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        {"code":"25356","sect":"El Salvador","sect_slug":"el-salvador","hits":"1555","link":"https:\/\/elfaro.net\/en\/202103\/el_salvador\/25356","link_edit":"","name":"Former Juan Guaid\u00f3 Strategist Manages Campaigns for Nayib Bukele","slug":"former-juan-guaido-strategist-manages-campaigns-for-nayib-bukele","info":"One of Venezuela\u2019s main exiled opposition leaders, Lester Toledo, played a key role in developing the campaign and governing strategy of Nuevas Ideas, the party of Salvadoran president Nayib Bukele that won control of the country\u2019s Legislative Assembly in February. Toledo\u2019s company, Salto \u00c1ngel Consulting, coordinated the party\u2019s primaries, which were also El Salvador\u2019s first all-virtual elections. Toledo also consulted with Nuevas Ideas about the party\u2019s strategy of instituting a government food relief program, though his specific role remains unclear. Toledo is one of several Venezuelan opposition activists with access to Bukele\u2019s inner circle.","mtag":"Politics","noun":{"html":"\u003Cspan class='tint-text--dark' data_href='\/user\/profile\/jalvarado'\u003E Jimmy Alvarado\u003C\/span\u003E","data":{"jimmy-alvarado":{"sort":"jalvarado","slug":"jimmy-alvarado","path":"jimmy_alvarado","name":"Jimmy Alvarado","edge":"0","init":"0"}}},"view":"1555","pict":{"cms-image-000035554-jpg":{"feat":"0","sort":"35554","name":"cms-image-000035554.jpg","link":"https:\/\/elfaro.net\/images\/cms-image-000035554.jpg","path":"https:\/\/elfaro.net\/images\/cms-image-000035554.jpg","back":"","slug":"cms-image-000035554-jpg","text":"&lt;p&gt;Toledo es \"senior campaign manager\" de su empresa Salto \u00c1ngel Consulting y dirigi\u00f3 la organizaci\u00f3n del territorio para la campa\u00f1a de Nuevas Ideas.\u00a0Fotograf\u00eda de cuenta de Instagram de Lester Toledo donde posa con el presidente de NI y primo de Bukele, Xavier Zablah.&lt;\/p&gt;","capt":"\u003Cp\u003EToledo es \"senior campaign manager\" de su empresa Salto \u00c1ngel Consulting y dirigi\u00f3 la organizaci\u00f3n del territorio para la campa\u00f1a de Nuevas Ideas.\u00a0Fotograf\u00eda de cuenta de Instagram de Lester Toledo donde posa con el presidente de NI y primo de Bukele, Xavier Zablah.\u003C\/p\u003E"},"cms-image-000035555-jpg":{"feat":"0","sort":"35555","name":"cms-image-000035555.jpg","link":"https:\/\/elfaro.net\/images\/cms-image-000035555.jpg","path":"https:\/\/elfaro.net\/images\/cms-image-000035555.jpg","back":"","slug":"cms-image-000035555-jpg","text":"&lt;p&gt;Esteban Vicu\u00f1a (left), V\u00edctor Barboza (center), and Lester Toledo (right) are the core team at Salto \u00c1ngel Consulting, a firm that advises Nuevas Ideas on issues relating to the training and organization of campaign teams. Photo from Lester Toledo\u2019s Instagram account.&lt;\/p&gt;","capt":"\u003Cp\u003EEsteban Vicu\u00f1a (left), V\u00edctor Barboza (center), and Lester Toledo (right) are the core team at Salto \u00c1ngel Consulting, a firm that advises Nuevas Ideas on issues relating to the training and organization of campaign teams. Photo from Lester Toledo\u2019s Instagram account.\u003C\/p\u003E"},"cms-image-000035556-jpg":{"feat":"0","sort":"35556","name":"cms-image-000035556.jpg","link":"https:\/\/elfaro.net\/images\/cms-image-000035556.jpg","path":"https:\/\/elfaro.net\/images\/cms-image-000035556.jpg","back":"","slug":"cms-image-000035556-jpg","text":"&lt;p&gt;Since the 2019 presidential campaign, Toledo has participated in organizational activities, campaign team trainings, displays of party militancy, and trainings on \u201cdefending the vote.\u201d Photo from Lester Toledo's Instagram account.&lt;\/p&gt;","capt":"\u003Cp\u003ESince the 2019 presidential campaign, Toledo has participated in organizational activities, campaign team trainings, displays of party militancy, and trainings on \u201cdefending the vote.\u201d Photo from Lester Toledo's Instagram account.\u003C\/p\u003E"},"cms-image-000035557-jpg":{"feat":"0","sort":"35557","name":"cms-image-000035557.jpg","link":"https:\/\/elfaro.net\/images\/cms-image-000035557.jpg","path":"https:\/\/elfaro.net\/images\/cms-image-000035557.jpg","back":"","slug":"cms-image-000035557-jpg","text":"&lt;p&gt;On February 17, Sarah Hanna attended the kick-off event for El Salvador\u2019s Covid-19 vaccination campaign for frontline workers. Photo: Carlos Barrera.