“NATIONAL CALL IN DAYS FOR FAIR AND TRANSPARENT ELECTIONS IN EL SALVADOR”

Support Representatives Raul Grijalva (Arizona) and Marcy Kaptur’s (Ohio) letter to President Obama on the Elections in

El Salvador

This letter calls for the United States government to maintain neutrality with respect to El Salvador's March 15 presidential election, and affirms that the U.S. should seek a positive relationship with whichever candidate who is elected democratically by the Salvadoran people.

Among other things the letter to President Obama states the following: “We call upon all U.S. government officials and Members of Congress to refrain from any attempt, at any point during the campaign, to influence the decision of Salvadoran voters.” The letter to President Obama has emerged in light of efforts by the ruling party, ARENA, to manipulate the official foreign policy of the United States toward El Salvador for partisan ends. Groups tied to the ARENA government are airing irresponsible TV ads and spewing false statements in the mass media stating that Salvadorans in the United States will be deported, that remittances will be halted and that relations with the United States will deteriorate if the opposition wins the election. The U.S. government has the responsibility to counter these false statements.

The Presidential election in El Salvador will be the first Presidential election to take place in the Western Hemisphere since President Obama’s election in November, and a good opportunity for President Obama to send a clear message to the Latin American region about his new foreign policy vision towards the region and El Salvador specifically.

CALL YOUR MEMBER OF CONGRESS TODAY!

Thursday, February 26^th Friday, 27^th

_{URGE THEM TO SIGN ON TO THE LETTER TO PRESIDENT OBAMA ON ELECTIONS IN}

_{EL SALVADOR}

Call (202) 224-3121

If your representative’s office agrees to make a statement or co-sponsor the letter, ask for the contact information of the person that the letter should be sent to. Then contact Esther Portillo at 909-645-2050 or esther.portillo1@gmail.com to pass on the contact information and Representative’s name. We will follow up with that Representative.

Salvadoran American Leaders Call for Fair and Transparent Elections in El Salvador

S A N A

Salvadoran American National Association

Asociación Nacional Salvadoreña Americana

PRESS RELEASE

Media Contact: Esther Portillo (909) 645-2050, esther.portillo1@gmail.com

Salvadoran American Leaders Complete Successful Congressional Visits in Washington

Washington D.C. February 26, 2009—Forty five Salvadoran American leaders from across the United States visited over 85 Congressional Representatives in an unprecedented lobby day led by the Salvadoran American National Association (SANA). The leaders asked Congress to support free, fair and transparent Presidential elections in El Salvador that are scheduled to be held on March 15, 2009. These concerns emerge in light of reports by reputable organizations such as the Organization of American States, the European Union Observation delegation, and a delegation of U.S academics that question the integrity of the electoral process in El Salvador.

The Organization of American States, for instance, released a detailed report on their observation of the January 19^th 2009 Municipal and Legislative Elections in El Salvador earlier this week. The report provides insight and evidence of the following: 1) foreign nationals from surrounding Central American countries illegally voting in El Salvador, 2) the buying of votes throughout the country, 3) incidences of political violence 4) the Electoral Supreme Tribunal unwillingness to abide by electoral rules and or recommendations made by the OAS. These and other compelling findings point to a possible fraudulent Presidential election in El Salvador. Thus, Salvadoran Americans and their allies are asking Congress and President Obama to urge the Government of El Salvador to hold fair and transparent elections.

Consequently, on Monday, Congressman Raúl Grijalva, from Arizona and Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur from Ohio, began circulating a ‘Dear Colleague’ letter to their fellow Representatives urging their endorsement of a letter to President Obama, in which Lawmakers request from the new President to call on the Government of El Salvador to hold fair and transparent elections.

The Presidential election in El Salvador will be the first presidential election to take place in the Western Hemisphere since President Obama’s election in November, and a good opportunity for President Obama to send a clear message to the Latin American region about his new foreign policy vision towards the region and El Salvador specifically.

Among other things the letter to President Obama states the following: “We call upon all U.S. government officials and Members of Congress to refrain from any attempt, at any point during the campaign, to influence the decision of Salvadoran voters.” The letter to President Obama has emerged in light of efforts by the ruling party, ARENA, to manipulate the official foreign policy of the United States toward El Salvador for partisan ends. Groups tied to the ARENA government are airing irresponsible TV ads and spewing other propaganda in the mass media stating that Salvadorans in the United States will be deported, that remittances will be halted and that relations with the United States will deteriorate if the opposition wins the election.

Salvadoran American civic leaders, came to Washington from diverse sectors, ranging from non-profit organizations, labor leaders, business, religious, and community organizations from Washington D.C., Maryland, Virginia, New York, Boston, and California and visited over 100 Congressional Representatives. These leaders expressed great satisfaction over the two-day effort in the Capital to get support for free, fair, democratic and transparent elections in El Salvador. They obtained support from various members of Congress, including members Charles Rangel and Linda Sanchez to name a few.

During their visit to Washington, the Salvadoran American leaders also met with the Organization of American States Electoral Observation Director, Pablo Gutierrez, who provided the group the recently released OAS report on their observation mission on the Legislative and Municipal elections held in El Salvador on January 18, 2009. The OAS representative promised that his organization will continue efforts to monitor the electoral process in order to prevent further irregularities from occurring in the upcoming Presidential Election in El Salvador.

The Salvadoran Americans leaders affirmed that if the will of the Salvadoran voters is not respected by the ruling party this would be a devastating set back to the modest democratic victories to come out of El Salvador’s peace accords. The Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador (CISPES) also collaborated in this effort as well.

Please view video and photos at: http://carlosqc.blogspot.com/2009/02/salvadoran-americans-ask-obama-and-us.html