In its second and final report on the development of the 6 October 2019 primaries, the civic watchdog group Citizen Participation (Participación Ciudadana) says the primaries were not legitimate. This is because of the many violations on the day of the primary.
The report points out that the purchase of votes at the voting stations was even accepted by the president of the Central Electoral Board (JCE). Nothing was done about this situation. PC says that the Electoral Police did not receiving training to act in clear cases of flagrant crimes that warranted the immediate arrest of those who engaged in these activities.
PC says: “The JCE faces the challenge, a difficult one but possible with will and determination, of halting the excessive use of state resources in favor of the pro-government candidate, including the appointment of the highest public officials as political campaign coordinators. If it does not do this, it will not be able to guarantee even the slightest democratic and equitable elections.” The government party had justified that most of the cabinet serve as coordinators for the Gonzalo Castillo campaign with the argument the government officers were acting after 4 pm and on weekends.
PC criticizes that the prohibition of the publication of polls from the Thursday before the Sunday primaries was openly violated in front of everyone, including the electoral authorities. PC says that the outcome of the polls published on day of the primary seemed to depend on who was paying. It also says the JCE should apply the law and cancel the registration of polling companies that violated this rule.
In the report, Participación Ciudadana states that the JCE was undeniably incapable of putting a timely stop to the many practices that violated the electoral laws. This included campaigning around the voting stations. The group says that the JCE needs to establish responsibilities for the violations to the laws and rulings of the 6 October PLD primary. It understands that mechanisms so that the situation is not repeated should be found by reaching agreements with the parties and candidates. “That includes putting a stop to the unbridled use of government resources in favor of the government-backed candidate,” states the group. It also calls for a citizen education campaign regarding the selling of votes.
PC says a consensus needs to be reached with political parties regarding the use of the automated voting system given the many objections following the test run during the primary.
PC calls for restricting the intense ongoing government propaganda campaign that urges the population to vote for the pro-government candidate to guarantee the progress in the country. It calls for the JCE to deliver the missing rulings for controls of campaign spending and the application of the 40% quota for women and 10% for young people.
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Participacion Ciudadana
Participacion Ciudadana
N Digital
5 November 2019