&lt;\/p&gt;","capt":"\u003Cp\u003EOn February 17, Sarah Hanna attended the kick-off event for El Salvador\u2019s Covid-19 vaccination campaign for frontline workers. Photo: Carlos Barrera.\u003C\/p\u003E"},"cms-image-000035558-jpg":{"feat":"0","sort":"35558","name":"cms-image-000035558.jpg","link":"https:\/\/elfaro.net\/images\/cms-image-000035558.jpg","path":"https:\/\/elfaro.net\/images\/cms-image-000035558.jpg","back":"","slug":"cms-image-000035558-jpg","text":"&lt;p&gt;El equipo de Salto \u00c1ngel Consulting se reuni\u00f3 con el presidente Bukele para celebrar la victoria de Nuevas Ideas en las elecciones del 28 de febrero. De izquierda a derecha, V\u00edctor Barboza, Efrendy Campos, Danny Lozada, Esteban Vicu\u00f1a, Andrea M\u00e1rquez, Lester Toledo, Mar\u00eda Jos\u00e9 V\u00e1squez Fossi y Lender Toledo.&lt;\/p&gt;","capt":"\u003Cp\u003EEl equipo de Salto \u00c1ngel Consulting se reuni\u00f3 con el presidente Bukele para celebrar la victoria de Nuevas Ideas en las elecciones del 28 de febrero. De izquierda a derecha, V\u00edctor Barboza, Efrendy Campos, Danny Lozada, Esteban Vicu\u00f1a, Andrea M\u00e1rquez, Lester Toledo, Mar\u00eda Jos\u00e9 V\u00e1squez Fossi y Lender Toledo.\u003C\/p\u003E"},"cms-image-000035559-png":{"feat":"0","sort":"35559","name":"cms-image-000035559.png","link":"https:\/\/elfaro.net\/images\/cms-image-000035559.png","path":"https:\/\/elfaro.net\/images\/cms-image-000035559.png","back":"","slug":"cms-image-000035559-png","text":"&lt;p&gt;En mayo de 2020, Toledo coordin\u00f3 una reuni\u00f3n, en el marco del Programa de Emergencia Sanitaria (PES), a la que asistieron los titulares de las instituciones encargadas de la compra, almacenamiento y distribuci\u00f3n de las canastas de alimentos.&lt;\/p&gt;","capt":"\u003Cp\u003EEn mayo de 2020, Toledo coordin\u00f3 una reuni\u00f3n, en el marco del Programa de Emergencia Sanitaria (PES), a la que asistieron los titulares de las instituciones encargadas de la compra, almacenamiento y distribuci\u00f3n de las canastas de alimentos.\u003C\/p\u003E"},"cms-image-000035560-jpg":{"feat":"1","sort":"35560","name":"cms-image-000035560.jpg","link":"https:\/\/elfaro.net\/images\/cms-image-000035560.jpg","path":"https:\/\/elfaro.net\/images\/cms-image-000035560.jpg","back":"","slug":"cms-image-000035560-jpg","text":"","capt":""}},"pict_main__sort":35560,"date":{"live":"2021\/03\/23"},"data_post_dateLive_YY":"2021","data_post_dateLive_MM":"03","data_post_dateLive_DD":"23","text":"\u003Cp id=\"docs-internal-guid-99808827-7fff-cc8a-7ec7-d0b9fd7ca41b\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003EA prominent Venezuelan opposition figure is working as campaign manager for Nuevas Ideas, the party of Salvadoran president Nayib Bukele that won control of the country\u2019s Legislative Assembly on February 28.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003ELester Toledo, a man well known in conservative political circles in both the United States and Venezuela, is also the primary elections administrator for Nuevas Ideas (NI). During NI\u2019s 2021 mayoral and congressional campaigns, Toledo presented himself to voters as the party\u2019s \u201csenior campaign manager,\u201d and has assumed responsibility for organizing teams of campaign field organizers, conducting trainings, and mobilizing displays of party militancy in \u201cdefense of the vote.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Venezuelan consultant began working with the Bukele family in 2018, shortly after \u003Ca href=\"\/es\/201710\/el_salvador\/21010\/FMLN-expulsa-a-Nayib-Bukele-y-este-se-declara-\"\u003ENayib Bukele\u2019s expulsion from the FMLN in 2017\u003C\/a\u003E, when he and his group were still attempting to form a new political party to compete in El Salvador\u2019s 2019 presidential election. Speaking at a \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/watch\/?v=1946637918801671\"\u003Eprivate conference\u003C\/a\u003E of political communication specialists in Washington, D.C. on July 22, 2020, Toledo himself recounted his early days with the Bukele team: \u201c[Bukele] rose to mayor under the banner of the FMLN, which was a traditional party, and they always left all the organizing to him,\u201d he said. According to Toledo\u2019s account, toward the end of 2018, Bukele's team contacted Toledo in Colombia and asked him to develop an analysis and strategy for their presidential campaign.