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No Political Propaganda to be
Permitted on Public Streets
The Dirección de Seguridad y
Embellecimiento de Carreteras
Nacionales of the Ministro de
Obras Públicas y Transporte (MOPT)
and the Asociación de Seguridad
y Embellecimiento de Carreteras
Nacionales (Asecan), with the
help of the Tribunal Supremo de
Elecciones (TSE), have made it
clear to all political parties
and politicians that they cannot
inundate public streets with
their political propaganda.
A few days ago, Asecan, sent a
message to all pre-candidates to
the 2006 presidential elections,
instructing them that they
cannot use transit signs,
bridges, walls, trees and other
public property to post their
signs and clutter the roadway
with political propaganda.
Asecan reminded the election
hopefuls that there are laws to
prohibit this practice - the (Reglamento
de los Derechos de Vía y
Publicidad Exterior, Capítulo X,
artículo 52; Ley de
Construcciones, Capítulo VII,
artículo 32; y Ley de Tránsito,
Capítulo III, artículo 130) and
will face a ¢10.000 colones
(us$21) fine for each poster.
Eugenia López, a director of the
MOPT, said "we hope not to have
to resort to applying fines,
that is not our goal, but to
keep the streets clear and to
avoid the danger to road safety
by having posters on street
signs and public places where
the roadway is obstructed."
The election will be officially
underway on October 1, according
to the TSE, which will then
regulate the election process.
On December 5, politicians can
begin their public meetings,
with a pause between December 16
and January 1, and end on
February 2 with the elections.
Thus, between now and October 1,
there are no guidelines to
political propaganda and the
MOPT can only resort to it's own
regulation with respect to
public areas.
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