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201 W. Washington Ave.
Madison, WI 53703
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Madison, WI 53707-7970

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Scott Walker
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IMPORTANT: As of July 1st, 2011, functions once performed by the Wisconsin Department of Commerce have been moved to other state agencies and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. The former Commerce web site will continue to exist for the next several months as resources are moved to new web site locations. We will make every attempt possible to direct our users to the new locations as web resources are moved.

Division of Investment and Export
PO Box 7970
Madison, WI 53707-7970
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Vol. 8 #4, March 2009

Latin Leftists
On Sunday, March 15, the leftist party, known as the FMLN, won the presidential election in El Salvador.  Mauricio Funes beat the conservative Arena party’s candidate, Rodrigo Ávila, 51.3 to 48.7 percent.  The Arena party has held the presidency since 1989.  The FMLN is best known as the former guerrilla group during the country’s 12-year civil war (1980 to 1992).

Venezuela’s leftist leader, Hugo Chávez, following legislation allowing the central government to take over seaports, airports, and highways, directed the Venezuelan Navy to take control of Maracaibo and Puerto Cabello ports, two of the country’s largest seaports.  The ports are located in Zulia and Carabobo states respectively, both states with governors from the party opposing Chávez.

In mid-February Chávez was successful, through a second referendum, in gaining the right to modify the country’s constitution to end presidential term limits.  Supporters passed the referendum with 54.4 percent of the votes.  The first referendum, held in December 2007, failed.  Chavez has been in office since 1999.  The next presidential election will be held in December 2012.