Elias Antonio Saca
Elías Antonio Saca González (Usulután, March 9, 1965) is a Salvadoran politician and businessman, descendant of a Catholic Palestinian family. He was elected President of the Republic of El Salvador on March 21, 2004, holding office from June 1, 2004 to June 1, 2009.
He was sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2018 for corruption.
Biography
Elías Antonio Saca was born in the city of Usulután in the department of the same name, on March 9, 1965.
Journalistic and business career
In 1983 he began unfinished higher studies in journalism at the University of El Salvador. He developed as a businessman in the area of communications, as a newscaster, as well as a sports announcer on radio and television. He participated in the creation of Radio América and later created and directed his own station, Radio Astral.
Astral Radio
Radio Astral was born in 1993. It was the first radio station of the Grupo Radial Samix founded by Elías Antonio Saca. This radio was directed from its beginnings by Manuel Ernesto Martínez. At first it was a station aimed at an adult contemporary audience, but in 1997 its style changed due to its lack of success. Radio Astral became the first 24-hour non-stop rock radio in the Central American region. In 2011 Francisco Parada became the director of the radio. In 2015 Astral disappeared from the dial and broadcast only online, finally in 2019 it stopped broadcasting online and was completely extinguished.
Beginnings of his political career
In 1989 he fully entered politics, joining the conservative Nationalist Republican Alliance (ARENA) party that governed El Salvador from that same year until 2009. He was president of the Salvadoran Association of Radio Broadcasters (ASDER) and of the National Association of the Private Company (ANEP). On July 14, 2003, said party announced that it would present him as its presidential candidate for the following year's elections. Immediately, Saca, who was better known as a radio and television host than as a politician, began touring the country, presenting a government plan called "Safe Country" based on the fight against crime;
During the campaign, some criticized his brief political experience, and that his political proposals seemed to have been overshadowed by the accusations against the FMLN candidate, Schafik Hándal. Saca was proclaimed the winner with a vote of 58% to 36% % obtained by Hándal, in the presidential elections of March 21, 2004.
Since he was elected, he announced that he would continue the free market economic policies and the foreign policy of total support for the interests of the United States, similar to that promoted by his predecessor, Francisco Flores, who is also from ARENA.
Many attribute Saca's pro-American attitude to the fact that he was openly supported by members of the United States Republican Party and the George W. Bush Administration during his political campaign in the 2004 elections. many analysts on the US right felt sure that Saca would lead a conservative government sympathetic to their interests.
The FMLN accused the United States of intervening in the electoral process, because several high-ranking officials warned that United States relations with El Salvador would be seriously threatened if Handal won the elections. This opinion was reinforced by the fact that ARENA assured that the United States could deport Salvadorans living there if the leftist candidate won.
The day after the elections, the US ambassador to El Salvador, H. Douglas Barclay, assured that both remittances and relations between the two countries "were never in danger" given the possibility that the FMLN had won the elections.
Presidency (2004-2009)
On June 1, 2004, he assumed the position of president. In his government's opening speech, Saca expressed his willingness to give more attention to social issues.[citation needed] Critics of the ARENA party argued that this was a tacit recognition of the absolute lack of social policy, under the previous government, also ARENA. President Saca continued the foreign policy of his predecessor by maintaining Salvadoran troops in Iraq, as well as his opposition to the left-wing governments of Latin America, especially with Fidel Castro's Cuba (until before the arrival of Mauricio Funes to the Presidency of the Republic replacing Saca, El Salvador did not maintain diplomatic relations with the island since the triumph of the Cuban Revolution) and Hugo Chávez's Venezuela.
Social achievements and attempted Tax Reform
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The Saca government implemented a plan called "Red Solidaria" to grant a subsidy to families living in a situation of severe extreme poverty in the least developed municipalities of the country. This subsidy of $15.00 to $20 per month was described by some sectors of the opposition as populist, taking into account that Saca has expressed his fidelity to the neoliberal economic model in his management, in addition, complaints were filed that this subsidy was being politically manipulated by the ARENA party. This subsidy was however focused towards the poverty map made previously. Currently, the Investment Fund for Local Development is in charge of continuing with this project against extreme poverty.