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E    \u003Cfigure class=\"pict pict_land pict_move_posc 0 cs_img cs_img--curr rule--ss_c\" data-shot=\"pict\" data-hint=\"pict\"\u003E \u003Cdiv class=\"pict__pobj text-overflow\"\u003E\u003Cimg src=https:\/\/elfaro.net\/get_img?ImageWidth=960&ImageHeight=720&ImageId=35554 class=\"pobj\" style=\"max-width: 100%\" rel=\"resizable\" alt=\"Toledo es \"senior campaign manager\" de su empresa Salto \u00c1ngel Consulting y dirigi\u00f3 la organizaci\u00f3n del territorio para la campa\u00f1a de Nuevas Ideas.\u00a0Fotograf\u00eda de cuenta de Instagram de Lester Toledo donde posa con el presidente de NI y primo de Bukele, Xavier Zablah.\" \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E \u003Cfigcaption class=\"pict__text cs_img_caption folk_content typo_buttons line--ss_s0c line--ss_s0c--auto block full-width text-overflow rule--ss_l relative\"\u003E \u003Cdiv class=\"__content block-inline full-width align-top tint-text--idle relative\"\u003E Toledo es \"senior campaign manager\" de su empresa Salto \u00c1ngel Consulting y dirigi\u00f3 la organizaci\u00f3n del territorio para la campa\u00f1a de Nuevas Ideas.\u00a0Fotograf\u00eda de cuenta de Instagram de Lester Toledo donde posa con el presidente de NI y primo de Bukele, Xavier Zablah. \u003Cdiv class=\"photographer text_italic rule--ss_l tint-text--idle\"\u003E \u003C\/div\u003E \u003C\/div\u003E \u003C\/figcaption\u003E \u003C\/figure\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp id=\"docs-internal-guid-c49d43e7-7fff-42ea-4e10-92eda0bef375\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003EEl Faro recently obtained access to a recording of the conference, where Toledo had been invited as a kind of guru, to talk about his work in El Salvador. In his presentation, Toledo described how in 2018 he became involved with the presidential campaign, led by the \u003Ca href=\"\/es\/202006\/el_salvador\/24512\/El-clan-Bukele-que-gobierna-con-Nayib.htm\"\u003EBukele family\u2019s\u003C\/a\u003E most powerful brother, Karim Bukele: \u201cBukele's campaign team was 14 people, including himself: Bukele, his three brothers, and ten associates who met in his brothers' office, which was where they developed the president's proposals,\u201d Toledo said.\u00a0\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EAt the last minute, another major Salvadoran political party, \u003Ca href=\"\/es\/201807\/el_salvador\/22229\/Bukele-siempre-tuvo-a-Gana-en-mente.htm\"\u003EGANA, agreed to support Bukele\u003C\/a\u003E so that he could compete in the 2019 presidential elections.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EAt the conference, Toledo highlighted a few key features of Bukele\u2019s strategy: the president\u2019s close relationship with international conservative political circles, the importance of social media, and loyalty to the leader as the highest value.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EToledo is a partner at \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/saltoangelconsulting.com\/\"\u003ESalto \u00c1ngel Consulting\u003C\/a\u003E, a company that promotes his work in El Salvador as one of their great successes. In 2020, the firm \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/napolitans.org\/nominados-y-ganadores-2020\/\"\u003Ereceived a \u201cNapolitan Victory Award\u201d\u003C\/a\u003E from the Washington Academy of Political Arts & Sciences in the category of \u201cbreakthrough firms of the year,\u201d for the company\u2019s work \u201cmobilizing the bases\u201d during Bukele\u2019s presidential campaign.\u00a0\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EAlthough the fact that \u003Ca href=\"\/es\/201902\/el_salvador\/23006\/Nayib-Bukele-comparti%C3%B3-asesores-con-la-oposici%C3%B3n-venezolana-y-el-PRI-de-Meade.htm\"\u003EToledo had worked for NI\u003C\/a\u003E was already public information, what was not known was the nature of his role, or his level of involvement in Bukele\u2019s political project. In July 2020, Toledo began assembling a slate of congressional and mayoral candidates for the February 28, 2021 elections, through a virtual platform used for NI\u2019s primary elections. \u201cThe Salto \u00c1ngel Consulting team organized the first virtual election in the history of El Salvador,\u201d Toledo said at the conference. \u201c160,000 people participated. It was a model for any party in the region. The system never crashed and provided minute-by-minute updates on voting results.