[Marxism] FMLN Probable El Salvador Winner

[Joaquin Bustelo]

Greg writes: "A popular radio talk show journalist, Funes lost his contract
with CNN shortly after declaring his campaign."

Mauricio Funes, currently FMLN candidate for president, for nearly a decade
was a "stringer," or occasional free-lance reporter, for CNN en Español.
This wasn't his "main" job -- he was a local reporter, then news director,
then host of his own interview shows simulcast on radio and television --
and I seem to remember (but don't quote me on this) he also was a stringer
for Univision. 

By every account that I've seen of his own statements, he recognized that
his entry as a candidate into a major political contest meant discontinuing
those sorts of roles, and it was by mutual recognition on both sides that
this role was no longer appropriate that he stopped working for CNN en
Español, as well as abandoning his main "day job," most recently as host of
a radio talk show interview show.

Having once been a stringer for U.S. outlets in Latin America, and being
familiar with the current contractual terms common in the industry in Latin
America, saying a stringer "lost his contract" could create a false
impression. On neither side is there usually a long term nor an exclusive
commitment. 

Indeed, in his statements accepting the FMLN's offer to become its
candidate, Funes said this ended his role as a journalist. The conflict
between being both the reporter and one of the central protagonists in the
election story he would have been covering as a journalist is so obvious as
to need no further elaboration. 

The implicit suggestion that's been made by various people on the U.S. left
that the reason he "lost" his role with CNN en Español was a political
reprisal by this organization is unwarranted. While one might, at least in
theory, conceivably continue as a commentator or analyst or columnist or
opinion article writer while a candidate for a major public office, the role
of reporter in a traditional news organization isn't one that the new
candidate can continue to play.

It should be noted that over the past several years, Funes has more than
once been ousted from different media outlets as well as editorial positions
in El Salvador. I believe these were reprisals due to his hard-hitting
journalism, which is also what has led him to become such a prominent figure
in Salvadoran public life. 

But throughout the entire period, including the months prior to his
officially being offered the top spot on the FMLN ticket, and his
acceptance, when this possibility was widely mooted, leading to calls by
President Saca for Funes to abandon his journalist positions, he continued
as a CNN free-lance reporter. Whether by mutual agreement or management
decision, he had stopped hosting his morning interview show on TV months
before, as the "buzz" around his possible political campaign mounted. His
CNN arrangement was the last one to be ended.

Should he not be otherwise occupied in a year or two, I would not be
surprised to see him return to CNN en Español or some other international
network, as well as to local media, as those familiar with his work know he
is an excellent --and courageous-- journalist, an outstanding figure in the
field in Latin America. 

And if his role for the past years as a CNN en Español reporter in some way
contributes to his being "otherwise occupied" --as President of the
country-- that would be due to the honesty and integrity with which he
carried it out, including recognizing the point at which his continuing in
his long-standing role of reporter was no longer appropriate in this kind of
news organization.

Joaquín

P.S. -- As to the main subject of Greg's post, that the FMLN might win the
Salvadoran elections, it is WAY too early for polls to be very meaningful.
At this point mostly they tell us that Funes is a well-known and well-liked
figure in Salvadoran public life, which is all to the good, of course, but
polls won't become meaningful until late next year, as the election will
take place in 2009.