Saca promoted a Tax Reform with which he sought to soften the serious fiscal crisis that the country was experiencing after fifteen years of conservative government. Some economists described the Salvadoran situation as very close to that experienced by Argentina at the end of the 1990s, with debt levels of 50% in relation to GDP. The tax reform was harshly criticized by the large national private company, forcing President Saca to request the resignation of his Minister of Finance, Guillermo López Suárez, to put in his place Willian Handal, a man linked to the business community and former president of TACA, one of the large Latin American airlines, who immediately upon taking office, assured that there would be no more tax reforms for the peace of mind of the private sector.
The problem of crime and the economic situation
Shortly after assuming the Presidency of the Republic, Saca implemented the so-called Plan Supermano Dura to contain the high levels of crime in the country, through the deployment of troops from the Armed Forces, to collaborate with the patrol tasks of the National Civil Police, and the creation of police units specialized in the investigation of homicides. [citation needed]The plan, according to government statistics, was not able to reduce the number of homicides that occurred in the country, and these increased as they had been doing so since before his government, to end up with 3,928 homicides in 2006. Despite this, the government maintained that it managed to slightly reduce the number of crimes, while once again the State's own statistics prove the opposite, when figures are studied of extortions, an increase is noted from 2004 to 2009 in an almost constant manner. The opposition to his presidency maintained that the country maintained the crime rate despite the plans in action, in addition to accusing the government of emphasizing propaganda on comprehensive action against crime.
At the same time, Saca's critics have denounced the government's inaction in the face of the increase in fuel prices, basic food baskets, transportation, electricity, and the lack of policies against unemployment and inflation rates that El Salvador during his government. Saca's cabinet responded to these criticisms by stating that in the economic system that exists in El Salvador, his government has practically no ability to influence price setting, in addition to stating that job creation is the responsibility of private companies and that little can be done from the government to control price variations and speculation. Reyes eats it.
Accusations of political sectarianism
Since the 2004 presidential campaign, Antonio Saca has held the presidency of his political party, ARENA. When he assumed the Presidency of the Republic, in June 2004, various Salvadoran political analysts considered it inconvenient for the country that Saca would occupy the Head of State and the highest leadership of a political party at the same time. Saca ignored the criticism and decided to remain in charge of ARENA.
During Saca's presidential term, there have been several incidents that have been described by critics of the government as "acts of political sectarianism" and as a sign that Antonio Saca privileges his status as party president over that of President of the Republic. Saca's defenders have argued that the Constitution does not limit the rights of political participation of the President of the Republic.
An incident noted as particularly serious by Saca's opponents was his active involvement in his party's electoral campaign for the legislative and municipal elections on March 12, 2006. Departing from the tradition of his predecessors, Saca participated in political rallies throughout the country, especially in rural areas, supporting ARENA candidates. The opposition parties denounced that the ruler violated with such action, Article 218 of the Constitution of El Salvador, which establishes that "Public officials and employees are at the service of the State and not of a specific political faction." They may not take advantage of their charges to engage in partisan politics. Whoever does so will be punished in accordance with the law".
Another incident pointed out by government critics as harmful to national coexistence occurred on January 16, 2007, while President Saca was leading the official celebrations for the XV anniversary of the signing of the Chapultepec Peace Accords. During the protocol ceremony, held in San Salvador, Saca recognized the work of the UN, friendly countries, the Catholic Church and the Armed Forces of El Salvador, in the process of dialogue and negotiation that allowed the end of the Salvadoran Civil War. However, he refrained from mentioning the contribution to the peace process of the FMLN, the group of leftist forces that laid down its arms and signed peace with the government in 1992 and which was then the main opposition party.
According to a journalistic investigation, which ended in a legal complaint, between the end of 2003 and mid-2004 there was a network of ARENA party bank accounts, in which Antonio Saca and a dozen people linked to his party (his campaign and later to his government) received dozens of checks for amounts that almost add up to the 10 million dollars that, according to the Prosecutor's Office, Taiwan gave to former President Flores in 2003. The recipients of the 10 million who benefited since said resources They were transferred to bank accounts of the ARENA party created with names such as: Arena casa por casa, Arena Territorial, Arena Día D, Arena Mítines y eventos, Arena San Salvador, etc., which add up to 5.9 million dollars.