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EToward the end of July, accusations of \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/diario.elmundo.sv\/nuevas-ideas-investiga-denuncias-de-compras-de-chips-en-sus-elecciones-internas\/\"\u003Efraud in the primaries\u003C\/a\u003E surfaced, which included the alleged buying of votes and the use of fraudulent phone chips to cast votes. The party\u2019s National Electoral Commission responded that while the commission did detect primary candidates buying multiple phone chips in order to cast multiple votes, they claimed to have used identity document validation to block these attempts.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EWhile it is unclear how much Toledo is being paid, or whether the party pays him directly or pays his company, Toledo has, in practice, become NI\u2019s second in command. In November of last year, he accompanied party President Xavier Zablah Bukele to register the list of mayoral and Legislative Assembly candidates. On his Instagram account, Toledo shared a photograph of himself and Zablah \u2014 who, in addition to being NI party president, is also Nayib Bukele\u2019s cousin \u2014 standing in front of a party banner. \u201cEl compromiso es poner nuestro granito de arena para GANAR de nuevo #Operaci\u00f3n2021,\u201d he wrote. (A pun alluding to the names of right-wing Salvadoran political parties ARENA and GANA, that otherwise translates to: \u201cWe\u2019re committed to adding our grain of sand to win again.\u201d)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EEl Faro attempted to interview Toledo about his work in El Salvador, but he did not respond to calls or emails.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA Partner of Juan Guaid\u00f3 and Leopoldo L\u00f3pez\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003ELester Toledo, 38, is a lawyer who participated in the 2007 protests against then-president Hugo Ch\u00e1vez\u2019s referendum on the Venezuelan Constitution, and who, together with Leopoldo L\u00f3pez and other anti-Ch\u00e1vez opposition activists, founded Venezuela\u2019s Voluntad Popular party in 2009. After his exile in 2016, Toledo dedicated himself to conducting campaign training sessions. In February 2017, he moved to Spain, where conservative Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy granted him Spanish citizenship. In Spain, Toledo assisted with organizing the primary elections for the country\u2019s right-wing Partido Popular (Popular Party).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EToledo also worked for Juan Guaid\u00f3 \u2014 the president of Venezuela\u2019s National Assembly who in early 2019 proclaimed himself interim president \u2014 coordinating the flows of humanitarian aid imports from Miami into the country. In February 2019, Toledo accompanied Guaid\u00f3 to Venezuela Aid Live, a benefit concert that took place in the Colombia-Venezuela border city of C\u00facuta. The event was also supported by Colombian president Iv\u00e1n Duque, Chilean president Sebasti\u00e1n Pi\u00f1era, Cuban-American U.S. senator Marco Rubio, and the Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Luis Almagro.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E    \u003Cfigure class=\"pict pict_land pict_move_posc 0 cs_img cs_img--curr rule--ss_c\" data-shot=\"pict\" data-hint=\"pict\"\u003E \u003Cdiv class=\"pict__pobj text-overflow\"\u003E\u003Cimg src=https:\/\/elfaro.net\/get_img?ImageWidth=752&ImageHeight=518&ImageId=35555 class=\"pobj\" style=\"max-width: 100%\" rel=\"resizable\" alt=\"Esteban Vicu\u00f1a (left), V\u00edctor Barboza (center), and Lester Toledo (right) are the core team at Salto \u00c1ngel Consulting, a firm that advises Nuevas Ideas on issues relating to the training and organization of campaign teams. Photo from Lester Toledo\u2019s Instagram account.