20 election signs temoved in Colon

 Officials with the electoral prosecutor's office  have removed some 20 political billboards that were placed in places prohibited by electoral law in Colón.

Silvia Magdaleno, advisor to the Electoral Tribunal in the region, said the billboards blocked the sight of motorists.

She also said political posters were found in in schools, pedestrian overpasses, bus stops and even stuck on trees.

The official said the materals have been destroyed.

The Electoral Code, in article 412 stipulates penalties including fines and the removal of propaganda that violates the code.

Such ads are prohibited in: "public buildings and monuments, overpasses and adjacent public structures, toll booths, public sports arenas, sites of historical and cultural interest, hospitals, nursing homes, schools, churches and temples; on electrical and telephone lines (except the poles); traffic signals and trees or anywhere else that affects the ecosystem or environment."

It also prohibits placement on sites that obstruct the visibility or compromise the safety of drivers or pedestrians and on private property without the owner's permission.