ARENA Ejection
After the presidential and legislative elections of January 18, 2009, the ARENA party suffered the split of twelve deputies in the legislative fraction, who would also form the so-called Great Alliance for National Unity. Former President Saca was accused of desertion, and he was also accused of "rigging" the party election of Rodrigo Ávila as presidential candidate, who ultimately lost the elections on March 15, 2009. Faced with the accusations, the ARENA authorities decided carry out a "political process" that ended in the expulsion of Elías Antonio Saca González in December 2009 based on the institution's statutes. Saca described the decision as "arbitrary and unfair", and carried out "with speculation and chambres".. He also alleged the violation of his right to a hearing, since he was in Costa Rica at the time.
Remarks during his administration
As President of the Republic, during the five-year period from 2004 to 2009, Saca was linked to various embezzlement and corruption scandals in the management of public funds, destined for the construction of important works for the country.
One of the most notorious cases is that of the then Diego de Holguín boulevard, now Monseñor Romero boulevard, where there are around 10 crimes applicable to the loss of more than 11 million dollars in the Saca administration. An investigation revealed that among the crimes that are being investigated are money and asset laundering, material falsehood, ideological falsehood, use and possession of false documents, concealment, omission of notice, breach of duty, embezzlement, influence peddling, depredation of forests, liability of public officials and employees, tax evasion, among others.
The public administration of Mauricio Funes presented a report to the Finance Commission of the Legislative Assembly, where the request is expressed to the Attorney General of the Republic of El Salvador to investigate the embezzlement made under the public administration of the former president Take out.
In the field of health, former President Saca was accused by the opposition party of embezzling the funds earmarked for the construction of the new Maternity Hospital, because according to the health authorities of the government of Mauricio Funes, the new Maternity Hospital It is one of the debts of the government of Elías Antonio Saca González and it had to be assumed by the management of his successor.
For the construction of said public hospital, 29.9 million dollars had been allocated, however, of that money they were only able to rescue around one million dollars for the purchase of equipment and the study prior to construction.
Other accusations were presented by the public administration led by Mauricio Funes, which involve several State institutions, and among these, are the Ministries of Health, Education, the Multisectoral Investment Bank and the Presidency of the Republic itself.
In 2016 the Supreme Court admitted a million-dollar complaint for corruption against the ARENA party and against several former presidents of that party, the lawsuit was admitted by the plenary session of 15 magistrates on corruption that occurred between 1989 and 2009, when the right-wing ARENA governed, who governed between 1989 and 2009, a period in which Alfredo Cristiani (1989-1994) and Armando Calderón Sol (1994-1999) held the presidency. Francisco Flores -now deceased- (1999-2004) and Antonio Saca (2004-2009), who, according to the complaint, would have committed acts of corruption that would be equivalent to losses for the State of 34,000 million dollars.
Chronology of the government of Elías Antonio Saca González
- March 21, 2004: Presidential elections are held to elect the successor of Francisco Flores.
- March 22, 2004: The Supreme Electoral Court of El Salvador declares Saca as elected president.
- 1 June 2004: Antonio Saca takes over the Presidency of the Republic for a five-year term. In his inauguration speech, he states that his government's priority will be social.
- August 30, 2004: President Saca announced the implementation of the Supermano Dura Plan, a strategy to contain the rise of crime in the country.
- March 7, 2005: President Saca announces the implementation of the Solidarity Network Program to grant subsidies to families in situations of extreme poverty.
- June 11, 2005: Renunciation of the Minister of Tourism, Luis Cardenal, after being involved in a fraudulent tender within his Ministry of State.
- July 15, 2005: During his visit to the United States, Antonio Saca met with George W. Bush and announced the forthcoming adoption of the Free Trade Agreement between the United States, Central America and the Dominican Republic.
- February-March 2006: President Saca is actively involved in the campaign prior to the election of mayors and deputies by participating in proselytistic acts of the ARENA party.
- January 2, 2007: The Minister of Public Works, David Gútierrez, resigns. President Saca states that the change is due to public official health problems. The opposition denounces that it is due to the discovery of several acts of corruption in that Ministry of State.
- 16 January 2007: Antonio Saca heads the official celebrations for the fifteenth anniversary of the signing of the El Salvador Peace Agreements.
