by the newspaper ‘El Faro’. The content of the report has been denied by the government but is being investigated by the Attorney General's Office. Keywords: Street gangs, MS13, Bukele, El Salvador, dialogue How to cite this document: PASTOR GÓMEZ, María Luisa. The political influence of the maras in El Salvador. IEEE Analysis Paper 32/2020. http://www.ieee.es/Galerias/fichero/docs_analisis/2020/DIEEEA32_2020LUIPAS_maras Salvador-ENG.pdf and/or bie3 link (accessed day/month/year) *NOTE: The ideas contained in the Analysis Papers are the responsibility of their authors. They do not necessarily reflect the thinking of the IEEE or the Ministry of Defense. Analysis Paper 32/2020 1 The political influence of the maras in El Salvador María Luisa Pastor Gómez The political influence of the maras in El Salvador Resumen: Las pandillas salvadoreñas y en particular la Mara Salvatrucha (MS13) han ido adquiriendo cada vez más poder en el seno del país, hasta convertirse en un poder de facto con el que los partidos políticos han negociado de manera encubierta, ya sea para reducir los altos niveles de violencia del país o con fines electoralistas.
    [Show full text]
  • The Role of Bureaucracy And
    THE ROLE OF NEGOTIATIONS AND ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF EL SALVADOR’S PEACE ACCORDS A Dissertation Presented to The Graduate Faculty of The University of Akron In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy Hugo Renderos December, 2011 THE ROLE OF NEGOTIATIONS AND ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF EL SALVADOR’S PEACE ACCORDS Hugo Renderos Dissertation Approved: Accepted: _________________________ _________________________ Advisor Interim Department Chair Raymond W. Cox, III Mark Tausig _________________________ _________________________ Committee Member Dean of the College Jennifer K. Alexander Chand K. Midha _________________________ _________________________ Committee Member Dean of the Graduate School Ramona Ortega-Liston George R. Newkome _________________________ _________________________ Committee Member Date Ghazi Falah _________________________ Committee Member Steven Ash ii ABSTRACT This dissertation focuses on the Salvadorean peace accords signed between the government and the former guerrilla turned political party Frente Farabundo Martí para la Liberación Nacional (Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front; FMLN). The end of the Salvadorean civil war era ended in 1992 as peace accords were signed between the government and FMLN leaders. The signing of the peace accords took time to complete and much dialogue required both parties to meet to negotiate and settle on timelines and agenda setting. This study explores the peace accords from the perspective of the soft, hard, and principled negotiation method as described by Fisher and Ury (1981) and by applying Allison and Zelikow’s (1999) Rational Actor Model (RAM) (Model I) and the Governmental Politics Model (Model III). It studies how the peace negotiations, as seen through the lenses of all three methods of negotiations and models I and III, influenced its implementation.
    [Show full text]
  • Russia's Activities in Latin America
    RUSSIA’S ACTIVITIES IN LATIN AMERICA May 2021 The following is a summary of open-source media reporting on Russia’s presence and activities in Latin America and the Caribbean in May 2021. This is not a complete list of media reports on Russia’s activities in Latin America but are some of the most relevant articles and reports selected by SFS researchers and fellows. The monitor does source a limited amount of media reports from state-owned or -controlled media outlets, which are carefully selected and solely intended to report on news that is not reported on by other media and is relevant for understanding VRIC influence in the region. This report is produced as part of our VRIC Monitor published monthly by the Center for a Secure Free Society (SFS), a non-profit, national security think tank based in Washington D.C. ● According to information circulating on social networks, the leaders Vladimir Putin of Russia and Xi Jinping of China will visit President Nayib Bukele in El Salvador. - Radio YSKL on 21-MAY (content in Spanish) ● State media reports El Salvador is very keen to bolster cooperation with Russia, President Nayib Bukele said during the presentation of the letter of credence ceremony. “We are very enthusiastic about strengthening the relationship with Russia, we are facing a world with new challenges and opportunities, and we want to take advantage of those opportunities,” Bukele told Russian Ambassador Alexander Khokholikov, adding that El Salvador recognizes “the importance of Russia in the world.” - Urdu Point on 20-MAY www.SecureFreeSociety.org © 2021 Center for a Secure Free Society.
