Polls close without incident in Colombia’s most peaceful elections in decades

Polling station in Medellin (Photo: Ideas 4 Solutions)

At the close of polls, Colombia’s presidential elections have reportedly taken place without any significant disturbances or guerrilla attacks, according to the government.

Candidate profiles

Juan Manuel Santos

Oscar Ivan Zuluaga

Enrique Peñalosa

Clara Lopez

Marta Lucia Ramirez

Full election coverage

Election polls


Colombia’s Ministry of Defense has been lauding Sunday’s presidential elections as the most peaceful in recent decades.

In central Colombia, in the state of Antioquia, an explosive device was deactivated whilst in Casanare a smaller device was deactivated.  In the southern state of Caqueta there were some minor disturbances in several villages.

MOREAlleged homemade FARC bomb found on election day in rural Colombia

Aside from these incidents the voting hours proceeded without any major events and Iragorri said that all polling stations were open by 8am.

“So far there have been four arrests of people with arrest warrants, 614 advertising pieces were seized, 60 subpoenas were issued to drunk people, and 121 firearms were seized,” he added.

MOREColombia elections begin without attacks from armed groups: Defense minister

Additionally, 2,979 commercial establishments were penalized for selling liquor, in violation of the country’s “dry law.”

MOREColombia enacts alcohol ban, prohibits firearms during election weekend

W Radio reported that 400,000 members of the security forces guarded 99.9% of the country’s polling stations and there have been no reported attacks by any of the country’s rebel groups.

In contrast, during the 2010 elections, there were 19 attacks, according to the Interior Ministry.

Colombia’s two largest guerrilla groups, the FARC and the ELN, enacted a unilateral ceasefire on Tuesday declaring that they would not launch any attacks against the state.

MORERebel groups enact ceasefire ahead of Colombia presidential elections

The Ministry of Defense thanked the armed forces and police for guaranteeing the safety of the elections.

Sources

Related posts

Former president maintains control over Colombia’s Liberal Party

UN Security Council extends monitoring of Colombia’s peace process

Defense minister believes Pegasus spyware no longer used in Colombia