Political patronage prevails as municipal workers are fired

In many municipalities throughout El Salvador, May 1 brought governments run by different political parties into power. What has followed in many locations is the firing of municipal workers so that the new administration can give jobs to its political sympathizers. La Prensa Grafica reports that such firings are not just of senior level personnel or heads of departments -- the people being fired are truck drivers, service people and clerks. Nor is the problem limited to a single political party, each party seems to be determined to award the spoils of victory to its supporters.

Beatrice Carrillo, El Salvador's human rights ombudswoman, announced that she was opening an official inquiry into the firings.

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