\" \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E \u003Cfigcaption class=\"pict__text cs_img_caption folk_content typo_buttons line--ss_s0c line--ss_s0c--auto block full-width text-overflow rule--ss_l relative\"\u003E \u003Cdiv class=\"__content block-inline full-width align-top tint-text--idle relative\"\u003E Esteban Vicu\u00f1a (left), V\u00edctor Barboza (center), and Lester Toledo (right) are the core team at Salto \u00c1ngel Consulting, a firm that advises Nuevas Ideas on issues relating to the training and organization of campaign teams. Photo from Lester Toledo\u2019s Instagram account. \u003C\/div\u003E \u003C\/figcaption\u003E \u003C\/figure\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp id=\"docs-internal-guid-042e6bfb-7fff-fbb3-5360-4a841c278c1f\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003EToledo fancies himself a man obsessed with the collection of data and the creation of profiles on party activists, \u201cvote defenders,\u201d and field organizers. He has his own methodology for doing it: circles of trust. \u201cWe identify those who sympathize with the campaign, then those who are willing to vote for you, then those want to volunteer their free time, then those who are willing to dedicate their time 24\/7 to the campaign, and finally those who are willing to donate,\u201d Toledo explained in his presentation, speaking in front of a PowerPoint slide depicting the hierarchy of members and supporters. The greater the commitment, Toledo explained, the closer the person becomes to the candidate. \u201cThis will allow you to section off until you get to the candidate\u2019s close inner circle: his family, his campaign team, people who would kill for him.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EIn the presentation, Toledo explained his recruitment methods: \u201cI survey the number of tweets, retweets and comments. If the person is not on social media, I assess the level of event attendance. If they are someone who is committed, we move them up the ladder until they end up a member of the campaign team.\u201d Toledo also boasted about the tools his company uses to collect data and measure people's level of engagement: \u201cThe most dedicated people, the ones who have the most stars, who would take a bullet for the candidate \u2014 those are the ones we post at voting centers, because they have a very high level of commitment. Nobody is going to buy them off or intimidate them with violence,\u201d he said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe Party Expert\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EToledo says that when he joined Nayib Bukele\u2019s team, he learned that months earlier, the campaign crew of only 14 people had successfully organized the collection of 200,000 signatures in just a single weekend.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EToledo requested this data to use it as a training tool for the national campaign team, but Karim Bukele informed him that \u201cthe campaign did not keep anyone\u2019s data,\u201d and that all of the information had been handed over to the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE). After this experience, Toledo requested that from then on the campaign capture all the data of all attendees and supporters. On December 9, 2018, Bukele launched the website xelsalvador.com, using the site to register volunteers to monitor voting on election day. The site was developed by Salto \u00c1ngel Consulting, Lester Toledo's company.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EToledo explains how they created a system of incentives for those who could mobilize the most volunteers: promotional materials, hats and shirts, and even a private dinner with Bukele. \u201cThe ten individuals who were able to mobilize the most people were rewarded with a dinner with the candidate,\u201d Toledo said. \u201cThis strategy allowed us to register 412,000 people.\u201d Toledo added that most of the people who signed up were very young and had never participated in poll-guarding, and that from the total number of registrees they selected a smaller group of 80,000 to train, then gathering participants, with up up to 1,000 attendees at a time, in large rooms with giant screens, where Toledo would explain the functioning of the voting centers and how to monitor the vote. One photograph from these training sessions shows Toledo, standing in front of a projection of a map of El Salvador along with the terms \u201cJunta Receptora de Votos (JRV)\u201d and \u201cJunta Electoral Municipal (JEM)\u201d (Voter Registration Board and Municipal Election Board, respectively). \u201cWe trained the vote defenders and the candidate swore in more than 80,000 dedicated team members,\u201d Toledo explained.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E    \u003Cfigure class=\"pict pict_land pict_move_posc 0 cs_img cs_img--curr rule--ss_c\" data-shot=\"pict\" data-hint=\"pict\"\u003E \u003Cdiv class=\"pict__pobj text-overflow\"\u003E\u003Cimg src=https:\/\/elfaro.net\/get_img?ImageWidth=1080&ImageHeight=720&ImageId=35556 class=\"pobj\" style=\"max-width: 100%\" rel=\"resizable\" alt=\"Since the 2019 presidential campaign, Toledo has participated in organizational activities, campaign team trainings, displays of party militancy, and trainings on \u201cdefending the vote.