Breakfast at 8:00am.

9:00 a short history of CISPES

11:30 left to Monumento de Reconciliación. The Reconciliation Monument for peace treaties

12:00 lunch at the park

3:00 back to the hotel to meet the first speaker Onidia Gomez Program Director of FUNDES

“The Current situation in El Salvador is that the second FMLN government is much more difficult. The first round there were 300,000 votes. The second round margin difference had 6,000 votes. It took 15 days to put the results of elections that left in question the government of Salvador Sanchez Seren. Arena called the military to be present and defend the democracy. It was a test that armed forces called to respond against the results. The government of Salvador Sanchez Seren was bombarded to invalidate the government.

Prior to 2014, Arena created changes electoral rules in the game of politics. Canditadura no Partidiaria was not in the constitution and it was a rule that Arena created.

In 2012, changes to the structure of the ballot were made allowing political parties to list the names of candidates

In 2014 the constitutional chamber initiated a process to avoid financing Seren.

In 2016 the Legislative Assembly declares unconstitutional 900,000 dollars in bonds from Taiwan. The country couldn’t sell the bonds arguing that in the Legislative Assembly, there were substitute- deputies and that these substitute-deputies were unconstitutional. In 2018 the substitute-deputies cannot be elected because they are unconstitutional. This is violation of political rights of citizens and these coming elections will have substitute-deputies who have the power of attorney.

El FONAT is a program that pays citizens in transit accidents. The constitution of ARENAS privatized El FONAT however, because it was unconstitutional, the government/citizens are paying FONAT rather than the private holders.

In 1997 the pension fund was privatized and increased to 45%. The Assembly declares it unconstitutional. Again, public money is paying for it rather than the private money. There is no funds at this time, that the government can pay. At this moment, all retired citizens are being paid with no funds and that is a financial crisis.

The most complicated part of this government it’s not just politically but financially. ARENA is asking the Education Unions to demand higher education salaries and benefits which is a contradictory process. There are demands in all public institutions drowning the government.

The public processes that started in August of 2017, are on hold because it was declared unconstitutional and has stopped the abilities for new projects.

At this time, the Constitutional Chamber is blocking CITRAMS, an urban transport that travels from Soyapango to San Salvador. It is about 1 1/2 hour drive. However, with CITRAMS, it is only a 20 min drive. The higher class with cars are complaining that it takes them longer to travel. Whereas the lower class take a shorter ride. CITRAMS is now on standby as a temporary measure.

The Judicial body is the most corrupted. The salary is 6% received from the government budget, and if there is an increase on tax collections the Judicial salary increases.

Currently, the Constitutional Chamber declared unconstitutional the Transparency Law. With this, voids any case that arises into question. In respect to this, ARENA’s government were questioned about their clothes, travels, cars and did not want to give the information. In respect to this, the media has remained silent.

Example: “if I wasn’t there I don’t need to give you the information” and that is to put a lock in the ARENA corruption. The narrative for corruption is in regards to the FMLN government not to change ARENA

The Attorney General backed by the US embassy, doesn’t say anything about the money from Taiwan. He only brings in question ex-president Saca or any corruption from FMLN

ARENA admitted to take money from the earthquake and says not to look at the past, only the future.

The Law of Limited Domain is based on illicit enrichment law. This serves a political blackmailing because it gives unlimited power to one person.

Example: “I think there’s an illicit here and I take this property and can take several years to solve the case”

” Jacobo enriched with a 2 million dollars but his home is only 1million. I am going after his kids, brothers, cousins until I get my 2 million.”

UNAMARSAL reduced the importation of rice and beans. It was challenging the monopoly of ARENA and the big importers. It disrupted the democratic process and was sued for elicit enrichment.

The Constitutional Chamber makes a campaign orchestrated to point FMLN as incompetent, corruption, etc and implements the Nulled Vote

Currently, 10% of the population is cross-voting, the rest votes per flag or political party.”

At 7:30 pm the delegates participated in a stigmatized project.

This is the Monumento de Reconciliacion and the Peace Accord Agreement.

I landed in San Salvador at 7:15 am. I was very calm in line for customs, and after about 12 minutes I realized that I was the only one there with the officer. The line behind me was gone. I knew I was going incognito however, the officer asked the exact address of the hotel I was going to stay. I tried to look it up in my phone and told him that I had poor reception. He asked me who was I meeting and I brought up my Bay Area Salvadoran friends. I told him they were waiting outside for me. He asked if I was in fact going for tourism. Once I was at the baggage claim, I met with the other four delegates who were waiting for me and took a van to the hotel. On the way, I noticed billboards and signs on how to vote with an x for that certain party and or deputy of choice.

Once we arrived at the hotel, we had some coffee, rested, and went out for lunch about four blocks away. We shopped a bit for snacks and personal needs. On our way back, we took a taxi because of the excessive bags. I was listening to the radio in the taxi, and it was encouraging citizens to vote and not feel discouraged; citizens can “cross vote” any party and deputies from both parties. It was confusing to me. Once in the hotel, Lea Papas arrived at around 2:30 pm with the rest of the delegates.

At 6:30 pm all 15 delegates from across the U.S were having Pupusas for dinner and we all introduced each other. We had delegates from Maine, D.C., Kentucky, New Orleans, and California. After the introduction, we were briefed about the next day. We will be ready for breakfast at 8 am with our notebooks.