    [Show full text]
  • El Salvador's 2019 Elections
    CRS INSIGHT El Salvador's 2019 Elections February 6, 2019 (IN11034) | Related Author Clare Ribando Seelke | Clare Ribando Seelke, Specialist in Latin American Affairs ([email protected], 7-5229) On February 3, 2019, Nayib Bukele, a 37-year-old former mayor of San Salvador and candidate of the Grand Alliance of National Unity (GANA) party, won El Salvador's presidential election. Bukele garnered 53% of the vote, well ahead of Carlos Calleja, a business executive running for a conservative National Republican Alliance (ARENA)-led coalition, with 31.8%, and Hugo Mártinez, a former foreign minister of the leftist Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN), with 14.4%. Bukele's first-round victory occurred amid relatively low voter turnout (44.7%) during a peaceful electoral process observed by the Organization of American States and others. Bukele is set to succeed Salvador Sánchez Cerén (FMLN) as president on June 1, 2019, and serve a single, five-year term. Bukele's election ends 10 years of FMLN government. Who Is Nayib Bukele? Nayib Bukele served as mayor of Nuevo Cuscatlán (2012-2015) and San Salvador (2015-2018) for the FMLN. Prior to entering politics, Bukele worked in family businesses started by his late father, a prominent Salvadoran of Palestinian descent who backed the FMLN financially beginning in the early 1990s. Throughout his political career, Bukele has used social media to connect directly with voters, a new phenomenon in Salvadoran politics. As mayor, he revitalized the historic center of San Salvador and engaged at-risk youth in violence-prevention programs. In 2017, the FMLN expelled him for criticizing the party's leadership.
    [Show full text]
  • El Salvador: Background and U.S. Relations
    El Salvador: Background and U.S. Relations Updated November 20, 2018 Congressional Research Service https://crsreports.congress.gov R43616 El Salvador: Background and U.S. Relations Summary Congress has had significant interest in El Salvador, a small Central American nation that has had a large percentage of its population living in the United States since the country’s civil conflict (1980-1992). During the 1980s, the U.S. government spent billions of dollars supporting the Salvadoran government’s counterinsurgency efforts against the leftist Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN). Three decades later, the United States has worked relatively well with two consecutive, democratically elected FMLN administrations. President Salvador Sánchez Cerén, a former guerrilla commander of the FMLN, is in the final year of his five-year term. Sánchez Cerén’s approval ratings have been significantly lower than those of prior presidents, as security conditions remain serious and economic growth remains moderate (2.3% in 2017). Polarization between the FMLN government and the conservative Nationalist Republican Alliance (ARENA)-dominated National Assembly has magnified those challenges. Political attention is on the February 3, 2019, first-round presidential elections. Nayib Bukele, a former mayor of San Salvador (2015-2018) standing for the Grand Alliance for National Unity (GANA) party, leads the FMLN and ARENA candidates. Both of those parties have lost support due to revelations of corruption involving former presidents, including the August 2018 conviction of former ARENA president Tony Saca. U.S. policy in El Salvador continues to focus on promoting economic prosperity, improving security, and strengthening governance, the three objectives of the U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • The 2020 Presidential Election: Provisions of the Constitution and U.S. Code
    PREFACE The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is proud to acknowledge its role in the Presidential election pro- cess. NARA’s Office of the Federal Register (OFR) acts as the administrator of the Electoral College and carries out the duties of the Archivist. In this role, the OFR is charged with helping the States carry out their election responsibilities, ensuring the completeness and integrity of the Electoral College documents submitted to Congress, and informing the public about the Presidential election process. The Electoral College system was established under Article II and Amendment 12 of the U.S. Constitution. In each State, the voters choose electors to select the President and Vice President of the United States, based on the results of the Novem- ber general election. Before the general election, the Archivist officially notifies each State’s governor and the Mayor of the District of Columbia of their electoral responsibilities. OFR provides instructions and resources to help the States and District of Columbia carry out those responsibilities. As the results of the popular vote are finalized in each state, election officials create Certificates of Ascertainment, which establish the credentials of their electors, that are sent to OFR. In December, the electors hold meetings in their States to vote for President and Vice President. The electors seal Certificates of Vote and send them to the OFR and Congress. In January, Congress sits in joint session to certify the election of the President and Vice President. In the year after the election, electoral documents are held at the OFR for public viewing, and then transferred to the Archives of the United States for permanent retention and access.
