The proposal by the president of the Central Electoral Board (JCE), Dr. Cesar Estrella Sadhala, that military and police personnel should be able to vote has provoked a negative reaction from the Secretary of the Navy. Admiral Gerardo Santana Solano told the newspaper Hoy that members of military and police institutions are “not prepared” to vote. Admiral Santana Solano pointed out that in almost every election in the past thirty years, there have been protest movements against the results and accusations of fraud. If such actions were to take place among members of the military, he fears the results could be more tumultuous.
The proposal to allow the military and police to vote is included in the new bill introduced to Congress that contains several modifications to the current Electoral Law.