FMLN Denounces Possible Election Fraud

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SAN SALVADOR, March 11.— The Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN) presented evidence about fraudulent acts perpetrated by the governing Nationalist Republican Alliance (ARENA) in the run up to Sunday's presidential elections, reported Prensa Latina.

THE FMLN COULD PROCLAIM ITSELF THE WINNER IN SUNDAY'S ELECTIONS

Sigfrido Reyes, the FMLN spokesperson, made public that foreigners are being nationalized in an immediate and illegal manner so they can vote in the elections.

Reyes said that for several days the FMLN has received complaints of the entrance of suspicious busloads of people from Nicaragua, Honduras and Guatemala, some already holding Salvadoran identity documents.

Meanwhile, workers at public offices and large private companies were warned that they would lose their jobs if the FMLN wins the elections.

The pressure was disseminated by letters and meetings held with the participation of foreign speakers, states a note published on the FMLN website.

Both practices are not allowed under Salvadoran electoral laws that explicitly prohibit the coercion of voters and the participation of foreign citizens in campaign activities.

Salvadoran press reports stated that employees of the ministries of Governance, Health, Education, Agriculture and Livestock were forced to attend talks in favor of ARENA and its presidential candidate Rodrigo Avila.

The governing party and the private sect or have carried out an expensive media campaign in which they use all types of lies to instill fear in the population and obtain a victory for Avila, a former Police Chief.

FMLN denuncia preparación de fraude para elecciones presidenciales

SAN SALVADOR, 11 de marzo.— El Frente Farabundo Martí para la Liberación Nacional (FMLN), presentó pruebas sobre actos fraudulentos preparados hoy por la Alianza Republicana Nacionalista (ARENA) con vistas a las elecciones del domingo, reporta PL.

Foto: El FMLN podría proclamarse vencedor en las elecciones del domingo.

Sigfrido Reyes, vocero del FMLN, dio a conocer que se nacionalizan al instante y de manera ilegal a ciudadanos extranjeros con el propósito de que voten en los comicios.

De acuerdo con Reyes, desde hace varios días están recibiendo denuncias de la incursión de autobuses sospechosos cargados con ciudadanos de Nicaragua, Honduras y Guatemala, algunos de los cuales previamente han sido dotados de documentos de identidad salvadoreños.

Entre tanto, trabajadores de entidades públicas y de grandes empresas privadas fueron advertidos que perderían sus empleos si votan por el FMLN en las elecciones del próximo domingo.

Las presiones tuvieron lugar mediante el envío de cartas o la celebración de charlas con la participación de extranjeros en calidad de oradores, precisó una nota publicada en la página web del FMLN.

Ambas prácticas están vedadas por=2 0la legislación electoral, que explícitamente prohíbe las coacciones a los votantes y la participación de ciudadanos de otros países en actividades proselitistas que se desarrollen en esta nación centroamericana.

De acuerdo con reportes de la prensa salvadoreña, empleados de los ministerios de Gobernación, Salud, Educación, Agricultura y Ganadería fueron sometidos a las mencionadas charlas en favor de la gobernante Alianza Republicana Nacionalista (ARENA) y su aspirante a la presidencia, Rodrigo Ávila.

El partido de gobierno y la empresa privada han sufragado una millonaria campaña en los medios de comunicación, en la que imponen todo tipo de mentiras para infundir miedo en el electorado y buscar a toda costa la victoria de Ávila, ex jefe de la Policía.

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ACTION ALERT
March 12, 2009

Call U.S. State Department to demand neutrality and respect for Salvadoran democracy!

2004 intervention repeated; Republicans threaten Salvadoran voters from floor of House of Representatives 4 days before election

Phone calls to the U.S. State Department, demanding an official statement of respect for the results of El Salvador's March 15 presidential election, are needed today! Yesterday, two Republicans gave speeches on the floor of the House of Representatives threatening that Salvadorans living in the U.S.. will lose their immigration status and be outlawed from sending money home to their families if voters in El Salvador exercise their right to elect the opposition FMLN party's candidate on Sunday.

Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ) said, “Should the pro-terrorist FMLN party replace the current government in El Salvador, the United States, in the interests of national security, would be required to reevaluate our policy toward El Salvador, including cash remittance and immigration policies to compensate for the fact there will no longer be a reliable counterpart in the Salvadoran government.”

Rep. Dan Burton (R-IN) stated, “Those monies that are coming from here to there I am confident will be cut, and I hope the people of El Salvador are aware of that because it will have a tremendous impact on individuals and their economy.” Indeed, these threats carry considerable weight for Salvadoran voters, as 25% of the Salvadoran population lives in the U.S., and 20% of the nation's economy consists of remittances from those family members.

We fully expect these open, blatant threats to be plastered across the front pages of newspapers across El Salvador in the coming days. In fact, the guarantee of such media coverage for these statements is the very reason that they were made in the first place. These threats endanger the sovereign right of the Salvadoran people to elect their own government, free from outside manipulation.

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TAKE ACTION!

Call the State Department to demand an immediate publi c declaration of U.S. neutrality toward the Salvadoran election!

CALL: (202) 647-1510 (El Salvador/Nicaragua desk)

(SAMPLE CALL SCRIPT BELOW)

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The Republicans' statement stand in stark contrast to last week's declaration by over thirty House Democrats and one Senator who publicly committed to U.S. neutrality, to respect the election results, and to maintain a positive relationship with whichever government is elected. In a March 5 press conference in Washington, D.C., Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ) stated, “the proper position of the U.S. Congress and government is one of neutrality and respect for El Salvador’s independent democratic process.”

With the election less than a week away, it is imperative that the State Department declare this same position of neutrality and respect for El Salvador’s independent democratic process, and reject the Republicans' threats and lies about immigration status and remittances. The integrity and fairness of El Salvador's presidential election is in danger as long as such a statement is not made.

TAKE ACTION!

The U.S. must respect the will of the Salvadoran people!

1) Call the State Department to demand an immediate, public declaration of respect for the results of the Salvadoran election!

CALL: (202) 647-1510 (El Salvador/Nicaragua desk at the State Department)

CALL SCRIPT:

“I am calling to urge Secretary Clinton to immediately make a public statement declaring that the United States will respect the results of Sunday's presidential election in El Salvador and seek a positive relationship with whoever is elected.”

“On Wednesday, Members of Congress publicly threatened to revoke the immigration status of Salvadorans living here in the U.S. and outlaw the remittances they send back to their families. These threats have been extensively covered by the media in El Salvador. Without a statement by the State Department refuting these threats, the integrity and fairness of the Salvadoran election will be severely compromised.”

2) Then call the U.S. Embassy in San Salvador and ask to speak to chargé d’affaires (interim Ambassador) Robert Blau.

>From the U.S., CALL: 011-503-2501-2999

CALL SCRIPT:

“I am calling from the United States to ask that the Embassy publicly declare that the U.S. government will respect the results of Sunday's election, and that the threats made by Members of Congress this week about immigration status and remittances are false.”

[Langalibalele]

Hmm, I wonder where the money came from to ship in busloads of foreign nationals? Perhaps dollars looted by US investment bankers and CIA operatives. Sounds like the reactionary oligarchy is preparing a do-over of the bloody, rightist policies that ripped El Salvador apart in the Eighties.