\u201d Photo from Lester Toledo's Instagram account.\" \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E \u003Cfigcaption class=\"pict__text cs_img_caption folk_content typo_buttons line--ss_s0c line--ss_s0c--auto block full-width text-overflow rule--ss_l relative\"\u003E \u003Cdiv class=\"__content block-inline full-width align-top tint-text--idle relative\"\u003E Since the 2019 presidential campaign, Toledo has participated in organizational activities, campaign team trainings, displays of party militancy, and trainings on \u201cdefending the vote.\u201d Photo from Lester Toledo's Instagram account. \u003C\/div\u003E \u003C\/figcaption\u003E \u003C\/figure\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp id=\"docs-internal-guid-e8bcc8ef-7fff-21db-0013-a0612f18e377\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003EWhile El Salvador\u2019s traditional political parties continue to organize their leaders by conventional means, using clipboards and pens, Toledo\u2019s company was able to mobilize the party base using virtual platforms, building robust electoral support for Bukele \u2014 support which has continued to grow over the past three years. But in 2020, in addition to changes in the methods of mobilizing support, the question of resources has also played a major role: NI far outspent all other contenders in the legislative and municipal elections. According to party spending estimates by the organization Acci\u00f3n Ciudadana (Citizen Action), from November 2020 to January 2021, NI spent $7.1 million on its campaign, followed by Arena, which spent $726,000.\u00a0\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EIn his video-conference presentation, Toledo claimed that his company coordinated the distribution of the party's advertising campaign on social media, a tool used to deploy targeted messages during the months of quarantine mandated in response to the pandemic. \u201cMr. Mark Zuckerberg should give us royalties from Facebook because all the money they could have spent on flyers and door-knocking, instead they put it into online publicity and advertising,\u201d he said jokingly during the conference.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EThe Salto \u00c1ngel Consulting team hired by Nuevas Ideas is led by four Venezuelans: Lester Toledo, Lender Toledo, Esteban Vicu\u00f1a and V\u00edctor Julio Barboza. During El Salvador\u2019s legislative and municipal campaign, five Venezuelan opposition members linked to Venezuela\u2019s Voluntad Popular party participated as volunteers in the defend-the-vote trainings: \u00c1ngel Machado, Danny Lozada, Efrendy Campos, Mar\u00eda Jos\u00e9 V\u00e1squez Fossi and Andrea M\u00e1rquez.\u00a0\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EVenezuelans Working for the Salvadoran Government\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EOn February 17, 2021, President Bukele announced that he would be delivering a speech at the Salvadoran Social Security Institute\u2019s Atlacatl Health Unit in San Salvador. This is where, according to the government, a special unit was being established as part of the logistics of rolling out Covid-19 vaccines to the whole country. The event was also attended by ISSS director, M\u00f3nica Ayala, and the Salvadoran minister of health, Francisco Alab\u00ed, who had arrived at the site ahead of the president. Among those responsible for organizing the logistics of the event were four Venezuelans.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EEntering the unit where Alab\u00ed would later vaccinate nurse Mirna Moreno\u2014the first person in El Salvador to receive the vaccine\u2014was a bald man named Esteban Vicu\u00f1a. Vicu\u00f1a is an associate at Salto \u00c1ngel Consulting, and has been with Toledo since Toledo\u2019s time as a state legislator in Venezuela. Minutes before, another Venezuelan named Sara Hanna had been in the same place where Alab\u00ed was now waiting for the arrival of the president. Two other Venezuelans, Miguel Sabal and Miguel Arvelo, were waiting in a restricted area set aside for the press, near the unit and the press conference podium. The roles played by these last two Venezuelans in the Bukele administration remain unknown, due to restrictions placed on the information.