The president of the Central Electoral Board (JCE), Julio Cesar Castaños Guzman, is confident a local solution will be found to the US$13.9 million debt Indra Sistemas is demanding for the electronic vote counting system the company sold to the JCE for the 2016 general elections.
Castaños told the press that the dispute would not be taken to international arbitrage and that an institutional local solution would be found. “This case will not go to international arbitration, it is not considered in the contract, nor is in the will of the parties,” he said. He said that the contracting parties chose the Administrative Superior Court (TSA) to settle legal differences. He said the board can take its own decisions and is not subject to corruption.
Castaños explained that the JCE board would make a decision in regards to the payment demanded by Indra after a special investigation on the contract for the supplying of the voter counting equipment for the May 2016 general elections. The JCE is awaiting a final report from the Chamber of Accounts, the government auditing division.
Castaños mentioned they have evidence from the reports of international observers and international organizations including the OAS and Unasur, that the performance of the equipment supplied by Indra was not what was advertised to be. He said around US$20 million has been paid for the equipment.
Last week the JCE reported that the board members met with Spanish Ambassador Alejandro Abellan García de Diego and representatives of Indra Sistemas. 20% of the company is owned by the Spanish government.
The electronic vote counting system was contracted by the board presided by Roberto Rosario.
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Listin Diario
7 Dias
Diario Libre
21 November 2017
