As of the 2024 elections, Salvadorans abroad will be able to vote for members of the Legislative Assembly. But they also have the right to be elected as candidates.
Opposition parties want the 2024 elections in El Salvador to be dominated by Salvadoran candidates abroad. The political parties Nuestro Tiempo and Alianza Republicana Nacionalista (Arena) guarantee that they have identified the foreign candidates.
A special foreign suffrage law requires political parties to allow Salvadorans abroad to register as pre-candidates to participate in domestic elections, which must take place by July 5, 2023.
Carlos García Sade, president of the Arena’s (Coena) National Executive Council, told Diario El Mundo that they are already in the process of identifying candidates. He even claimed that he thought his party’s presidential candidate should be a Salvadoran abroad.
We believe that many candidates must be Salvadoran abroad, and there are already about five candidates who want to participate. ” – Carlos García Saade, President of Coena.
García Saade announced at the Arena that he would promote reform of the statute to remove the requirement of at least three years of party affiliation to participate. “We plan to remove the three-year affiliation requirement so they can be candidates,” he informed.
Andy Failer, the secretary general of Nuestro Tiempo, asserted that his political institution’s statutes “already allow the participation of people living abroad.”
Failer expressed their desire to promote the Salvadoran Overseas Directorate and suggested Carlos López Sandoval, a young Canadian professional, to head the Directorate. Failer says he’s already “identified a worthy profile for 2024.”
political parties must amend the law
On voting training abroad, Mario Roberto Marroquin, deputy director of electoral training at the Supreme Electoral Court (TSE), said political parties “must reform their laws and regulations to ensure the participation of Salvadorans abroad.” explained.
Vamos’ electoral affairs official, Sofia Bacherano, said her party’s constitution was “written in a general way” so as not to exclude Salvadorans who wanted to participate, but the supreme electoral body have not yet been given “instructions or training” that would allow them to know exactly how to amend the statute to allow full participation of Salvadorans abroad in the upcoming election event.
Myrna Benavidez, the electoral commissioner of the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN), recalled that left-wing parties had completed the process of amending the decree that went into effect on 7 February. “Article 27 states that the FMLN recognizes the importance of Salvadorans abroad and ensures that their rights and aspirations are respected, regardless of immigration status,” he stressed. . This means that Salvadorans abroad can participate in domestic elections and then exercise their right to participate in general elections, he said.
El Salvador will elect a president and vice president of the republic, as well as 84 members of its legislative assembly, on February 4. However, voting abroad he will begin on January 6th.
Homeland El Salvadorans also elect 20 members of the Central American Congress and 262 city council members. The government and Nuevas Ideas are known to intend to reduce the number of local councils before elections.
Many believe that candidates must be Salvadoran abroad. In addition, there are already about 5 candidates. – Carlos Garcia Sade, President of Arena.
Our laws already allow the participation of people living abroad. We are identifying valuable profiles. ” – Andy Ferrer, President of Our Time.
We have not received any instruction or training from the TSE regarding the direction of our reforms. ” – Sofia Bacherano, Vamos election administrator.
Our colleagues abroad can exercise their rights both inside and outside the national territory and enjoy the same rights abroad. ” –Mirna Benavides, member of the FMLN Political Committee.
Source: Diario Elmundo
