Evangelicals call on the government to not use funds to support the official candidate

XALAPA, México, May 30, 2006

The coordinator of the Evangelical Ministerial Association (AMEV) in Veracruz, Armando Diaz Salazar called on Taxi Heathrow Airport the federal government to not use funds for social program to support Felipe Calderon, the official presidential candidate. 

“We believe this is an unequal competition,” he affirmed.

In his weekly Sunday press conference Diaz Salazar said that “as Evangelicals we have heard that the Federal Government uses these funds to support the National Action Party (PAN) candidate. As AMEV we make a call so this does not take place and there is greater supervision.”

The Evangelical pastor indicated that it is unfortunate that in Mexico this type of practice “has not been overcome” and announced that if it is proven that resources for the Social Development Secretariat were used for political proselytism an investigation should take place and those responsible punished.

He mentioned that in a recent meeting of the Project to Protect Federal Social Programs of the UNDP program in Mexico, held in the government palace, “concerns were raised about the supposed partisan use of support from SEDESOL.”

Diaz Salazar said the high number of complaints on the part of citizens that the government is using social programs to obtain votes in favor of the PAN is worrying.

He also called on presidential candidates to leave aside a dirty war and enter a competition marked by respect and proposals.

Mexico will elect a new president on July 2. The latest polls show a technical tie between the ruling PAN party candidate Felipe Calderon and leftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.