The president of Departmental Electoral Court (TED) of Santa Cruz, María Cristina Claros, reported this Saturday that the distribution of 4,234 electoral suitcases throughout the department was made without incident, denialing the versions that circulated in digital media and social networks about an alleged irregular finding in the municipality of Yapacaní.
Claros explained that the cardboard box found by the police in that town does not correspond to an electoral suitcase, since this material has specific characteristics and dimensions. “Our suitcases are lined with plastic sheets and have their own security system. What was found in Yapacaní does not correspond to our electoral material,” he said in contact with duty.
The electoral authority also remarked that the report released by the Minister of Government, Roberto Ríos, about the discovery of a suitcase on the road, was not officially notified to the Ted Cruzanño.
Distribution with reinforced security
From the early hours of Thursday, August 14, the TED of Santa Cruz began the distribution of the electoral material to the most distant provinces of the department, as a firm floor, San Ignacio de Velasco, El Porvenir and Picaflor, in addition to San Matías and Yapacaní, including communities of difficult access such as pallar and deep cut.
For this operation, 43 trucks and 12 trucks were available, all accompanied by route coordinators and military custodians. The electoral suitcases were transported under protective tents to avoid damage in case of rain, and each vehicle has a satellite tracking system that allows the route to be monitored in real time.
“We have our route coordinators connected to the monitoring system to verify minute by minute the transfer of the material,” said Claros. He also indicated that, although there is support of the Armed Forces and the Police to have planes and helicopters in case of emergency, so far it has not been necessary to use air transport, prioritizing terrestrial and river routes.
In Yapacaní, for example, there are communities to the Canoa to reach the most remote electoral seats. Between them is the pallar, the heart of the Yuracaré Mojeño people.
International accompaniment
The distribution and organization of the electoral day have the accompaniment of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). Alessandra Rossi, representative of the mission, stressed that since 2020 the agency supports the Plurinational Electoral Body (OEP) in strengthening the institutionality and integrity of democratic processes in Bolivia.
“We are accompanying the electoral body and encourage dialogue between the parties and political parties. We observe that there is a citizen commitment to transparency and exhort the population to actively participate in these elections,” Rossi said.
Previous context
The controversy arose after knowing, through local reports, that a carrier had found an abandoned box near the Yapacaní River bridge. The Government Minister confirmed the finding and assured that the material was recovered and presented all the security seals. However, the subsequent clarification of the TED of Santa Cruz ruled out that it was an electoral suitcase, which returns tranquility about the custody of the voting material.
With the completed distribution and under military and police protection, Santa Cruz TED ensures that citizens can go to the polls next Sunday, August 17, with the certainty that the electoral material is in safe conditions and under strict control protocols.
