EL SALVADOR: "Legacy for New Gov't.: growing poverty and a country in crisis"

"Legacy for the new government: growing poverty and a country in crisis

SAN SALVADOR, May 31.–– Growing poverty and the country’s slide into economic, social, and institutional crisis is the sad legacy of the outgoing government in El Salvador, affirmed the Farabundo Martí Front for National Liberation (FMLN), PL reports.

The challenge facing President Elect Mauricio Funes will be enormous.

An assessment of the last 20 years of ARENA’s rule as well as the last five-year presidential term under Elías Antonio Saca was made by the political party that assumes leadership of the government today, Monday.

The analysis was undertaken by the FMLN legislative group, led by Medardo González, FMLN general secretary, taking into account official figures on the increase in misery and lack of social attention for the population, in addition to the extremely grave economic situation.

In that area, the failure of the model imposed has left a weakened economy that lacks the capacity to reduce the impact of a global crisis and is affecting the purchasing power of El Salvadorians, the organization noted.

Another serious problem that has intensified over the past 20 years is crime, with a constant rate of 10 crimes per day, provoking high levels of insecurity among the population.

Finally, he signaled that the FMLN commits to developing an administration working to the benefit of the population over the next five years, for which it hopes to receive backing from all sectors of the El Salvadorian population.

Translated by Granma International
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http://www.granma.cu/ingles/2009/junio/lun1/salvador.html