    [Show full text]
  • Encuesta Pre-Electoral Enero 2021: Nuevas Ideas Se Consolida Como Primera Fuerza, Arena Sube Y Gana Baja En Intención De Voto… El FMLN En Cuidados Intensivos
    Encuesta pre-electoral enero 2021: Nuevas Ideas se consolida como primera fuerza, Arena sube y Gana baja en intención de voto… el FMLN en cuidados intensivos Ficha técnica Tipo de estudio: Cuantitativo. Técnica de registro: Cuestionario individual pre-estructurado. Tipo de entrevista: Visita a hogar. Informante: Personas mayores e iguales a 18 años con DUI vigente y residente en el municipio. Trabajo de campo: Del 13 al 17 de enero de 2021. Entrevistas efectivas: 1,536 boletas efectivas a nivel nacional. Muestreo: Sistemático probabilístico con ajación proporcional a la población, con un nivel de conanza 95 %, error muestral ± 2.5 Made with 1. ¿Está usted decido en ir a votar para las próximas elecciones de Alcaldes, diputados y Parlacen? NC /NS 0.60% No estoy seguro 8.70% No 3.50% Si 87.20% Made with 2. A partir de este año y para las próximas elecciones, ¿ha cambiado usted de preferencia política? NC /NS 2.90% Sí he cambiado 45.75% No he cambiado 51.35% Made with 3. Si su respuesta anterior fue “SÍ HE CAMBIADO”, ¿a qué se debe el cambio? 50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 47.2% 35.6% 5.4% 8% 3.8% El partido me ha defraudado Los candidatos no me convencen Por la campaña electoral Otra razón NC /NS Made with 4. De las alternativas que le leeré, ¿Cuál se acerca más al porqué de su intención de voto? Porque está en contra de la corrupción Porque está a favor de Nuevas Ideas Por las propuestas (del partido Porque está en 37.3% 17.5% o candidatos) contra de los 16.3% partidos tradicionales (Arena, FMLN, etc) 8.2% Porque he recibido ayuda durante la pandemia 16.5% NS/NR 4.2% Made with 5.
    [Show full text]
  • ANUARIO DE INVESTIGACIÓN NÚMERO 12 ANUARIO DE INVESTIGACIÓN NÚMERO 12 Anuario De Investigación
    ANUARIO DE INVESTIGACIÓN NÚMERO 12 ANUARIO DE INVESTIGACIÓN NÚMERO 12 Anuario de investigación Escuela de Comunicación Mónica Herrera ANUARIO DE INVESTIGACIÓN NÚMERO 12 CRÉDITOS CONSEJO DE DIRECTORES Dirección General: Teresa Palacios de Chávez Dirección Académica: Federico Harrison Dirección Administrativa Financiera: Hermann W. Bruch CONSEJO EDITORIAL Director académico: Federico Harrison Coordinador de investigación institucional: Willian Carballo Coordinadora de proyección social: Larisa Hernández Coordinadora de Syncros, Laboratorio de Diseño Estratégico: Ana Urquilla Docente a tiempo completo: German Rosa Dirección y coordinación de publicación: Willian Carballo Contacto: [email protected] Corrección y revisión de estilo: Manuel Fernando Velasco Diseño de portada: Jorge Orantes Diagramación: Jorge Orantes Plataformas: Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop y Adobe Illustrator Tipografía: Avenir Next ISSN: 1999-4044 El contenido de los artículos es de exclusiva responsabilidad de los autores. Queda rigurosamente prohibida, sin la autorización escrita de los titulares del copyright, bajo las sanciones establecidas por la Ley de Propiedad Intelectual, la producción total o parcial de esta obra por cualquier medio o procedimiento, comprendidos la reprografía (fotocopia) y el tratamiento informático. Hecho el depósito que manda la ley. 2018, Escuela de Comunicación Mónica Herrera. Av. Manuel Gallardo #3-3, Santa Tecla, La Libertad, El Salvador. monicaherrera.edu.sv ANUARIO DE INVESTIGACIÓN NÚMERO 12 INVESTIGACIÓN Según los estatutos de la institución, la investigación se orientará a crear, recrear y transferir conocimientos y tecnologías que contribuyan a solucionar problemas de la realidad. Se sustenta en la obtención sistemática de nuevos conocimientos, producción de nuevas tecnologías y sistemas y en la comprobación, demostración y adaptación de lo ya existente, por medio de procesos racionales y métodos rigurosos.
