Archbishop says Chavez should stay out of elections in El Salvador

San Salvador, El Salvador, Feb 12, 2008 / 20:06 pm

Archbishop Fernando Saenz Lacalle of San Salvador has called on the country’s leaders to prevent other countries from interfering in El Salvador’s future elections.

“We all must be vigilant so that the electoral process is truly clean, transparent and without external influences,” said Archbishop Saenz Lacalle, who called on the left-wing FMLN party to “abstain from making commitments with the Venezuelan government.”

According to a report by the US State Department, President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela may be behind the financing of the FMLN campaign.

The party’s nominee, Mauricio Funes, has denied the party is receiving Venezuelan funds to pay for campaign ads for the 2009 elections.

However, the archbishop of San Salvador has called on the Supreme Electoral Court to ensure “total independence” in the electoral process.

“If there is external political influence, it should kept under control and under vigilance,” he said.