Use of the TE App for signature collection is suspended, all signatures collected with this method will be audited

After the complaints and questions arising from irregularities or the improper use of the Mobile Application for the collection of fiekas for free application, the Electoral Court (TE) decided to temporarily suspend the use of the App for mobile devices as of tomorrow, Tuesday 25 October 2022.

According to the presiding magistrate of the TE, Heriberto Araúz, they will also carry out audits, both internal and external (including forensic audits), of all the signatures collected by the activists using the APP.

The audits will serve to verify that all the signatures were obtained following the provisions of Decree 29 of 2022.

Araúz pointed out that despite the temporary suspension of the App, the collection of signatures for the free application will continue through the User Service Center (CAU), the multiservice kiosks, all the regional and district offices of the TE of the country for face-to-face signatures and mobile books for hard-to-reach areas that do not have internet access.

I detail that, in addition, they will modify Decree 29 of 2022 to facilitate the collection of signatures in stationary positions with TE officials so that mobile devices can be used to make calls to the User Service Center (CAU), which will be located at different points of the country so that citizens can give their signature of support to the different pre-candidates, from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm, seven (7) days a week.

“Once the audits are concluded, a report will be submitted to the country and the corresponding additional legal actions will be filed before the competent authority,” he said.

Let us remember that the TE has already filed two criminal complaints with the Electoral General Prosecutor’s Office to investigate and determine the criminal responsibility of the suspended activists and of those who, together with them, participated in illegal use of the APP to collect signatures.

Due to this alleged misuse, the TE eliminated a total of 1,019 firms that incurred irregularities in the process.

“It has been the misuse of the APP by some activists outside the law that has affected an important technological innovation that the vast majority of candidates agree is the most appropriate of all methods of collecting signatures” , they pointed out.

The TE co-concluded that citizens expect the General Electoral Prosecutor’s Office (FGE) to fulfill its role and process the complaints presented to it with the priority and speed that the circumstances demand.