1.   In January, the city legislature passed a charter that contained checks and balances similar to the US Constitution.

2.   Parks could have withdrawn the defense representatives from the boards after the charter was passed, Hernandez said.

3.   In the face of overwhelming public pressure, Chavalit said Friday his coalition will vote to pass the charter and amend it later.

4.   Speculation increased Friday evening that Chavalit would try to dodge passing the charter by dissolving Parliament and calling for new elections.

5.   That charter was passed at the end of September and is designed to stamp out the worst excesses of money politics in the country.