Funes Won!

As all the world now knows, the FMLN candidate Mauricio Funes won the presidency of El Salvador on March 15. Despite the incredible nastiness of the campaign, the election count went smoothly. The Tribunal Supremo Electoral (TSE) does not certify election results for 48 hours, but went on-air about 9 p.m. to report the returns (approximately 90% were in) which showed Funes the clear winner. Rodrigo Avila, the ARENA candidate, conceded. Funes spoke and claimed victory. The FMLNistas celebrated, the ARENistas didn't, and the international observers went to bed.

The election was historic--and exciting! My group observed in Antiguo Cuscatlan which just happened to be where Funes voted. The place went wild while he was there. It was something to stand in the midst of so much hope. It was hard to maintain our neutrality in all the excitement, but we did! I can only say that I saw Funes' arm and the top of his head. But I successfully held up my camera and got a great shot of all of him! There were a number of other international observers at our center and approximately 5,000 others all around the country. A few of us got to meet the best known, Rigobertu Menchu of Guatemala! (She received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1992.) I had met her ever so briefly a few years ago when she was at the University of Denver, but this time got to speak with her for about 45 seconds before getting a photo.

Our center experienced some number of voting anamolies but relatively few and minor in comparison to the centers in which I've previously observed. Members of both parties staffed each of the 64 voting tables and worked amazingly well together, particularly given the stakes for each in this election. Each of us selected a table to concentrate on throughout the day. CIS is concerned with how the processes of the elections are conducted. By having each observer follow a single voting table, particularly during the opening and closing activities, they develop a good sense of how the elections were carried out. The ARENA and FMLN members who staffed the table I chose were exemplary in the execution of their duties. Most CIS observers felt that their centers handled the process pretty well this time, however, others saw a great deal of room for improvement.

CIS has each of its observers make notes throughout the day and comment on specific points relative to compliance with the Election Code. The next day, each group met to develop a preliminary report on how the election was conducted at its center. Individual reports were turned in. All of these will be used to compile an organizational report that will be submitted to the TSE. CIS has observed all elections since the Peace Accords and many of their recommendations have been implemented by the TSE. This makes for a very rewarding experience.


It will be a few months before the CIS report will be available, but please visit http://www.cis-elsalvador.org/ to check on its progress.

Lacy Wittman, who also observed the 2004 election, made a video ("A Glimpse at Election Observing in El Salvador") for this year's observers. You may view it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMgZSZQsmss

Some of our Canadian journalist friends have videos that you may also enjoy watching:

Campbell Webster - Chaotic scene as Funes voted http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=js4RyTXwzv4&feature=channel_page

Jesse Freeston - Report on Elections http://therealnews.com/t/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=3425&updaterx=2009-03-19+09%3A20%3A4