The majority of candidates for the 2002 congressional and municipal elections have broken an agreement not to put election posters on the main streets and avenues of the capital. The accord prohibits placing campaign publicity on public property on Avenida 27 de Febrero, John F. Kennedy, Independencia, Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln and other major thoroughfares of Santo Domingo. However, El Siglo reports that those streets already sport hundreds of multi-colored posters stuck to poles, walls and even on trees. The ban has been signed by politicians, the Central Electoral Board (JCE), the Participacion Ciudadana citizens group, the National Federation of Neighborhood Groups and the Hotel Association of Santo Domingo. The secretary general of the National District municipality, Luis José Chávez, says, “A politician who breaks this law is committing a criminal act and is therefore a delinquent and we don’t think the citizens should give their votes to delinquents.” He says the municipality will charge any politician who breaks city laws.