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E    \u003Cfigure class=\"pict pict_land pict_move_posc 0 cs_img cs_img--curr rule--ss_c\" data-shot=\"pict\" data-hint=\"pict\"\u003E \u003Cdiv class=\"pict__pobj text-overflow\"\u003E\u003Cimg src=https:\/\/elfaro.net\/get_img?ImageWidth=5374&ImageHeight=3582&ImageId=35557 class=\"pobj\" style=\"max-width: 100%\" rel=\"resizable\" alt=\"On February 17, Sarah Hanna attended the kick-off event for El Salvador\u2019s Covid-19 vaccination campaign for frontline workers. Photo: Carlos Barrera.\" \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E \u003Cfigcaption class=\"pict__text cs_img_caption folk_content typo_buttons line--ss_s0c line--ss_s0c--auto block full-width text-overflow rule--ss_l relative\"\u003E \u003Cdiv class=\"__content block-inline full-width align-top tint-text--idle relative\"\u003E On February 17, Sarah Hanna attended the kick-off event for El Salvador\u2019s Covid-19 vaccination campaign for frontline workers. Photo: Carlos Barrera. \u003Cdiv class=\"photographer text_italic rule--ss_l tint-text--idle\"\u003E \u003C\/div\u003E \u003C\/div\u003E \u003C\/figcaption\u003E \u003C\/figure\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp id=\"docs-internal-guid-6c1ac768-7fff-d661-e8cc-c779fb0d268c\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003EOn December 16, 2020, the Salvadoran minister of health responded to a public information request on the roles of Lester Toledo, Sarah Hanna, Miguel Sabal and Miguel Arvelo, stating that none of these individuals were registered as employees with the ministry\u2019s human resources department. Casa Presidencial, for its part, stated that contracts with these consultants were \u201cnonexistent\u201d and \u201cprivate,\u201d in a response dated July 2, 2020.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EOn February 24, four days before the elections, El Faro called Vicu\u00f1a to ask him about his company\u2019s work on behalf of the Salvadoran government and NI. \u201cI\u2019m at an event,\u201d he responded, \u201cbut tomorrow at 8am I\u2019d be happy to answer all of your questions.\u201d On Thursday morning, Vicu\u00f1a did not answer El Faro\u2019s five attempts to call him, nor did he respond to questions sent via email or text message apps.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EIn early June 2020, a memo from the National Health Institute (INS) circulated on social media networks. In the document, dated June 1, a lab technician reported to the deputy director of the INS, X\u00f3chitl Sandoval, that she had received a message via WhatsApp from two Casa Presidencial delegates, Sara Hanna and Miguel Arvelo, instructing her not to process Covid-19 tests. The memo states that on May 23, Hanna requested that the institute not process 1,674 test samples received on previous dates. It also states that on May 24, Arvelo sent instructions not to accept sentinel surveillance samples, collected in hospitals and health clinics, and to adhere to a schedule that specified which samples were to be given priority.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EOn June 11, El Diario de Hoy published complaints from the United Salvadoran Public Health Workers Union (Unidad de Sindicatos de Trabajadores de Salud P\u00fablica) against Sabal and Arvelo. \u201cDespite the authorization for conducting Covid-19 tests [on frontline workers], Mr. Miguel Arvelo objects,\u201d the union said. According to El Diario de Hoy, Sabal and Arvelo presented themselves as President Bukele\u2019s advisors to two medical labs in San Salvador, Max Bloch Laboratories and San Miguel Laboratories, and instructed the labs not to test frontline workers showing symptoms of Covid-19. \u201cThey harass and mistreat staff and lab workers,\u201d the employees said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E    \u003Cfigure class=\"pict pict_land pict_move_posc 0 cs_img cs_img--curr rule--ss_c\" data-shot=\"pict\" data-hint=\"pict\"\u003E \u003Cdiv class=\"pict__pobj text-overflow\"\u003E\u003Cimg src=https:\/\/elfaro.net\/get_img?ImageWidth=1080&ImageHeight=810&ImageId=35558 class=\"pobj\" style=\"max-width: 100%\" rel=\"resizable\" alt=\"El equipo de Salto \u00c1ngel Consulting se reuni\u00f3 con el presidente Bukele para celebrar la victoria de Nuevas Ideas en las elecciones del 28 de febrero. De izquierda a derecha, V\u00edctor Barboza, Efrendy Campos, Danny Lozada, Esteban Vicu\u00f1a, Andrea M\u00e1rquez, Lester Toledo, Mar\u00eda Jos\u00e9 V\u00e1squez Fossi y Lender Toledo.