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A12 WORLD NEWS
Friday 1 February 2019
El Salvador's leading candidate targets graft

By MARCOS ALEMAN that prompted Washington
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador to recall its ambassador.
(AP) — Salvadorans have "We have to review that
watched as internation- deal this outgoing govern-
ally sponsored investiga- ment made at the last min-
tive bodies in neighboring ute in exchange for some
Guatemala and Honduras tons of rice," Bukele said.
brought high-profile cases "We are going to review it,
that took down corrupt pol- but we will not necessarily
iticians and businesspeo- break relations with China."
ple. Nayib Bukele wants to Bukele also had strong
give his compatriots their words for Venezuela and
own version of that. Nicaragua, two countries
Bukele, a young business- with governments accused
man and former mayor of of increasing authoritarian-
El Salvador's capital, is the ism and repression of dis-
front-runner in Sunday's sent.
presidential election and "For us the government of
polls indicate his focus on (Venezuelan Nicolas) Mad-
fighting endemic graft uro is not a government
has him well positioned to that allows democratic plu-
break the hold of the two rality," Bukele said. "It does
parties that have domi- not allow for there to be a
nated the government for real opposition, and that is
three decades. not democratic."
If elected, the 37-year-old Under Sanchez Ceren, El
promises the creation of a Salvador has been one of
Commission Against Impu- the countries in the region
nity in El Salvador, or Cicies backing Maduro during
for its initials in Spanish. He Venezuela's political cri-
says he hopes to secure sis, even as the U.S., Brazil,
support from abroad for Presidential frontrunner Nayib Bukele, of the Grand National Alliance for Unity or GANA, is prepped Canada, Argentina and
such an effort, as has been for an interview, in San Salvador, El Salvador, Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2019. other nations recognized
the case for Guatemala Associated Press the head of the opposi-
(the United Nations) and tion-controlled congress as
Honduras (the Organiza- lenging the political domi- on the slogan of "There will remains to be seen exactly interim president in a chal-
tion of American States). nance that has reigned be enough money when how that will play out in the lenge to Maduro's power.
"We have said it loud and since the peace accords. nobody steals," and says vote. To his mind, the can- As for Nicaragua, Bukele
clear: Regardless of wheth- A recent poll gave him sup- Cicies would investigate didate evinces "a rejection said he could not remain
er it involves someone from port from about 40 percent corruption dating back of control" for his public quiet while "seeing that
our party or any other par- of Salvadorans, compared three decades — 20 years criticisms of institutions such hundreds of young stu-
ty, whoever it is, the Cicies with 23 percent for busi- when Arena was in charge, as the Supreme Electoral dents have been murdered
will have to act against a nessman Carlos Callejas of and the last 10 under the Tribunal and the Attorney by the regime of (Daniel)
corrupt person," Bukele told the conservative Arena co- FMLN. General's Office. Ortega, a president who
The Associated Press in an alition. He was even further "It is clear that there has Bukele said he hopes to says he is from the left but
interview this week. ahead of the FMLN's Hugo been money, but it has model Cicies on the In- is no different from (Anas-
He is the only one of four Martinez, a former foreign gone to line the pockets of ternational Commission tasio) Somoza, the dictator
candidates on the ballot to minister. the corrupt," Bukele said. Against Impunity in Guate- they kicked out — now he is
make such a promise. El Salvador's last six presi- In their harshest assess- mala, which has come un- doing the same thing."
Bukele made his politi- dents have come from ei- ments, Bukele's rivals and der fire from Guatemalan Bukele argued that he has
cal debut in 2012 with the ther Arena or FMLN. critics suggest he could President Jimmy Morales an advantage over his ri-
ruling FMLN party, which Three of them have been be trouble. Miguel For- since it pushed several in- vals in condemning what
arose from a leftist guerrilla accused of corruption: tin Magana, who leads a vestigations targeting him, he sees as anti-democratic
movement after peace ac- Arena's Francisco Flores movement called Liber- family members and asso- actions, "because we are
cords ended El Salvador's (1999-2004), who died tad, or "freedom," accuses ciates. Morales denies any not bound to these govern-
civil war. He was elected while under house arrest; him of being "narcissistic wrongdoing. ments."
mayor of the small munici- Tony Saca (2004-2009, also and megalomaniacal" and Bukele said he has not spo- Bukele studied law at Jose
pality of Nuevo Cuscatlan, from Arena), who last year calls him "the only presiden- ken to the United Nations Simeon Canas Central
then three years later he pleaded guilty to embez- tial candidate who is dan- but has had conversations American University but left
won the mayoralty of San zling hundreds of millions gerous." with the OAS's secretary- before getting a degree.
Salvador. in government funds; and Martinez has criticized general. He did not give At 18, with support from his
But his frequent public criti- the FMLN's Mauricio Funes Bukele for avoiding de- details. father, he founded a pub-
cism of the FMLN and cur- (2009-2014), now a fugitive bating publicly, accused On foreign relations, Bukele licity agency.
rent President Salvador in exile in Nicaragua, want- him of not being willing said he would promote He is married and awaiting
Sanchez Ceren led to his ed for purportedly diverting to answer uncomfortable strong ties with the United his first child. Born to a Ro-
expulsion, accused of vio- $350 million. questions and questioned States and also examine all man Catholic mother and
lating party principles. So it's perhaps unsurprising whether that could have deals between the current a Muslim father, he pro-
Today he is the standard that Salvadorans respond negative implications for a government and China. claims his belief in God but
bearer of the Grand Alli- to Bukele's vow that elimi- free press. Last year Sanchez Ceren not organized religion.
ance for National Unity — its nating graft is essential to Political analyst Alvaro Arti- switched El Salvador's dip- If no candidate wins a ma-
initials, GANA, mean "win" moving the country for- ga said polls have favored lomatic recognition from jority Sunday, a runoff will
in Spanish — and is chal- ward. He has campaigned Bukele for over a year but it Taiwan to Beijing, a move be held.q