Diego Fernando Diaz, the Citizen’s Movement (Movimiento Ciudadano) candidate for mayor of El Salto has faced the criticisms head on, crying defamation and denying any wrongdoing.
11 years ago, Diaz was arrested for carrying cocaine. Yet the wannabe mayor claims he was framed by police as he was an outspoken critic of then Municipal President Bertha Alicia Moreno. After four days in jail, Diaz was released.
“I was totally absolved of any wrongdoing” he says. “My appeal was successful and they let me go and apologized. I hold the government of Betty Moreno directly responsible.”
In 2014, Ramon Lara and Martha Elvira Sanchez accused Diaz of fraud.
According to them, he doctored a check for 6,000 pesos (US$400) after they gave him a donation to support his campaign to become a mayoral pre-candidate.
Allegedly, he changed the figure, adding a 2 to the original 6,000 so it totaled 26,000 pesos (US$1,772).
Again Diaz denies any wrongdoing. “This is in the hands of the authorities, they didn’t detect any alteration to the check. It was completely fine. Ask the judge if you have any doubts.”
In the face of these allegations, Diaz produced a police record showing he had no criminal convictions. “This is happening because I’m their strongest political rival,” he said.
On top of all this, a photo of a sympathizer, Rodolfo Mercado, circulated online in which he posed with a replica AK47 firearm in front of stacks of flyers bearing the candidate’s name.
“It’s a photo that a supporter took. It has nothing to do with me.” Diaz said. “Everyone has their own free will.”
The flyers themselves are imitation $100 bills featuring the face of Benjamin Franklin on the front with the campaign promises of the candidate on the back. Diaz reports that his party has no problem with this controversial form of self-promotion.