OFF THE CUFF Call to end deputies grease the pot bonuses

SEVEN civil society organizations have sent a letter to the National Assembly asking that it end the practice of allocating funds to deputies to disburse during the Christmas season, which political observers see as vote buying.

 “We ask the National Assembly to present a full report on the management of the $1.5 million earmarked for members to have a clear understanding of the use of these funds,” the letter said.
Each of the 63 deputies received $25,000 to hand out to constituents.
Independent Deputy Ana Matilde Gómez refused the bonus, while National Assembly President Adolpho Valderrama gave them to charity
Trying to end the practice is going to be a hard sell, as for many deputies it’s a way of ensuring votes from their poorer constituents,
  CD deputy Sergio “Chello” Galvez, former president of the National Assembly , notoriously hands out turkeys and hams at a Christmas photo op in El Chorillo every year.
In 2013 he was denounced in the Supreme Court for the purchase of 30,000 hams with $675,000.government funds. The claim was dismissed by the court. He described his hand outs as a “Gift from God.” Which God provided the funds never became known but Galvez got re-elected, albeit with less votes than Gomez