Undergoing Candidate Vetting in El Salvador and Costa Rica

In El Salvador, the Nationalist Republican Alliance (ARENA) party’s national electoral commission issues instructions explaining the requirements for candidate registration. Requirements include letters of recommendation from the party’s local or sectoral bodies; a sworn statement attesting to the veracity of the information provided on the candidate’s 

background; and a statement of commitment to the party constitution, which includes requirements such as a minimum period of membership, evident education and morals, and a life history generally consistent with the party ideology. In Costa Rica, the Citizens’ Action Party (PAC) requires that prior to their nomination by the party’s National Assembly, prospective candidates are required to participate in a political training course that culminates in an evaluation, which is taken into account in the nomination decision.