Voting closes in Colombia with little violence, extensive fraud reported

Source: Colombia Reports

Voting closes in Colombia with little violence, extensive fraud reported
Mar 9, 2014 posted by Camilo Mejia Giraldo

Voting in Colombia’s congressional elections ended at 4 PM local time amid numerous reports of electoral irregularities by independent and government authorities.

After a relatively calm election day, which nonetheless included approximately 150 allegations of electoral fraud or interference to electoral watchdog bodies, voting for the Colombian congress has closed in the country’s most important and “secure” elections of the last 50 years.

UPDATE 5PM: Minimal press interference reported

Just before the close of polls, the Foundation for the Liberation of the Press (FLIP) reported minimal interference with the press during. On their Twitter account, FLIP reported restrictions on the press in Antioquia, Bolívar and Putumayo, but the incidents were fairly minor, including photographers not being allowed inside a school in Envigado, south of Colombia’s second largest city, Medellin.

Security: relative calm

Although authorities also reported two alleged rebel attacks and around 20 arrests throughout the day, the Colombian ombudsman indicated that the security situation during elections, traditionally a serious problem, particularly in the countryside, was as good as officials had “hoped for,” echoing sentiments expressed by various other officials, including the minister of defense.



Read more: http://colombiareports.co/voting-close-across-colombia-incidents-numerous-reports-electoral-issues/