\" \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E \u003Cfigcaption class=\"pict__text cs_img_caption folk_content typo_buttons line--ss_s0c line--ss_s0c--auto block full-width text-overflow rule--ss_l relative\"\u003E \u003Cdiv class=\"__content block-inline full-width align-top tint-text--idle relative\"\u003E El equipo de Salto \u00c1ngel Consulting se reuni\u00f3 con el presidente Bukele para celebrar la victoria de Nuevas Ideas en las elecciones del 28 de febrero. De izquierda a derecha, V\u00edctor Barboza, Efrendy Campos, Danny Lozada, Esteban Vicu\u00f1a, Andrea M\u00e1rquez, Lester Toledo, Mar\u00eda Jos\u00e9 V\u00e1squez Fossi y Lender Toledo. \u003Cdiv class=\"photographer text_italic rule--ss_l tint-text--idle\"\u003E \u003C\/div\u003E \u003C\/div\u003E \u003C\/figcaption\u003E \u003C\/figure\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EToledo has participated in Bukele\u2019s cabinet meetings, and in April 2020, he accompanied the president to a planning and promotional event for the government\u2019s Health Emergency Program (Programa de Emergencia Sanitaria). On April 30, Toledo shared a photograph on his Instagram account from the \u201cEmergency Plan Operations Center\u201d at the San Bartolo Customs Building in Ilopango, San Salvador, and in the description wrote that \u201ctogether with President Bukele\u201d he had participated in the planning of \u201ca series of actions to lessen the economic impacts caused by the pandemic.\u201d President Bukele gave a press conference in that same place on May 18, together with his brother Karim, to announce his food basket delivery program, but before that, both were received by Toledo, who gave them a tour of the facilities. Neither Karim Bukele nor Toledo are officials of the government, at least not publicly.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003ESix days earlier, on May 12, Toledo was at Casa Presidencial. A photograph shows him giving a presentation in front of cabinet officials involved in the purchase, importation and distribution of the food baskets, among them the director of the National Civil Police (PNC), Mauricio Arriaza Chicas, and Minister of Agriculture Pablo Anliker, who authorized the more than $200 million in food purchases for the program. \u201cBefore starting the Health Emergency Plan,\u201d Toledo wrote in a post. \u201cHappy to be able to offer our assistance, our ideas, dreams and talents for the public good.\u201d\u00a0\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EDescribing the meeting, Toledo repeated the rhetoric the Salvadoran government has been promoting since April: \u201cEl Salvador has managed this pandemic better than any other country in the region, in terms of numbers, and this is because the country has capable and committed people at the helm, led by President Bukele,\u201d Toledo said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E    \u003Cfigure class=\"pict pict_land pict_move_posc 0 cs_img cs_img--curr rule--ss_c\" data-shot=\"pict\" data-hint=\"pict\"\u003E \u003Cdiv class=\"pict__pobj text-overflow\"\u003E\u003Cimg src=https:\/\/elfaro.net\/get_img?ImageWidth=1374&ImageHeight=548&ImageId=35559 class=\"pobj\" style=\"max-width: 100%\" rel=\"resizable\" alt=\"En mayo de 2020, Toledo coordin\u00f3 una reuni\u00f3n, en el marco del Programa de Emergencia Sanitaria (PES), a la que asistieron los titulares de las instituciones encargadas de la compra, almacenamiento y distribuci\u00f3n de las canastas de alimentos.\" \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E \u003Cfigcaption class=\"pict__text cs_img_caption folk_content typo_buttons line--ss_s0c line--ss_s0c--auto block full-width text-overflow rule--ss_l relative\"\u003E \u003Cdiv class=\"__content block-inline full-width align-top tint-text--idle relative\"\u003E En mayo de 2020, Toledo coordin\u00f3 una reuni\u00f3n, en el marco del Programa de Emergencia Sanitaria (PES), a la que asistieron los titulares de las instituciones encargadas de la compra, almacenamiento y distribuci\u00f3n de las canastas de alimentos. \u003C\/div\u003E \u003C\/figcaption\u003E \u003C\/figure\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003E*Translated by Max Granger\u003C\/p\u003E"}

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