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<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><font size=5
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-weight:bold'>Saca completes
fourth year as president, FMLN candidate extends lead to 21% in recent polls<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span lang=ES-SV style='font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:
bold'>CISPES Update - June 4, 2008<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><i><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span lang=ES-SV style='font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:
bold;font-style:italic'>(vaya <a href="http://www.cispes.org/index.php?lang=es">aqui
para informe en espańol</a>)<o:p></o:p></span></font></i></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold'><img
border=0 width=307 height=269 id="_x0000_i1033"
src="cid:image001.jpg@01C8C656.B6919360"><o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold'>Also in this update:<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<ul style='margin-top:0in' type=disc>
<li class=MsoNormal style='mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><a
href="#_ARENA_backs_down">ARENA backs down from attempt to violate
agreement with OAS</a><o:p></o:p></span></font></li>
<li class=MsoNormal style='mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><a
href="#_Community_resistance_succeeds">Community resistance succeeds in
stopping construction of landfill</a><o:p></o:p></span></font></li>
</ul>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>On Sunday, June 1, Salvadoran President Elías Antonio Saca completed
his fourth year in office. In a speech before his cabinet members and
legislative deputies, Saca heralded his proudest achievements as president,
with an emphasis on populist, direct subsidy programs such as the
“Solidarity Network” and “<st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Alliance</st1:place></st1:City> for the Family.” This
discussion of Saca’s “successes” contrasts with the opinion
of the vast majority of the population, which, according to recent polling,
believes its economic situation to have deteriorated during Saca’s
administration. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>According to the results of a poll conducted by the Public Opinion
institute of the Central American University (IUDOP), released on May 26, 63%
of the population believes that “ARENA [Saca’s party] should no
longer govern the country.” The poll also revealed that more than 80% of
Salvadorans feel the country has been put in a worse situation, both generally
speaking and specifically in economic terms, by the current government.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>On the other hand, the opposition FMLN party (Farabundo Martí National
Liberation Front) is viewed by many as the only party capable of solving the
economic crisis faced by the majority of the population. 38% of respondents
believe the FMLN to be the party that can specifically fight against
corruption. 40% think the FMLN would be able to generate employment, and 47%
believe the party would be able to stop the increase in consumer prices.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>Not surprisingly, given those results, FMLN presidential candidate
Mauricio Funes has stretched his lead over ARENA rival Rodrigo Avila to 15-20
points in recent polls, just over 9 months ahead of the 2009 elections. The
same IUDOP poll gave Funes a 42%-26% lead over Avila, while a CID-Gallup poll
released a few days later had Funes up 21 points at 41% -20%. These numbers may
have been a contributing factor in ARENA ideology minister Rene
Figueroa’s decision to step down from his position on the governing board
of ARENA earlier this week.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>Given the general discontent with the current ARENA government and
widespread rejection of its policies, President Saca has attempted to improve
the party’s image through an intensive publicity campaign that is
currently inundating print and broadcast media outlets throughout the country.
These expenditures come on the heels of Saca’s announcement of a special
Austerity Plan, which claims to limit spending by the president’s office.
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>The costs associated with Saca’s efforts to publicize his
administration’s policies “have risen to an average of 9 million
dollars monthly, which adds up to 108 million dollars for the year, and this
has zero social benefit for the population,” contested the FMLN’s
legislative leader and vice-presidential candidate, Salvador Sánchez Ceren.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>In the face of this situation, the FMLN’s faction in the
Legislative Assembly has petitioned the President of the Comptroller’s
Office, Hernán Contreras – who is a member of the National Conciliation
Party (PCN) – to request that the budget granted for Saca’s office
be revised. Contreras promised to follow up on the FMLN’s petition.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<h3><a name="_ARENA_backs_down"></a><b><font size=4 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"'>ARENA backs down from
attempt to violate agreement with OAS<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></h3>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>Faced with the undeniable increase in support for the FMLN, the
deterioration of its own public image, and internal divisions related to its
presidential candidate Rodrigo Ávila, the ruling ARENA party continues
implementing measures aimed at enabling electoral fraud. In doing so, the party
recently attempted to violate an agreement between <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">El Salvador</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s Supreme
Electoral Tribunal (TSE) and the Organization of American States (OAS). After
strong rebukes from opposition politicians and civic organizations, ARENA
backed down from these plans on May 28.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>On March 4, 2007, TSE President Walter Araujo signed a Convention of
Technical Cooperation between the TSE and the OAS, which sought to strengthen
the integrity of the Electoral Registry, foment democratic participation, and
increase the transparency of the electoral process. Under this agreement, the
OAS was charged with the responsibility of establishing and presenting an
operation plan for reaching these goals, assigning personnel, and hiring the
contractors and consultants necessary for the implementation of the project.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>However, on May 22 of this year, by means of the 3-2 majority held by
right wing representatives on the tribunal, the TSE approved changes to the
accord that would limit the role of the OAS to that of an advisor in the
electoral process, therefore drastically reducing the institution’s
ability to promote transparency within the TSE and fairness in El
Salvador’s elections.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>Along with the FMLN, social organizations, including Citizen Action for
Democracy, denounced the unilateral decision and accused TSE President Araujo,
ARENA’s representative on the tribunal, of having violated the agreement
that had been made with the Secretary General of the OAS in March 2007. Norma
Guevara, an electoral specialist with the FMLN, decried the TSE’s decision
to violate its own agreement with the OAS as a “lamentable, shameful,
scandalous act that still must be corrected.” <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>In response to the criticism and pressure from social organizations and
the FMLN, TSE President Araujo, on May 28, announced that he had changed his
mind, stating that he will not implement the TSE-approved changes to limit the
role of the OAS. As a result, the OAS will continue in the role defined by the
March 2007 agreement. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<h3><a name="_Community_resistance_succeeds"></a><b><font size=4
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"'>Community
resistance succeeds in stopping construction of landfill<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></h3>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>On the early morning of Tuesday, May 27, members of more than 20
communities in the Cutumay Camones area of the Department of Santa Ana
succeeded in halting the construction of a landfill. This victory came after
more than 6 months of organized, peaceful resistance to the government’s
plan, which threatened to contaminate local water sources.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>The struggle in Cutumay Camones took the form of protest activities,
which were supported by neighboring communities and by social organizations
that are focused on defending access to water in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">El Salvador</st1:place></st1:country-region>. The landfill project
appears to have been a political favor by Santa Ana Mayor Orlando Mena.
Mena’s Christian Democrat Party (PDC) is headed by Secretary General
Rodolfo Parker, who is the largest shareholder of PRESYS, the company that had
been contracted to construct the landfill.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>According to Reina Chávez, a representative of the organized
communities in the area, there is an agreement with the company to remove the
construction equipment from the proposed site of the landfill, effectively
canceling its construction. “PRESYS has arrived at the conclusion that it
will not be possible to construct the poorly named ‘sanitary fill,’
which would have directly affected the water that we consume,” explained
Chávez. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>However, PRESYS’s marketing director, Dagoberto Fuentes, claimed
that the company is only waiting for <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">El Salvador</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s Ministry of the
Environment and Natural Resources (MARN) to carry out an evaluation before
continuing with the project. Fuentes insisted that “the opportunity to
continue with the construction of the landfill has not been thrown away.”
MARN officials have not made any public declarations related to this matter. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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