After listening to all political parties in the Electoral Guarantees Table convened by the National Government Given the multiple complaints of irregularities in the vote count in the elections of March 13, Registrar Alexander Vega Rocha gave up requesting the National Electoral Council to recount the votes.
“The application that I raised was to present it today. I have not presented any I want to clarify that and it was done with the purpose of looking for a way out. For the peace of mind of the political forces, I am not going to present the request to recount the votes. On the part of the Registry we are not going to present it”stated the national registrar.
The meeting, which took place at the Hilton Hotel in Corferias, was attended by the Minister of the Interior, Daniel Palacios, and was accompanied by political parties, the Ministry of Defense, the National Registry, the National Electoral Council, and international electoral surveillance entities.
Of the 16 political groups, 12 were against carrying out a general recount to the Senate of the Republic: Liberal, MAIS, Green Alliance, Renaciente Colombia, ASI, Communist Party, MIRA Coalition – Just Free Colombia, Party of the U, Radical Change, Dignity, Human Colombia, New Liberalism.
Only 3 were in favor: National Salvation Movement, Oxygen Green, Democratic Center. And the Conservative Party was hesitant about the alternatives.
The magistrate of the CNE César Abreo, said that: “For the sake of the electoral process, they are going to be given the guarantees (to the parties) of due process.” And I add: “Mr. Registrar, you had not done it officially but we believe that with what you said you are not going to put the National Electoral Council to decide on the recount. For us it is very important that you have made that decision because it takes away a weight of above and gives a guarantee to the electoral process”.
The Minister of the Interior, Daniel Palacios, assured that if the political parties wish to advance a request to recount votes, they must make their request independently.
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With information from THE TIME