  |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Election Polling -- 2009 Eelctions
The citizens of El Salvador will elect a new legislature and mayors of all cities in January 2009 and a
president and vice-president in March 2009. What follows are recent polling results.
From a survey completed in late October and early November by Instituto Universitario de Opinión Pública
(IUDOP) of the Jesuit University of Central America:
|
Party |
Mayors |
Deputies |
President |
|
FMLN |
31.5% |
32.3% |
34.5% |
|
ARENA |
25.4% |
25.2% |
27.0% |
|
PCN |
3.8% |
3.6% |
2.3% |
|
PDC |
3.8% |
2.6% |
2.3% |
|
CD |
1.3% |
1.7% |
0.6% |
|
FDR |
0.2% |
0.1% |
0.0% |
|
Other party |
0.7% |
0.5% |
0.4% |
|
Don't know/vote is secret |
29.3% |
29.6% |
28.8% |
|
No one |
4.1% |
4.3% |
4.1% |
|
Total |
100% |
100% |
100% |
In earlier polls by La Prensa Gráfica ARENA was slightly ahead:
| |
Oct. 2007 |
Feb. 2007 |
|
Nationalist Republican Alliance (ARENA) |
28.1% |
33.9% |
|
Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN) |
25.5% |
17.1% |
|
National Conciliation Party (PCN) |
2.3% |
3.7% |
|
Christian Democratic Party (PDC) |
1.9% |
1.8% |
|
Democratic Change (CD) |
0.2% |
0.2% |
In the March 2006 elections ARENA won 34 seats, FMLN 32, PCN 10 PDC 6, and CD 2
Monday, November 26, 2007
The Campaign Begins
Believed to be part of the right's campaign to identify the left as algned with Chavez.
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Archbishop Wants Candidates to Show Respect
Just as in the USA elections in El Salvador seem to begin earlier and earlier. The campaign for the
elections in early 2009 has already begun. The Roman Catholic archbishop of San Salvador, Fernando Sáenz Lacalle, said
today that he hopes for a respectful campaign between the two major parties, ARENA and FMLN. Also, Sáenz Lacalle expressed
approval of the added tax on gasoline and diesel that will fund subsidies to bus companies to maintain reasonable
fares.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Bean Harvest Up 16%
The Salvadoran Ministry of Agriculature and Livestock reports that the bean harvest will be 2.1 million
quintals this year -- an increase of 300,000 quintals. (A quintal is one hundred pounds.) The expectation is that
prices will drop from the current $65 per quintal to $55. Retail prices for red beans -- a staple of the poorest families
-- had increased by 50% or more in the second half of this year, reaching $1.30 per pound.
Monday, November 19, 2007
ARENA Loses Support
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - The governing Nationalist Republican Alliance (ARENA) has lost public support
over the course of this year but remains the most popular political organization in El Salvador, according to a poll by LPG
Datos published in La Prensa Gráfica. 28.1 per cent of respondents would support the conservative party in the next
legislative election, down 5.8 points since February.
The left-leaning Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN) is second with 25.5 per cent, followed by
the National Conciliation Party (PCN) with 2.3 per cent, the Christian Democratic Party (PDC) with 1.9 per cent, and Democratic
Change (CD) with 0.2 per cent.
Antonio Saca—a media businessman—was elected in March 2004 as the candidate for ARENA, garnering 57.73 per
cent of the vote. ARENA candidates have won the last four presidential elections in the Central American country. Saca is
ineligible for a consecutive term in office.
The next legislative election has been tentatively scheduled for January 2009, with a presidential ballot
following in March or April. 52.5 per cent of respondents would like to see a change of government after the 2009 election.
On Nov. 15, Saca announced that ARENA will choose its next presidential nominee by holding a three-candidate
nationwide primary before March 2008. On that same day, FMLN communications secretary Sigifredo Reyes urged Saca to hold a
"campaign with class, a campaign where we have an open debate, clean and based on ideas, not based on a dirty war" against
his party.
Polling Data
What party would you vote for in the next legislative election?
| |
Oct. 2007 |
Feb. 2007 |
|
Nationalist Republican Alliance (ARENA) |
28.1% |
33.9% |
|
Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN) |
25.5% |
17.1% |
|
National Conciliation Party (PCN) |
2.3% |
3.7% |
|
Christian Democratic Party (PDC) |
1.9% |
1.8% |
|
Democratic Change (CD) |
0.2% |
0.2% |
In the 2009 election, do you think it would be best to change of government, or would you prefer to have the same party
in charge?
|
Change of government |
52.5% |
|
The same party in charge |
36.7% |
|
Not sure / No reply |
10.8% |
Source: LPG Datos / La Prensa Gráfica
Methodology: Interviews with 1,500 Salvadoran adults, conducted
on Oct. 27 and Oct. 28, 2007. Margin of error is 2.6 per cent.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Earthquakes in Central and South America
Shortly after the major (Richter 7.7) earthquake in northern Chile there was a 5.4 quake in the Pacific
Ocean off the cost of Guatelmala. The center of the quake was 85 miles west of Santa Ana, El Salvador, at 12:35 EST.
There are no reports yet of damage, but according to La Prensa Gráfica it was felt in the capital.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Possibility of Change in El Salvador
San Salvador, Nov 10 (Prensa Latina) After several years of neoliberal policies that accentuated poverty in
El Salvador, the nomination of the presidential duetto of the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front -FMLN- opens up the
possibility of a change.
Journalist Mauricio Funes and legislator Salvador Sanchez Ceren will be proclaimed on Sunday as candidates
to the presidency and vice-presidency, respectively, for FMLN.
"El Salvador is already unfeasible with the right in power", said Funes, a professional with a long career
in the media and who has become famous with a program called "The Interview."
Funes pointed out that this situation is causing emigration every day of among 400 to 500 people, who leave
with the illusion of finding a better future in another place.
The Central American country is considered the most dangerous in Latin America, with a daily average of 13
homicides and a population of barely six million inhabitants.
"El Salvador cannot remain this way for five more years, and for that reason, changes are urgent and the principles
of FMLN can take this to an end", he said.
According to Funes, such changes would go in accordance with those that have happened in recent years in several
countries of the region and other places of the world, where favorable spaces open up for the people.
On Sunday, more than 70,000 Salvadorans will go to the Cuscatlan Stadium to witness the proclamation of Funes
and Sanchez Ceren as presidential candidates.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
