Help From Caracas?

The presidential election campaign has unofficially kicked off in earnest - and with some controversy. Although the election is not held until March 2009, the likely candidate of the opposition Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN), Mauricio Funes, has announced a nationwide tour in which he will attempt to shore up voter support. However, it was Funes's vice-presidential running mate, Salvador Sánchez Cerén, who made the headlines, denying reports that Venezuela has financially supported his campaign. The situation is worth watching, as the business community will be wary of any influence on the political apparatus by the populist Venezuelan government

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