The presiding judge of the Central Electoral Board (JCE) Julio César Castaños Guzmán announced on Sunday, 22 December 2019 the contracting of the Spanish firm Alhambra Eidos for a forensic audit of the automated vote system used for the 6 October 2019 primaries. The contract is for US$566,037.73. In its description of the company, Bloomberg does not mention experience auditing electoral systems. According to Bloomberg, Alhambra Systems S.A. provides information technology and communication services. The company offers IT management, video conference, software solutions, networking, cloud computing, consulting, and data center services.
Parallel to this audit, the JCE announced a separate audit and certifying of the automated system to be used during the municipal election on 16 February 2020 would be carried out with the US company Pro V&V based in Alabama. This company was recommended by the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES). This procedure depends on the JCE obtaining funding from the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) and United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Former President Leonel Fernández says the contracting of the Spanish company has little value and seeks to legitimize the primary results. He said too much time has lapsed. “What the JCE has to try to do is dedicate itself to the previous audit and program the aftermath of what is going to happen on 16 February, because we need to have absolute guarantees that this time the will of our people will be respected in all its expression through the ballot boxes,” said Fernández. Fernández had called for the forensic audit immediately after the end of the automated vote count.
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N Digital
23 December 2019