    [Show full text]
  • Melendez Thesis FINAL
    Toward a Theory of Conservative Party Cohesion and Schism: El Salvador’s Nationalist Republican Alliance (ARENA) in Comparative Perspective, 1980-2009 Presented to the Department of Government in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree with honors of Bachelor of Arts Harvard College March 2015 “Un intelectual debe ocuparse de cosas que lo conmueven moralmente. Cuando escribo es porque estoy enojado o preocupado por algo, no porque pienso que debo llenar tal o cual agujero en la literatura. Escribo sobre las cosas que me preocupan cuando me afeito. Y muchas veces me corto.” - Guillermo O’Donnell1 “Si quieren ganar, pues aprendan a ser amigos.” -ARENA Founder Roberto D’Aubuisson, c. 19872 1 “An intellectual must occupy himself with the things that move him morally. When I write it is because I am angry or worried about something, not because I think that I should fill a hole in the literature. I write about the things that bother when I shave in the morning. And many times I cut myself.” Quoted in Spanish in interview by Cecilia Sosa, September 14, 2003. Translation my own. 2 “If you want to win, then learn how to be friends.” Quoted in Spanish by an ARENA Co-Founder, interview by the author, San Salvador, June 23, 2014. Translation my own. !i Table of Contents List of Figures iii Important Acronyms iv Introduction 1 1 Theoretical Perspectives on Conservative Party Cohesion and Schism 18 1.1 Theoretical Framework………………………………………… 19 1.2 Existing Explanations………………………………………….. 31 1.3 Power-Sharing Institutions: Explaining Cohesion…..………… 47 1.4 Power-Sharing Institutions: Explaining Schisms……………….
    [Show full text]
  • On the Calle Del Olvido: Memory and Forgetting in Post-Peace Public Discourse in Guatemala and El Salvador
    ON THE CALLE DEL OLVIDO: MEMORY AND FORGETTING IN POST-PEACE PUBLIC DISCOURSE IN GUATEMALA AND EL SALVADOR A Thesis Submitted to the College of Graduate Studies and Research in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of History University of Saskatchewan Saskatoon BY RACHEL HATCHER © Rachel Hatcher, August 2015. All rights reserved. PERMISSION TO USE In presenting this thesis in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a postgraduate degree from the University of Saskatchewan, I agree that the libraries of this University may make it freely available for inspection. I further agree that permission for copying of this thesis in any manner, in whole or in part, for scholarly purposes may be granted by the professor or professors who supervised my thesis work or, in their absence, by the department Head of the Department or the Dean of the College in which my thesis work was done. It is understood that any copy or publication use of this thesis or parts thereof for financial gain shall not be allowed without my written permission. It is also understood that due recognition shall be given to me and to the University of Saskatchewan in any use which may be made of any material in my thesis. i ABSTRACT For many years, El Salvador and Guatemala were submerged in brutal and bloody conflicts that cost the lives of tens of thousands. United Nations-brokered Peace Accords officially brought the years of violence to an end in 1992 and 1996, respectively. As the two countries slowly emerged from their respective Cold War-inspired internal conflicts, the question of what place the past would have in the present came to the fore.
    [Show full text]
  • El Salvador: Political, Economic, and Social Conditions and U.S
    Order Code RS21655 Updated November 18, 2008 El Salvador: Political, Economic, and Social Conditions and U.S. Relations Clare Ribando Seelke Specialist in Latin American Affairs Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division Summary Throughout the last few decades, the United States has had a strong interest in El Salvador. During the 1980s, El Salvador was the largest recipient of U.S. aid in Latin America as its government struggled against the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN) insurgency during a 12-year civil war. A 1992 negotiated peace accord brought the war to an end and formally assimilated the FMLN into the political process as a political party. After the peace accords were signed, U.S. involvement shifted towards helping the government rebuild democracy and implement market-friendly economic reforms. Successive National Republican Alliance (ARENA) governments, including that of the current president, Tony Saca, have maintained close ties with the United States. The political scene in El Salvador has become increasingly focused on the January 2009 legislative elections and the March 2009 presidential election. U.S. observers are most interested in the upcoming presidential election, particularly since the FMLN candidate, Mauricio Funes, appears to be leading the ARENA candidate, Rodrigo Ávila, in the polls. This report will be updated. Background El Salvador, nearly the size of Massachusetts, is the smallest nation in Central America, and the most densely populated, with some 6.9 million people. With a per capita income of $2,540, it is considered by the World Bank to be a lower-middle-income country. Since the early 1990s, El Salvador has posted economic growth, held free and fair elections, and survived a series of natural disasters.
    [Show full text]