- 29-31 October 2008: As the host president, he presided over the development of the XVIII Ibero-American Summit, held at the International Center for Fairs and Conventions of the Salvadoran capital, which brought together 22 heads of State of the area, including the kings of Spain and the Prime Minister of Portugal (Sede 2009).
- June 1, 2009: Antonio Saca gives the Presidency of the Republic to Mauricio Funes.
Second presidential candidacy
On February 25, 2013, Saca launched his presidential candidacy for the 2014-2019 term. The ex-president ran his new presidential candidacy under the banner of the Unity Movement, a political coalition that had the support of the Christian Democratic Party (PDC), the National Concertation Party (PCN) and the Grand Alliance for National Unity (GANA). These political organizations made their support official on May 5, 2013. Part of their initial promises included the continuity of social programs developed by the government of Mauricio Funes. However, on February 2, 2014, Saca was eliminated from the race. electoral by being in third place in the number of votes obtained against the candidates Salvador Sánchez Cerén of the FMLN and Norman Quijano of ARENA, who went on to contest the second electoral round on March 9, 2014. And extemporaneously, on March 26 On June 2014, the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice declared his presidential candidacy unconstitutional for violating Articles 88; 127 ordinal 6°; 152 ordinals 1st and 7th; and 154 of the Constitution of the Republic of El Salvador of 1983.
Judicial process
Arrest
On October 30, 2016, he was arrested by administrative order of the Attorney General of El Salvador for the crimes of embezzlement, illicit associations and money laundering allegedly committed during the period in which he served as president. Together with Saca, two former officials close to his administration and other employees of the Presidential House were arrested. Also involved in the case is his former private secretary of the presidency Elmer Charlaix —who turned himself in voluntarily—, on whom the main suspicion of illicit banking movements from public funds for the benefit of former officials rests.
Imprisonment
On Tuesday, January 17, 2017, Elías Antonio Saca became the first former president to be sent to a penal center in El Salvador (La Esperanza Penal Center, known as “Mariona”), pointed out for diverting more than $301 million of funds from the Presidential House to personal accounts, money that allegedly ended up in companies belonging to the former president during the period 2004-2009.[1]
Abbreviated process
On August 7, 2018, the Second Sentencing Court accepted a request made days before by former President Elías Antonio Saca and five other officials of his administration to be granted an abbreviated process, this arrangement was endorsed by the Attorney General Douglas Meléndez. As part of this request, there was an agreement between Elías Antonio Saca and the prosecutor's office, which included a confession by Saca and a concession of a lesser sentence by the Public Ministry and thus avoid the maximum sentence. for the crimes with which he was charged.
Confession
Elías Antonio Saca reported that in order to support the diversion of funds, he issued a regulation that gave him the power to classify information related to money movements as a state secret.
"This regulation allowed me to ensure the apparent legality in the management of public funds, take advantage of their use and appropriate them for personal benefit and that of other people", Saca said.
He explained that the "modus operandi" was a copy of a regulation issued by his predecessor, Francisco Flores, to which only the dates and names of officials were modified and with which they secretly managed state intelligence resources.
He reported that initially the use of this mechanism to divert money was not considered, but that the lack of more rigorous controls by the Court of Accounts motivated him to use it.
"I took advantage of the (Government's) organization and scarce control devices to transfer funds to other people unrelated to the Presidency", given that the audits they were done "in a superficial way," he added.
He declared that the political party that brought him to power, ARENA, received "several million dollars," diverted from the State wallet to the party's bank accounts.
Sentence
After 17 business days in which the different officials of former President Saca participated and also confessed, including him, the abbreviated process concluded in the Second Sentencing Court of San Salvador, where the Public Ministry asked the Court to sentence the crimes of embezzlement and Money laundering against Elías Antonio Saca and company; in addition to a civil liability sentence to return the amount that they embezzled and at the same time declare extinction of property, furniture and real estate so that they pass to the State.
Condemnation
The ruling of the San Salvador Sentencing Court was handed down on September 12, 2018, in which Elías Antonio Saca was sentenced to 10 years in prison for the crimes of embezzlement and money laundering, as well as the former secretary private of his government's Presidential House, Elmer Charlaix. In addition, the return of $260 million dollars to the State was requested.