Candidates campaign early, legal prohibition or not

Every election season in El Salvador I have to laugh.   The country's electoral code prohibits campaigning too far in advance of the election date.  Candidates cannot campaign more than four months before the presidential election, and no more than two months before the election of legislative deputies and mayors.  But this has never stopped anyone as far as I can tell.

For the upcoming presidential elections on February 3, 2019, campaigning should not start until the first week of October.   But here is ARENA candidate Carlos Calleja this week:

From Tasajera Island we come to San Bartolo, Ilopongo.  People are fed up with division, populism and corruption.  I can offer you my experience as a generator of jobs, so that this country will truly change.

And here is FMLN candidate Hugo Martinez:

With joy and with the strength of our people, we're confident of an FMLN victory in 2019.   We're continuing our mobilization work in San Salvador.  Today we're sharing with the people of Meijcanos. 

Nayib Bukele ostensibly has told the GANA party that he will not campaign before October and so has not had big rallies since he became their nominee.  But his campaign is very active online.   For example, he is releasing his proposals one by one on his Facebook page, like this proposal to build a new international airport in the eastern part of the country:

And every election, someone files a complaint against candidates for early campaigning.  Frankly, what's the harm?  Let them all campaign.